LAWTON — Over the past 18 months, as many public gatherings were canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, nonprofits were forced to find creative ways to raise funds.
In the interest of public health, United Way of Southwest Oklahoma made the difficult decision to cancel its biggest annual fundraising event – the Blue Tie Gala – earlier this month. Team members were elated as sponsors decided to donate their sponsorships.
“We can’t thank our sponsors enough,” said Executive Director Lauren Ellis. “They’re committed to contribute even though we once again had to cancel the event.”
On Tuesday, Ellis, Vice President Frank Myers and 2021-22 Campaign Chairman Hossein Moini expressed gratitude to the organization’s supporters and agencies.
Avid supporters continued to pledge and deliver on promises to help United Way’s 19 partner agencies, she said. Those agencies are categorized by their impact on the community — education, health, income stability and basic needs.
About 73% of United Way’s funds come from payroll deduction campaigns, Ellis and Myers said. This week, select representatives from local employers will undergo training as the payroll deduction drive rolls out. Those representatives will help facilitate United Way’s fundraising through automatic payroll deductions.
More than 23,000 southwestern Oklahomans receive services through United Way’s partner agencies. Through the partner agencies, 848,000 pounds of groceries were provided to families in need; 8,254 professional counseling sessions were provided and shelter was provided to 533 children and 1,799 adults last year, according to information provided by United Way of Southwest Oklahoma.
Hossein Moini said he was especially proud of the agency’s staff, who “still went to work.” With funding cuts, “they recalculated their goals and what they needed to do.”
Those agencies continued to provide much-needed services to the community and ramped up their efforts to meet growing needs. As one facility offered free childcare to first responders and medical staff, another saw an increase in the number of meals provided to elders in a neighboring community, Moini noted.
“Last year, people rose to the occasion. Not only our donors, but we were also able to raise $1,168,480.48, which was more than I expected,” Ellis said.
Ellis said the agency is hoping to exceed this year’s fundraising goal.
“Our partners need it now more than ever, and so does everyone in our communities,” Ellis said. “Just the needs that we saw in the applications, like with Center for Creative Living, when you look at the numbers served, before they were able to hold their classes and things like that.
“But services that cost money, like food prep and food service, they were providing one hot meal on Wednesdays and have a salad bar on Fridays, to having five hot meals a week, and, not only here in Lawton, but they were serving the nutrition center in Elgin and others as well.”
Those two meals per week turned into five, Ellis said, serving 10,000 meals a month.
“That’s why we’re so proud of everything they did and continue (to do), and that’s just one example,” Ellis said.
“So much of our effort is having in-person meetings and getting to interact with them; the gala’s a big part of that,” Ellis said. “So, it was difficult to gauge how well things were going. But I’m thrilled with what our volunteers and our team were able to do.”
As a way to help United Way raise funds for partner agencies, Classic Chevrolet has donated of a 2020 Chevy Trax to be raffled off to one lucky winner Nov. 15, 2021. Tickets are $35 a piece or 3 for $100.
“This is a first,” Myers said. “Classic Chevrolet gave us a fundraising opportunity that we’ve never had. And, since cars are in short supply this year, it really benefits us. Whatever money brought in through ticket sales will go directly into our campaign and gets divided up between our partner agencies.”
United Way of Southwest Oklahoma is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations may be made at uwswok.org.