UNITED WAY INVITES COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO FLEX VOICE AT ANNUAL GRANT REVIEW

EASTERN U.P. – Each year, United Way of the Eastern Upper Peninsula encourages community members from all walks of life to get invovled in the investment process. Through the Citizen’s Review Panel, volunteers from all walks of life are able to come together, review the grant applications, hear the presentations given and voice their opinion on the investments that should be made to which community programs. “To some degree, many people want to ‘wait and see’. This is not a time to wait and see. This is the time to stand up and join the fight,” states CEO, Raulaniesa Aranda. “Being involved in the CRP process allows you to help direct the fund flow into areas of service that you feel are the biggest benefit to the citizens of our three counties.”

UWEUP’s Citizen’s Review Panel is a forum in which those living in Chippewa, Luce or Mackinac counties can actively participate in helping to invest donor money into services benefiting the EUP. This local allocations program run through the United Way is an annual investment into services which impact issues in the realm of Health, Education and Financial Stability. United Way invests between $30,000 and $60,000, depending on funds raised through their annual campaign. “We have a stable operations budget, which means the more people are able to give, the more that will go directly into the programs we’re supporting – like the grant awards,” says CFO, Barbara Reed.

This year’s Citizen’s Review Panel will take place on Wednesday, March 18 at the E.U.P. Intermediate School District in Sault Ste. Marie. Residents from across Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac counties are encouraged to sign up to help decide how funds will be invested through United Way’s Community Impact Grant program for the 2020-2021 program year. Grant applications to be reviewed coem from the Chippewa County 4-H, Diane Peppler Resource Center, Inc., Feeding America West MI, Great Lakes Recovery Centers, Inc., Superior Health Support System (Hearthside Assisted Living Facility), Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Mackinac County, The Salvation Army – Sault Ste. Marie, and S.P.E.A.K.S. Education.

United Way’s Community Investment Committee utilizes scores from the Citizen’s Review Panelists, along with Finance Committee’s scores to make the final determination of investment to each requesting agency. For more information on how you can sign up to participate please contact United Way at 906-632-3700 ext. 1 or email barb@unitedwayeup.org . Space is limited and volunteers must contact the office to show interest by March 11, 2020.