NORWICH – At a campaign kickoff celebration that brought Chenango United Way's board members together, Executive Director Elizabeth Monaco delivered her annual message; detailing a list of achievements that the nonprofit has brought to the community over the last year.

During the gathering, the United Way campaign committee laid out its annual campaign goal of $419,000 to be raised from giving community donors and businesses by the end of 2016.

Additionally, Monaco presented board member John Antonowicz with the organization's “Volunteer of the Year” for his contributions to the community through the Chenango United Way. In particular, Anotoniwicz was responsible for organizing and securing community sponsorship for the Chenango-opoly board game as a fund raising initiative for the United Way.

Proceeds from the United Way's annual campaign are used to fund more than 20 local area programs and initiatives that directly benefit basic education, health and income related shortcoming for less-than-fortunate community members across Chenango County.

A number of United Way sub committee-type community impact teams worked together last year to address and initiate various community centric initiatives. In this capacity, the United Way became an active member of the Building a Healthy Community Coalition, serving as well fiscal conduit for the project. Likewise, the other community impact teams organized and funded the Dolly Parton Imagination Library that served more than 1200 Chenango County children who were enrolled in the program. 172 of those “graduated,” exceeding reading and literacy objectives based on early education standards.