The 84-year-old Greenwood woman can no longer keep up with her yard.
Francis Garrett has lived in her home in Greenwood for almost 25 years, and hires a company to mow her yard, while her family sometimes helps clean the gutters and lay mulch.
Back surgeries have kept her from doing any work in the yard for about two years.
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On Tuesday, volunteers who work for the city of Greenwood did the yard work that she has not been able to get to for years. The trimming and weeding was part of the United Way of Johnson County’s annual Day of Caring. The service day marks the official launch of the United Way’s annual fundraising campaign. United Way volunteers hope to raise $1.57 million this year, primarily through workplace paycheck deductions and corporate gifts.
Money raised goes toward 18 non-profit agencies in Johnson County that help senior citizens, homeless and youth. Campaign money is also used to help fund seven programs by the United Way of Johnson County, such as Fast Track, which gives school supplies to needy students and Christmas Angels, which provides Christmas gifts to struggling families.
The $1.57 million goal would be the most money ever raised if the agency meets the goal, said Nancy Lohr Plake, executive director of the United Way of Johnson County.
Donors gave $1,551,251 in the 2018 campaign, which concluded earlier this year. That giving set a record but was $20,000 shy of the goal.
More than 270 volunteers from companies in Johnson and surrounding counties fanned out to non-profit agencies the United Way serves and their clients to complete tasks that likely would not get done without their help.
Volunteers worked at Gateway Services in Franklin, which provides services to people with disabilities and operates Access Johnson County, which provides public transportation to county residents. Homeview Health and Rehabilitation Center employees sealed the parking lot, cleaned office space and spruced up the agency’s lemon shake-up stand and landscaping.
All the time and money that Gateway has goes to serving clients, which can make it difficult to do maintenance work at the property, said Becky Allen, transportation director at Access Johnson County.
“We are serving clients and transporting people,” she said.
Many of the agencies the United Way serves are increasing services to meet the needs of the community, and need more money from the United Way. The annual fundraising goal is based on the needs of the agencies, Plake said.
For example, agencies such as Girls Inc., Boys and Girls Club of Franklin and Turning Point are doing more outreach programs and need more money to complete those programs, she said.
“They are reaching out and doing more,” Plake said.
The goal is also higher due to reduced grant funding. For example, grants that were given to help No Place to Call Home are running out, as the program is now expected to be self sustainable, she said.
About 35,000 people were helped by a United Way agency or or program in the county last year. Most of the people who have received help have been from Franklin, with 10,162 Franklin residents receiving help last year.
Most of the money raised for the campaign comes from employees pledging money through paycheck deduction; 155 companies in Johnson and surrounding counties run employee campaigns and have employees pledge money from their paycheck. Most of the companies are in Johnson County, but some have county residents who designate the United Way of Johnson County to receive their pledges, Plake said.
United Way of Johnson County volunteers are focusing on helping companies grow their campaigns and by convincing companies to start employee-giving campaigns, she said.
Part of the kick-off breakfast and the Day of Caring is to ignite the campaign and to encourage giving, Plake said.
“It shows potential donors where their money is going and how agencies stretch their dollars to operate every day,” she said.
Some companies, including Mutual Savings Bank, Horizon Bank, Earlywood Educational Services and Caterpillar have already conducted their employee campaigns and have raised $196,642, or 12 percent of the campaign goal. More than $155,000 was raised by Caterpillar employees. These companies were recognized at the kick-off.
Each year, the number of Homeview employees who choose to volunteer during the Day of Caring is growing, said Mark Gavorski, administrator at Homeview and United Way board member.
Part of the goal at the Day of Caring is to allow people to see where their money goes, which could inspire more financial giving, Gavorski said.
“It jump starts not only the financial giving, but the blood, sweat and tears to help these organizations,” he said.
Companies and entities that volunteer also use the day to get to know fellow employees.
Employees for the city of Greenwood from multiple city departments helped around Garrett’s home. Employees of the city have volunteered for years, and the event gives them a chance to get out of the office and to meet people in Greenwood, said Lisa Marie Vest, human resources coordinator for the city.
“The big part is reaching out to the citizens and show that city employees care about the community,” she said.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”By the numbers” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
$1.57 million: United Way of Johnson County Campaign goal
$196,642: Amount already raised
155: Companies in Johnson and surrounding counties that run campaigns for the United Way of Johnson County
35,000: Residents who received helped from a United Way of Johnson County Agency or program last year
270: Number of adult volunteers for the annual Day of Caring
27: Companies participating in the Day of Caring
22: Locations for the Day of Caring
18: Number of agencies served by the United Way
7: Number of internal programs ran by the United Way
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