This week a luncheon was held in Quitman to kickoff the United Way campaign in that area. So far, Watkins Hospital, Duke Energy and Dart Container Company have joined the campaign. Organizers are encouraging other companies in the area to do the same.

"Clarke County has a lot of good people here. With Burlington closing down, a lot of people in the county have lost their jobs and United Way can help a lot of those folks in the community," said Joe Smarro, Duke Energy.

Although the local United Way office is located in Lauderdale County, it serves residents in other counties in East Mississippi and West Alabama. This year's campaign goal is $800,000.

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Facts About the United Way

• Their agenda is: "United Way is the leader and catalyst for change in the business of caring. We look for approaches that have not been taken. We explore alternatives and seek new ways to solve community problems."

• The United Way believes in teamwork, and they bring donors and volunteers together with community leaders and agencies to address the most pressing problems in the community.

• As a performance-based philanthropy, United Way is focused on achieving measurable results.

• The United Way system includes approximately 1,900 community-based United Way organizations. Each is independent, separately incorporated, and governed by local volunteers.

• United Way volunteers raised $3.77 billion dollars in the 1999-2000 campaign, which was used for human services ranging from disaster relief, emergency food and shelter and crisis intervention to day care, physical rehabilitation and youth development.

• The United Way of America (UWA) provides a range of assistance to United Ways that includes the following:
  
  • A national advertising and promotion program.
    
  • A partnership with the National Football League.
    
  • Training for United Way professionals and volunteers.
    
  • Support to national companies that want to cultivate a year-round relationship with United Ways.
    
  • A national database for several types of information, including fund-raising and fund-distribution statistics as well as measuring and demonstrating impact in all activities undertaken.
    
  • A national network allowing United Ways to share best practices and other information.
    
  • A unified voice in national government relations.

  To find your local United Way, visit out source: Source: http://national.unitedway.org (The United Way Web site)