Live United.

Photo provide by United Way of Norman

Live United. 

By Sabrina DuFran

        The United Way is an organization that improves lives by the caring power of communities to advance in the common good around the world. Norman's campaign "Live United" is tied with the Unitied Way national campaign, which raises money for non-profit organizations in the community.

     The public of the United Way of Norman campaign is the community individuals of Norman. Donations to the Norman United Way go directly to the Norman people with 85 cents of every dollar helping the community. Funded are 33 programs at 24 agencies in the Norman Area. These programs are divided among four Impact Areas:

• Basic Needs
• Successful Children and Youth
• Strong and Safe Individuals
• Families, Seniors and Persons with Disabilities

     This year's campaign funding goal is to raise $1.95 million. As of September 18, 2010, the Pacesetter campaign, which is a prelude to the community campaign, had already raised $991,372, half of the total goal. The Pacesetter group is composed of local social service agencies, businesses and community organizations, and has proven to be a good indicator of how the year's campaign will develop. This  first accomplishment was announced at the annual kick-off of the main event, Day of Caring.

       Norman's main activity, Day Of Caring, matches volunteer workers with community agencies and organizations for the day, giving the agencies an opportunity to complete projects that require more manpower than they normally would have. More than 100 volunteers gave of their time this year for Norman's United Way kick-off event.
       Other planned events included a ticketed "Celebrity Sing" for community leaders which provided dinner, dancing and a live auction at the Riverwind Casino. Donations raised assisted with the start of the campaign.
       The Stuff The Bus event collected a bus load of school supplies for Norman students in need. The two high school Rotary Interact Clubs along with the United Way Teen Advisors gathered to promote this drive for those public school students who were unable to begin the year with their needed school supplies.

       Since the community of Norman lies in the greater metro area of Oklahoma City, many Norman residents work outside of Norman. A strategy exists even for such a difficult situation as this. Giving to the United Way through payroll deduction at an individual's place of employment many times creates a loss of interaction with their community. With "Designate 7100" these Norman residents are able to select Norman as the designated community to receive their donations while still enabling them to partcipate in their employee's United Way drive.


United Way Funded Programs:

• Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency
• Health For Friends
• Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma
• NAIC- Norman Addicion Information and Counseling
• Transition House
• Bethesda
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Oklahoma
• Bridges
• Cleveland County CASA
• Center for Children and Families, Inc.
• Community After School Program, CASP, Inc.
• Mary Abbott Children's House
• Parents Helping Parents
• Kaleidoscope
• Meals on Wheels of Norman
• ABLE- Council for Developmental Disabilities
• Among Friends
• Full Circle
• Thunderbird Clubhouse
• Aging Services Inc.