Service organizations eligible for United Fund assistance

The 2010 Concordia United Campaign Organization board members -- a board set up to collect donated funds for local, community-service based organizations -- wants local organizations to know they may be eligible to receive donations.

Vicky Kirchhoff , president of the campaign board since 2001, said any organization that serves the community in some way and is non-profit is eligible and can attend their yearly meeting to request funds.

"We are having a meeting on Sept. 14. They can make a presentation that night at 6:30 p.m. at the lower level 2 at the [Concordia] Community Center," Kirchhoff said.

Organizations are also allowed to write a detailed letter to be presented that night. In the presentation, Kirchhoff said organizations should highlight specific aspects of what they do and how they would use donations if chosen.

"They can tell us what they do, any projects they have going and services they provide. Also, how they would use the money or what they've used the money for in the past [if they've received any]," Kirchhoff said.

Each year the foundation donates around $7,000 to local organizations such as the Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, Concordia Senior Center, Concordia Emergency Relief and Sweet Springs Food Pantry. In 2009, they donated $8,174.15 to 15 organizations, the highest amount being $984 to the Concordia Senior Center and the lowest being $334.66 to His Little Lambs Child Care. This year they have set a goal of $7,000, but Kirchhoff said they always hope to make more to divvy out to the organizations involved.

She said the way they choose who will receive what percentage of the total donations collected is to look at where the greatest need lies while trying to be fair to all organizations.

"A lot of this has been in place for years. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts; we don't want to give one of them more than the other because then you're stating one is more important than the other," Kirchhoff said. "All kids need help."

The campaign for funds begins officially on Oct. 1 after the organizations and percentages they will receive have been decided. With the help of the Concordia Senior Center and the Lutheran Good Shepherd Home, about 1,500 campaign letters requesting funds will be mailed.

Concordia citizens should expect to receive their letters of request for donation sometime in early September.

Collections will take place until Dec. 31, and following this, organizations will begin receiving their donations.

Kirchhoff said despite the lagging economy, they have been able to reach their goals most years, and if they don't, it is only by a small amount. She also said anyone who is interested in serving on the committee is welcome.

The membership of the group has slowly dwindled from 21 when they first began in 1958, to 10 members in 2010.

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