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by Don Mulvihill

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) 

1. Who runs the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata?
2. What are the benefits of giving through the United Way?
3. What are the ways I can give through the United Way Campaign?
4. Is there recognition for Leadership Giving?
5. How much of my donation goes to running the United Way?
6. Are United Way Agencies just for the poor?
7. What does the United Way do when they aren't raising funds?
8. What happened to former United Way of America president William Aramony?
9. What is our United Way's relationship to the United Way of America?

The local community. You, along with your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers make up the United Way Team. A fifty-member board made up of people like you, who live and work in this community, direct the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata. More than forty community volunteers give their time to the Fund Distribution Process to ensure that we make wise investments in our community with the dollars that you entrust to us.

The United Way annual campaign is an effort to serve the greatest number of people in need. Our United Way reviews each organization and program it funds to give you greater accountability for your contribution.  Knowing that Fund Distribution volunteers have already done this investigative work is one benefit.  Combining your gift with others makes the greatest impact in our community and that is what matters

• Payroll Deduction - Your employer may offer the opportunity to have an amount deducted from your paycheck each pay period
• Online directly to the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata
• Personal Check - Personal checks made payable to the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata are also accepted
• Bill at home - We would be happy to send a bill to you on a monthly, quarterly or one time basis.
• Credit Card - Payments are accepted through Visa and MasterCard
• Gifts of Stock - Gifts of appreciated stock can fulfill your pledge. Federal law permits taxpayers who itemize to deduct the current value of charitable contributions from their adjusted gross income. Your own tax advisor can provide more information.

Yes! When you make a contribution of $500.00 or more through the United Way, you are enrolled in our leadership program. You will be recognized on the Leadership Membership roster and be placed on a mailing list to receive periodic updates on how your gift is making a difference in our community.

Ninety-nine cents of every dollar stays in the community, offering help to local individuals. It is "What Matters" most toward enhancing the lives of others in our area. We can keep a low administrative overhead because of the hundreds of volunteers who donate thousands of hours.

No. Money contributed to the United Way is distributed throughout the entire community. Your United Way dollars support libraries, scouting, youth centers, day care centers as well as homeless shelters, food pantries and disaster response programs.

United Way is busy year-round partnering with other local agencies on critical issues.

Summer Food Service Program

Schools letting out for the summer can spell trouble for many poor and hungry children who no longer can get school lunches. United Way provides subsidized meals for children attending summer programs at the Lumina Center, Project YES, Mifflin-Juniata Special Needs Center, and the Juniata Summer Academy/Lincoln Intermediate Unit. During the summer of 2007, 390 children were served 8,173 meals. Of the $19,550 spent, $15,282 was support from the Department of Education and $4,268 from United Way.

Mifflin-Juniata Energy Bank

The local Emergency Food and Shelter Program Board (EFSP) coordinates the efforts of agencies in our community who meet emergency energy needs. A central data base allows a person to make one call to United Way to request energy assistance. The request is then forwarded to the appropriate agency (Mifflin County Salvation Army, Shelter Services, CareerLink/TIU and MJ Human Services) These agencies review the person’s situation and offer the appropriate assistance as well as guidance to make informed choices in order to not need help in the future. When fuel prices skyrocketed and the local funds had been depleted in January 2007, the United Way board allocated an additional $5,000 to the Energy Bank.

Yellow Ribbon Christmas Project

The goal of this project was to strengthen military families by providing them information about local resources that can support them year round and in times of need. 5X7 photo albums were presented to the soldiers of Second Battalion 112th Infantry (Stryker) on Sunday December 16, 2007. The albums included 5X7 cards with phone numbers and information about local agencies.The project was funded with monies that were collected by United Way post 9/11 and a grant secured by Juniata Valley Tri County Mental Health Mental Retardation. “Let me begin by saying thank you both for the truly generous support…it is absolutely appreciated. Secondly, the info that you provided was exceptional!!! As we prepare for our upcoming deployment to Iraq, I would like to prepare one of these for everyone of my Soldiers so that they can give it to their families for reference while they are deployed.” LTC Sam Hayes.

On June 22, 1995, Aramony was sentenced to seven years in prison as a result of his April 3, 1995, conviction for conspiracy, fraud, and false tax returns. Monetary fines were also instituted. The United Way of Mifflin-Juniata, like all United Ways, is independent, separate from United Way of America, and governed by a local board of directors comprised of local community volunteers. The United Way of Mifflin-Juniata maintains strict financial controls.

First, we want to make clear that all United Ways are independent and are governed by people in their local communities.  United Way of America is the national service and training center for United Ways across the country.  They provide things like training, national advertising, and networking with other United Ways to find solutions that work to solve problems in our communities.