NORWICH – The Chenango County United Way Campaign is in full swing. So far, it has raised $168,354, but more work still needs to be done. Last year the United Way allocated $400,000, and had $600,000 in funding requests.
After analyzing the needs of Chenango County, four primary needs areas were determined to be of utmost importance; opportunities for young people, the aging population, access to health care and poverty-related challenges. “The needs of Chenango County are increasing in all four of the focus areas identified by our recent needs assessment. Local organizations depend on a strong United Way campaign in order to serve the people of our community. It is very important that we raise at least as much as we did in last year’s campaign so that we can continue to serve our friends, families and neighbors who are in need,” said Executive Director Elizabeth Monaco.
According to the Chenango United Way, many young people in the county have relatively low aspirations for the future. The county has lower percentages of high school students planning to attend college than the national average. The goal of the Chenango United Way is to enable all youth to develop to their full potential. Last year, the Chenango United Way designated $198,512 to provide opportunities for young people. The money was used on a number of programs, including after-school programs, scholarships, literacy, counseling and Head Start. “We have the opportunity to better educate young people, and to help them understand the possibilities they have in Chenango County,” said Board Chair Gregory May.
A large number of young people who do receive an education end up leaving the county, draining the youth population and increasing the average age of county residents. Senior Citizens make up 15 percent of Chenango’s population. The United Way is estimating in the future there will be increased demand for health care, transportation, and housing for the elderly. At the same time, the tax base will be declining as more and more community members reach retirement age. Last year the Chenango United Way provided $31,500 in funding to programs for the elderly, provided by Opportunities for Chenango and the American Red Cross. “It is my hope and belief that by identifying the aging population, a service population will come forward and help assist the needs of those in the aging population,” May said.
Seniors are not the only group in need of health care. Improving access is a top priority. According to the needs assessment, Chenango County has a limited number of people with private health insurance, a limited number of providers who accept Medicaid, limited access to dental care and insufficient mental health care. The poverty rate has been increasing, which means the number of residents who rely on Medicaid will also be rising. The United Way provided $41,500 to programs for Chenango Health Network and Planned Parenthood.
Issues of poverty, housing and transportation affects a large number of Chenango County residents. “Poverty touches people of all generations, from the youngest child to the oldest senior citizen in the community,” said Community Impact Chair Karen Sastri. Right now, 14.4 percent of the county is in poverty, and a large percentage of the rest are dangerously close to the poverty line. There was $93,746 allocated to poverty issues last year. Programs provided transitional housing, disaster services, hunger funding and many other services.
“The focus areas help to ensure the dollars awarded to community partners are providing a long-term impact to the community members,” Sastri said.