Dear Friends,

This has been a difficult year for so many of our neighbors and friends in the United Way of Central Kane County communities.  Many have lost jobs and with it their security.  With insufficient income families are facing hunger, homelessness and loss of health insurance.  United Way has been fortunate that donors continue to fund our efforts, allowing us to provide support for programs that address the current issues.  

We reached our United Way goal which is a significant accomplishment. 

During this past year, community volunteers met and carefully reviewed the grant applications based on the value and strength of the agencies and their programs.  We awarded grants to those agencies that demonstrated concrete, measurable outcomes in the community.  For the fiscal year 2011-2012, we awarded over $340,000 to support 38 programs at 28 local agencies. Additionally, two food pantries were funded; Salvation Army Tri City Corp and Elburn Food Pantry.  More than 29,000 local people were helped with these funds.   We are focusing our support on agency “community impact/self sufficiency” programs which help struggling individuals and families who live or work in the communities of St. Charles, Geneva, Elburn, Campton Hills, Kaneville, Wasco, and LaFox.  

Over $13,884 of volunteer time was donated with a total of 122 volunteers. Thirty new businesses supported United Way this campaign year. The collaborative efforts of the St. Charles and Geneva Post Offices and United Way annual food drive was a success. The National Association Letter Carrier’s received a collected amount of food of over 11,000 pounds of food.

Volunteers gathered at the LaFox, Geneva, and Elburn train stations in September and October to distribution cards reminding commuters “Don’t Let Your United Way Dollars Leave Town” was an overwhelming success. The generosity of the Yellowbird Marketing Solutions and Continental Envelope was invaluable with Yellowbird Marketing Solutions donating their expertise in redesign of the website and Continental donating the printing of envelopes. The Kane County Chronicle continued to support United Way by providing advertisements in their newspaper. Their in-kind contributions were valued over $14,800. 

This next year we will continue to meet new challenges as we see an escalation of community needs.  Area social agencies are seeing an increase in clients because of the current economic downturn, while the State of Illinois faces its own financial crisis with pending Medicaid cuts to funding to the very social agencies which serve so many people.  Because of this, it is more important than ever for United Way to succeed.  The funds we disperse are critical to the agencies to help meet the “community impact/self sufficiency” programs.  

When times are tough, friends, family and neighbors depend on the generosity of citizens like you.  The United Way of Central Kane County is continuing the legacy of caring and compassion that brings us together and creates opportunities by focusing on the building blocks for a good life.

Thank you for your help now and in the future.

Carol McIntyre

President 2011-2012