Katie McCord Jenkins, 2016 Campaign Co-Chair, at the Tazewell Woodford Head Start Family Center, a Heart of Illinois United Way Success By 6 Partner.
The 2016 Heart of Illinois United Way campaign has raised $8.5 million to-date. With more than 300 local companies and organizations participating in workplace campaigns, many are still in progress at the mid-campaign point.
Katie McCord Jenkins, 2016 Campaign Co-Chair, was at the Tazewell Woodford Head Start Family Center, a Heart of Illinois United Way Success By 6 Partner, on Wednesday, November 2 to discuss the progress of this year’s campaign.
As the largest non-governmental funder of local health and human care agencies, supporting the Heart of Illinois United Way is vital to helping people in need since United Way funding is a reliable and steady source of income for critical education, income and health programs in central Illinois.
With the Illinois state budget crisis and demand for United Way funded programs continuing to increase, the need for a successful United Way campaign in 2016 is essential for the upcoming year. The Heart of Illinois United Way’s 2015 Campaign raised $11.631 million representing a 2 percent increase from 2014. Over the past five years, the annual campaign has increased 33 percent.
A few campaign highlights to-date this year include:
- Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois – up 91 percent
- Peoria Disposal Company – up 40 percent
- The F&M Bank – up 30 percent
- River City Construction – up 18 percent
- Vonachen Services – up 13 percent
- Peoria Public Schools – up 13 percent
- RSM – up 11 percent
- Advanced Technology Services – up 10 percent
Over the last three years, the Heart of Illinois United Way’s partner agencies have collectively lost more than $15 million in state and federal funding. United Way of Illinois reports that statewide 85 percent of health and human care agencies have significantly decreased the number of clients they serve. Prior to the budget impasse, many nonprofits were already struggling with delayed payments from the state.
The Heart of Illinois United Way’s Community Impact Fund is a competitive, outcome-based multi-year grant process currently funding more than 84 local programs at 45 partner agencies addressing vital health and human care needs in our community — helping more than 100,000 people each year throughout Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Marshall, Stark and Putnam counties.
The results of the 2016 Campaign will be announced on Tuesday, January 31, 2017.