The United Way of Prince Edward County recently launched our annual campaign with a goal of raising $55,000 to support local organizations and programs.

Through your generous support over the past five years, we have raised and distributed more than $41,500 annually to our 18 partner organizations that provide a multitude of vital services in our community.

We have already started our fundraising with some great news. We recently received a $7,500 grant from the Walter J. Payne Foundation. 

With that grant, plus other donations, we are already over 25 percent of the way to our goal of $55,000.   

This year, we are honored to support 18 local organizations involved in everything from feeding the elderly to educating our youth. 

Our community partners serve a cross section of the community — with no regard to age, race or gender. We just try to help meet needs.

Through the years, our partners have included Farmville Area Community Emergency Services (FACES); Farmville Area Habitat for Humanity; Heart of Virginia Free Clinic; Piedmont Senior Resources; SCOPE/Meals on Wheels; Farmville Area Boy Scout Service Organization; Southside Pregnancy Center; Farmville Girl Scouts Service Unit; Southside SPCA; Southside Virginia Family YMCA; Camp Loud and Clear; Madeline’s House/Southside Center for Violence Prevention; STEPS; Tri-County Life Learners; Riding Star 4-H Horse and Pony Club; Prince Edward County 4-H Club; Prince Edward-Farmville Youth Association and the VA Legal Aid Society.

With your help, we hope to not only meet our campaign goal but to increase the dollar amount each partner receives as they each work to fulfill their mission, because the more we are able to raise, the more we are able to distribute to our partners. 

To learn more about the partners our United Way serves, feel free to visit our website at http://uwprinceedward.org/.

Our solicitation letters are in the mail and we are meeting with representatives of area businesses hoping to have their employees make donations. 

Also, you can visit our website to access our new online option and click the orange “Give” button or send your donation to The United Way of Prince Edward County, P.O. Box 122, Farmville, VA 23901. 

All donations are tax-deductible and go directly back into our community to help make Prince Edward County a better place in which to live and work. 

By working together as a community, we can help a multitude of local, worthy causes. 

Please join us in donating so that we all can make this year’s campaign a great success and live united as a community.

Rucker Snead is the director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest at Hampden-Sydney College and also serves as president of the United Way of Prince Edward County. His email address is rsnead@hsc.edu.