SIDNEY - The Sidney United Way has set a goal of $87,000 for its 2009-2010 Fund Dave. This year's goal is up by, $400 over last year's goal. The budget and admissions committee has presented a challenge to this year's campaign team to increase our campaign so we can provide stable funding to our 16 member agencies and provide additional contingency funding to attack issues of hunger, education and other community issues.

We realize this past year has been most challenging for our community. Local job cuts. and higher expenses have affected all of us in some way. It is during these difficult times that we must pull together to provide the needed resources to maintain the quality of life we all want for family and community.

Our 2009 LIVE UNITED campaign will focus on providing the services our community needs. We encourage each of you to give, advocate and volunteer. This is our message for our LIVE UNITED theme and we offer you the opportunity to give a donation so we can provide our 16 local agencies with the fund to achieve measurable programs that will benefit our whole community.

We have added a new member agency this year and it's a familiar non-profit that has been providing services for many years. The Sidney Area Youth Advocate Program (SAYAP) has been added to continue to work with the school on The Focus on Youth Initiative, which helps develop programs that will provide opportunities to the youth in our community.

Our 2009-2010 campaign was kicked off at the last Community Concert where members of the Sidney United Way board showed their Live United shirts and committed to Give, Advocate and Volunteer. Articles highlighting our 16 member agencies will be provided in future news articles.

Reprint from The Tri-Town News