Executive Director's Update- November 9, 2009

This year, United Way of Western Nebraska is helping to fund 19 local agencies.  Each of the agencies is efficient, effective and serves a large number of people locally and throughout the Panhandle of Nebraska.

Carpenter Center – providing recreational programs for children of all ages and income brackets.

Gering Organized Baseball – summer baseball program for youth.

Guadalupe Center – a facility which provides cultural, educational and nutritional needs for our community.  The facility houses the Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) which provides assistance with College Admission, Financial Aid Assistance, Scholarship search, GED Guidance, career workshops, etc.  The facility also houses the WNCC Outreach Office, English as a Second Language, Adult Basic Education and has activities such as Little Big Man Basketball, Boxing Club, and Cultural Dancing Lessons.

Boy Scouts (Longs Peak Council) – helping young boys and girls to participate in life building programs and encourages them to make decisions based upon positive values.

Summer Program for Handicapped Children (Camp Scott) – Five week summer day camp for developmentally disabled children and young adults.

Red Cross (Greater Nebraska Panhandle Chapter) – organization led by volunteers to provide relief to victims of disaster and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.  Currently, the local chapter is working to train citizens in disaster preparedness, health and safety and in the use of Automated External Defibrillators.

CAPstone – Child Advocacy Center where children who are victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse or neglect, or those who witness a violent crime, domestic violence or are recovered from a kidnapping or meth lab are interviewed by trained individuals in a child friendly environment. 

DOVES – provides services to survivors of domestic, dating and sexual violence, and to also raise awareness to prevent domestic, dating and sexual violence.

Safe Kids of Scotts Bluff County – program which is primarily focused on Child Passenger Safety by having trained and certified individuals provide fitting for child seats.

Gering Senior Center – provides meals and recreation for the seniors of the Gering community and the surrounding area.

Nebraska Advocates for Community Living – sponsors the People First organization in Scottsbluff which meets weekly for meetings, crafts, eating out, community service, etc. for individuals who are 25-60 and who have varying degrees of mental and physical disabilities. 

Panhandle Independent Living Services – works with those with disabilities to create opportunities and overcome barriers so that everyone can live as independently as they wish.

Scotts Bluff County Volunteer Center – provides programs such as Meals on Wheels, Shopping for Seniors, and home delivered commodities, volunteers for Thanksgiving in the Valley.  This organization also assists other agencies with volunteer recruitment and training.

Scottsbluff Senior Center – provides the senior citizens of Scotts Bluff County meals, fellowship and entertainment.

Buckboard Therapeutic Riding Academy – provides therapeutic riding which is a combination of traditional horseback riding and physical therapy.  This allows for substantial improvements in the strength, balance, and self-esteem of physically and mentally disabled children and adults.

CASA of Scotts Bluff County – Court Appointed Special Advocate is a program in which trained citizens become a “voice for the child in Court” for a child who has been abuse or neglected.  The goal is to move the children through the court system quickly and efficiently with the child’s best interests in mind.

Project Success (Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska) – provides safe, high quality, nurturing and developmentally stimulating environment for children of teen and young adult parents while they pursue their educational goals.

Respite Program (Western Community Health Resources) – a program created to allow all caregivers who are caring for an individual who disability requires constant care to bring in a respite provider for 8 hours the second weekend of every month.

Speak Out – an organization where parents of children with disabilities and/or other needs have an opportunity to educate, support and advocate for each other.

Each one of these agencies provides a service that is absolutely priceless.  During these tough economic times, the need for those services increases dramatically, and without support from United Way, these agencies are unable to provide these services and some of them could not even exist at all.  It is so important to our friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to support United Way of Western Nebraska because you never know when you or someone you love will need to utilize the services that these organizations provide.  When and if that time comes, won’t you be glad that you helped?  I know I will.

If you are a contributor to United Way of Western Nebraska, I sincerely thank you.  If you have given to United Way in the past, I also thank you for your support but I encourage you to consider giving again.  If you have never given to United Way, I ask that you consider making a difference in our community.  I ask that you consider making Western Nebraska an even better place to live!

Sincerely,

Roxann

Roxann Backer

Executive Director

United Way of Western Nebraska