The latest round of United Way allocations
put an estimated $6 million into services that reach out to Wood County residents in need.The programs
funded focus on improving the education, health and income stability of Wood, Lucas and Ottawa county
residents.Unlike previous years, the listed investments for Wood County more accurately reflect the benefit
to local residents, according to Kate Sommerfeld, director of the United Way office in Wood County. Programs
that don’t have a physical presence in Wood County were listed if they serve local residents."It is
different than we’ve seen in the past," Sommerfeld said. "There’s really an understanding of the
breadth and scope of programming."This year, for example, the American Red Cross funding is added to
the Wood County listing."In past years we haven’t included them in the Wood County list,"
Sommerfeld said. "This year better reflects the real investments."More than 45 programs are on the
list to serve Wood County residents."That speaks to the level and the number of partnerships we have in
the community," she said.The funding priorities for United Way this year were education, income
stability and health.The education allocations were divided into school readiness for ages 0 to 6, in-school
success for kindergarten through 12th grade, and out-of-school supports.The income stability funds were
directed to essential services that provide safety nets for families, access to education and employment,
and connecting families with financial resources.The health allocations went to early childhood health,
access and utilization of health care, and a focus on healthy eating and physical activity. According to
Sommerfeld, the programs getting funded had to prove "measurable outcomes" in responding to
community issues.Following is a list of the programs being funded:Education: Total of $932,008 for preparing
children to enter and graduate from school• $45,000 to Building Roads to the Future by Polly Fox Academy.•
$43,000 to Childcare Connections by YWCA Northwest Ohio.• $90,142 to Club Care by Catholic Club.• $20,000 to
Club Parenting Education and Support by Catholic Club.• $35,000 to Early Childhood Partnership by YWCA
Northwest Ohio.• $40,000 to Help Me Grow/Parents as Teachers by Wood County Health Department.• $22,450 for
Mom’s House Childcare, by Mom’s House.• $29,860 for Parenting Education by Children’s Resource Center.•
$22,500 for Reach Out and Read by University of Toledo Medical College.• $30,000 for Educational Advocacy
Services by Ability Center of Greater Toledo.• $325,078 for Building Competencies by Boys & Girls
Clubs of Toledo.• $73,000 for Community Learning Center’s STARS by Wood County Educational Service Center.•
$68,578 for Leadership Development by Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo.• $87,400 for One-to-One
Mentoring by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Ohio.Income: $1,334,610 for creating individual and
family financial stability• $169,879 for basic needs by Salvation Army of Northwest Ohio.• $3,100 for basic
needs assistance by King’s Daughters and Sons/Silver Cross Circle.• $80,750 for battered women’s shelter by
YWCA Northwest Ohio.• $15,400 for Connecting to Basic Needs by Salvation Army of Northwest Ohio.• $25,000
for Emergency Safe Housing by the Cocoon Shelter.• $601,878 for Family Emergency Response Services by
American Red Cross of Northwest Ohio.• $45,000 for H.O.P.E. Center by YWCA Northwest Ohio.• $100,000 for
legal assistance by Legal Aid of Western Ohio Inc.• $20,000 set-aside for Strategic Initiative.• $76,853 for
Free Tax Preparation Program by United Way of Greater Toledo.• $112,750 for Financial Opportunity Center by
East Toledo Family Center.• $84,000 for Financial Opportunity Center for Lutheran Social Services of
Northwest Ohio.Health: $1,054,902 for creating a healthy community• $99,537 for Children’s Advocacy Center
by Family and Child Abuse Prevention Center.• $25,000 for Dental Resource Center by Dental Center of
Northwest Ohio.• $20,953 for Preschool Sexual Abuse Prevention Project by Children’s Resource Center.•
$150,000 for Supporting Early Emotional Development by Harbor Inc.• $29,000 for Adult Primary Care by Wood
County Health District.• $25,000 for Center for Child Development by Wood County Hospital.• $55,000 for Come
Home Project by Mercy Children’s Hospital.• $20,000 for Community Care-a-Van by Patient Advocacy Fund.•
$125,000 for Dental Clinic by Dental Center of Northwest Ohio.• $85,185 for Domestic Violence Advocacy by
Family and Child Abuse Prevention Center.• $20,000 for Low Vision Care by Sight Center of Northwest Ohio.•
$80,000 for Project Genesis by Family Service of Northwest Ohio.• $36,200 for Protecting Our Youth by AIDS
Resource Center.• $75,375 for Social Services by Neighborhood Health Association.• $55,808 for Club
Recreation by Catholic Club.• $67,500 for Fun Bus by YMCA/JCC of Greater Toledo.• $33,844 for Resident
Camping for Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo.• $16,000 for School Nutrition Support and Advocacy by
Children’s Hunger Alliance.• $35,500 for Toledo GROWS by Toledo Botanical Garden.