The United Charities of Marlboro County needs your help.
The annual campaign started in November and will last through January.
United Charities of Marlboro County officials said solicitations are donations are key during this time.
Volunteers are needed to contact citizens and businesses to ask for whatever donations they feel comfortable making. There is no strong-arming and it is a friendly person-to-person contact.
Lists and help will be provided. Contacts can be made by phone, e-mail, or letter.
Two to three hours per week for 6 weeks would be much appreciated. The hours will be your choice and at your convenience.
History/function
The United Charities of Marlboro County serves qualified non-profit agencies.
Each year, they grant funds to approved, qualified agencies.
In September of this year, United Charities of Marlboro County granted $25,500 to the following agencies:
–American Red Cross to support fire victims in our county;
–Bread of Life Food Pantry to help provide food. The food pantry serves 400 per month;
–Pee Dee Coalition to care for abused persons;
–Marlboro Co. Council on Aging to provide supplements for seniors:
–Disability & Special Needs to help care for our special needs citizens;
–Humane Society to provide supplies for animals;
–Pee Dee Speech and Hearing to help provide hearing tests for every newborn.
–Pilot Club to help care for brain injuries;
–Sandy Grove Food Bank to provide food for the needy in the Clio area;
–Trinity Behavioral Clinic to help provide care for drug/ alcoholic problems;
– Wallace Family Life Food Bank to help provide food for the needy in the Wallace area.
United Charities does not generate any funds. All are donations from Marlboro citizens, businesses, and industry. An official said they are very grateful for this.
We carefully administer donated funds with the help of a volunteer board of fellow citizens. The organization has by-laws and are registered with the State and Federal government and file all reports required by law.
To qualify for a grant, you must be a non-profit agency, fill out an application, tell us why you need a grant, name a requested dollar amount, and identify what you plan to do with the money if granted.
How long has the organization existed? Since 1957, when concerned citizens originated the United Fund.
Later the name changed to United Way and then in 2015, we were renamed United Charities of Marlboro Co. Inc. All the while serving those same types of non-profit agencies that did not have the organization or manpower to mount their own campaign.
This is 65 years of service. Over the past 12 years, we have granted over one million dollars to agencies.
Historically, the area industries donated over 80% of all funds collected.
Currently, virtually all of our industrial base has disappeared. In the years 2020, 2021, and 2022, United Charities of Marlboro County has only been able to grant $25,000 per year.
This is only a fraction of what was granted in prior years.
Agencies need and deserve more. Consequently, they are experiencing a two-fold problem.
One is the lack of donations and two, the volunteers to request donations.
The plan
The board members of the organization feel strongly that they should not cease trying to fund the historical agencies.
Currently, there are only seven volunteer board members and zero volunteer workers.
United Charities of Marlboro County needs your help. Will you help preserve this 65-year-old organization?
If interested in learning more or volunteering, call President Sandy Donaldson at 843-544-7262; Treasurer Ray Coddington at 843-479-6793; Kenny Hinson at 843-479-1213; Kim Willis at 843-479-7736; Barbara Stephens at 843-862-2957; Joe Dubois at 843-309-1081; Secretary Mona Saunders at 843-439-1763.
Board members encouraged Marlboro citizens to not only volunteer but to donate as well.