Impact is the key of Indiana United Way's Economic Relief Initiative, and our community used it to unlock meaningful collaboration. The greatest change our service network has experienced through the process of allocating ERI funds, attained through a partnership with Lilly Endowment, Inc, has been the realization of truly collective impact. 

Traditional models for fund allocation and grantmaking have been lagging for years, and White County United Way has been re-imagining allocations since a workshop in 2019 highlighted new methods of funding being used throughout the state. Visionaries on the WCUW board decided then that our United Way would be a champion for mental health, and we would promote mental health growth in our community. But the change was slow and incremental, and mostly not flashy enough to really garner much momentum. 

When the ERI brought the influx of significant, change-making funding to our region, our team got serious about putting that gift to great use for the benefit of our neighbors. Suddenly, we had more funding than we had services to fund--that is, services meeting basic human needs. Suddenly, the focus of our work was not contemplating how to slice a funding pie into ever-thinner pieces for a an over-extended network that lacked capacity. Rather, our work began to center around the actual needs for service. Agencies worked together. True collaboration happened, and gaps were filled in non-traditional, but still effective ways.

Examples abound. Some of the simplest solutions provided the greatest impact, and our network simply needed the means and opportunity to pursue those solutions.  Our amazing partner provides public transit on a donation basis, but the Council on Aging is only open from 8-4 PM, and often there is no time for patrons to plan ahead for its use. Given that the Council's capacity is stretched regularly, and even more so during the 2020/21 season, they were unable to accommodate rides outside of these hours. A local church, Faith Covenant Christian Fellowship runs a transportation ministry and has for some time. They also are able to provide gas cards to those in need, as our rural location makes transit nearly impossible. Together, we were able to answer the need of those patrons who are unable to use the Council, and the Community Relief Fund provided much needed services through the existing structure of FCCF. But the true beauty of this partnership is its collaborative nature. WCUW's phone number is the contact number, and transportation needs are forwarded to FCCF volunteers during extended business hours. When the Council receives a request it is unable to meet, those calls are routed to WCUW. Of course, the system has been personally, verbally, and electronically communicated with all of our partners, and our infrastructure has expanded through a simple conversation and a modest financial investment. 

Rural residents have the same needs as those in more densely populated areas, but the service network cannot operate efficiently enough to meet them when we work independently. Instead, we must work as a network, meeting people in the locations that best serve them, and stretching our outreach strategies to the clients' needs while keeping ever-mindful of our unique missions. The mindset we developed through the ERI Grant is both powerful and incredible. More than once, a potential grantee would suggest a different entity altogether to step in to fill a client need, even though they were foregoing possible funding in doing so. Our service professionals truly placed community over self-interest in the past two years, and their generosity has been humbling. 

Overall, the greatest good to come out of the ERI Grant is not in the individual client stories we share, but in the thought-shift our network has taken to serve. Because of ERI funds, our United Way is finally broadening our scope to understand the needs in Jasper and Pulaski Counties. Because of ERI funds, our regional network is meeting monthly to develop a Trauma-Informed, Recovery-Oriented System of Care and shared client database. Because of ERI funds, more than 1,746 of our neighbors have received the services they need to better respond to the pandemic. Because of ERI funds, these neighbors, our donors, volunteers, clients, and staff continue to LIVE UNITED in 2022. 

guest column by Nikie Jenkinson, executive director

​of the Monticello United Methodist Church and the Medaryville Nursery School  provide essential services of child care, education, outreach, and engagement. Maintaining the options available for child care and preschool is vital in our communities to ensure the best possible start for our youngest residents. 

The Fendig Theatre for Children, and the Twin Lakes Education Foundation received funding for programs to help students with their mental health during the continuation of the pandemic and the recovery period as they return to more typical schedules. 

Mental Health America (MHA), Willowstone Services and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) received funding to improve mental health access in our region. MHA will bring a Mental Health Navigator to the community to assist residents with accessing important mental health services and crisis care. Willowstone, along with the county schools and family liaison will conduct parental outreach with a virtual Active Parenting series.

The White County Salvation Army will increase direct funds for basic needs and utilities as needed with the funding from the CRF. 

The Community Relief Fund was created to first assist any non-profit social service organization serving White, Jasper, or Pulaski counties that may be suffering the immediate physical, social, and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Community Relief Fund is a sponsored project of Indiana United Ways with funding provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. 

Applications are still being accepted at this time; however, the Community Relief Fund program is drawing to a close. White County United Way would like to emphasize that all applications need to be submitted as soon as possible. The last day to submit a CRF application to the White County United Way will be July 10, 2021 at midnight. Interested organizations should visit whitecountyunitedway.org and download the grant application found on the Community Relief Fund page. 

Organizations with 501(c)3 status may apply, but agencies with other designations must call before applying. For additional information please contact the White County United Way Executive Director Nikie Jenkinson through email: whitecountyunitedway@gmail.com or call (574) 583-6544. To speak to a Mental Health Navigator please call: 765-742-1800

continue to provide free community events, educational programming, and other activities to families and youth in the community. 

The Community Relief Fund was created to first assist any non-profit social service organization serving White, Jasper, or Pulaski counties that may be suffering the immediate physical, social, and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The White County United Way was able to meet these needs, allocating $157,876 to these organizations thus far. 

Now, the United Way is focusing on providing financial assistance to help strengthen the overall social service response in the region. The goal is to become more aware of social service gaps in our communities and use resources to both immediately respond and create an environment of lasting change. The Community Relief Fund is a great avenue to assist in finding these community-based solutions for current crises and beyond. 

The Community Relief Fund is a sponsored project of Indiana United Ways with funding provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. The White County United Way is in partnership with the Community Foundation of White County, the Community Foundation of Pulaski County, and the Jasper Newton Foundation. 

Applications for the month of January will be due January 10, 2020 at midnight. Interested organizations should visit whitecountyunitedway.org and download the grant application found on the Community Relief Fund page. 

For additional information please contact the White County United Way Executive Director Nikie Jenkinson through email: whitecountyunitedway@gmail.com or call (574) 583-6544.
​

nearly 4,000 families across the globe. The BSA was also able to hold the Journalism Merit Badge in conjunction with WLFI, the Journal and Courier, and the New York Times in a virtual setting. In addition to that, 150 Scouts from 48 councils across the country participated in the Virtual University of Scouting and completed classes in citizenship, dentistry, American business, American labor, animal science, chemistry, emergency preparedness, medicine, nature, public health, space exploration, and veterinary medicine. 

The Sagamore Boy Scouts recognize that none of this would’ve been possible without the White County United Way and the Community Relief Fund. They are very grateful to the White County United Way and its partners for the opportunities and positive outcomes the Community Relief Fund has given them, especially during these trying and unprecedented times. ​

​get it in order to keep his firefighters and their families safe. 

“WVFD firefighters arrive on scene and walk into the unknown. We may not know what a situation will bring, but we do know that COVID-19 does not stop at the sight of a firefighter. We must find a way to provide our firefighters, and all frontline workers for that matter, with the supplies necessary to keep them safe and healthy, as well as their families that they go home to,” said Myers. 

Luckily, non-profit community advocates like the White County United Way exist for organizations that are seeking help. Funding is made possible through the Economic Relief Initiative Grant, sponsored by Indiana United Ways, partnering with Lilly Endowment, Inc. The Community Relief Fund is managed through the White County United Way in partnership with the Community Foundation of White County, the Jasper Newton Foundation, and the Community Foundation of Pulaski County. The fund allows money to be distributed to various non-profit organizations in White, Pulaski, and Jasper counties that need additional financial assistance for programming during these challenging times. 

With the monies provided through the Community Relief Fund, the Wheatfield Volunteer Fire Department was able to purchase all the essential, exceptional equipment they needed to protect themselves from the new threat, along with four decontamination spray guns and eight gallons of gear detergent. 

“The dangers that we are facing are not only exposure to communicable diseases, but also carcinogens. After every fire, a firefighter's gear is contaminated with carcinogens, and we are required to wash our gear after each fire. WVFD has never had the ability to wash their gear in-house, but now we do, thanks to the grant money we received,” Myers stated. 

Myers noted that they are not only proud that they are now able to keep their firefighters healthy along with taking care of and maintaining their gear properly, but they are also proud of the relationships that they have built along the way. 

“What we pride ourselves in the most is the relationships we build over time, whether it is a member of the community or one of the amazing organizations like the White County United Way or the Jasper-Newton Foundation. In a world filled with situations that can lead us to sadness, anger, or confusion, we know we can turn to our relationships and positive organizations when we need to, and they will be there for us,” Myers explained. 

The White County United Way is honored to help our emergency responders in any way that we can. We want to make sure that those who put their lives on the line everyday are always prepared and provided for, especially during this pandemic. 

“We may not know what tomorrow will bring, but we do know that there will always be helpers - those willing to make the world a better place. And with that, our firefighters will stand beside organizations like the White County United Way and the Jasper-Newton Foundation because they are always ready and willing to serve at a moment's notice,” concluded Myers.