Dear United Way Family,

At United Way of Kennebec Valley (UWKV), we are doing our best to look forward: to Campaign season, to recovery, and to a time when we can all be together again. I am reaching out to share an update about UWKV’s recent efforts and our activities for the remainder of the year.

Our COVID-19 Response Fund has raised more than $243,000, supporting more than 17,139 local people thus far. Dedicated volunteers will continue to allocate this money to local nonprofits facing short- and long-term challenges related to the pandemic until the funds are exhausted. It’s important to note that these COVID-19 funds cannot be funneled into UWKV’s typical fall Campaign season. In August, UWKV staff, volunteers, and local businesses will begin Campaign fundraising from scratch during one of the most challenging economic times in our 65-year history.

Please know that our board, campaign leadership, volunteers and staff have not remained idle over these past few months—we’ve been anticipating challenges, redefining the Campaign, and forging a path forward. UWKV has prioritized this work because we know, based on regular conversations with our nonprofit partners, that the nonprofit sector needs your support now more than ever.

UWKV has adapted its 2020 Campaign for the new virtual world. In early August, we will offer our first-ever virtual Pacesetter Coffee Hour for the 25 businesses that host early workplace campaigns, setting the stage for success. We will safely host our 50th Annual Golf Scramble—our largest fundraising event—on August 10, and we still have space for teams. And in September, we will present a new kind of Kickoff event for all our donors to celebrate the start of this Campaign season. We’ve got virtual campaign materials, fillable pledge forms, and other innovative ways to keep you engaged and entertained. You will be receiving additional information in the coming weeks, but I wanted you to know that we are ready to do what it takes to achieve success for our nonprofits. With your generosity, UWKV has been supporting this community for 65 years, and we won’t stop now.

Thank you for being a friend to United Way, in the light and in the dark. We recognize that many local businesses, nonprofits, and families are facing unprecedented obstacles right now. As we always have in the Kennebec Valley, we must remain resilient and rise up together.

With gratitude,

Courtney Yeager
Executive Director