What United Way means to me
December 1, 2016
I give to the United Way of the Tanana Valley because it is a way to leverage gifts to the many organizations in our community that provide services and resources to those in need. I have grown up in this community and have seen and experienced the impact of several United Way organizations.
I am so excited to be a co-chair of the UAF United Way 2016 fundraising campaign. While I am not an employee of UAF directly, I do work here on campus in the brand new Resource and Advocacy Center as an employee of the Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living. I was also a student here at UAF and have a long familial history with this campus. My role here on campus is to provide resources and services to students, faculty and staff who have been impacted by dating/domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.
I personally give to IAC and the Community Care Fund through the United Way. I have seen the need and value of the services provided by IAC, and, as an employee, I feel it is important that I invest in not only the work my organization does but also the work of other organizations. In order to meet the needs of our community we have to work together and leverage resources. For me, that is the value of the United Way. They leverage resources to make the greatest impact possible, and they do that through collaboration and partnerships among their 21 member agencies and through the Community Care Fund and Clear Minds, Bright Futures.
I have been a donor to the United Way since I began working for IAC in 2005. Even as a single mother with limited resources, I understood the importance of investing in my community, especially after directly witnessing the impact of those investments personally and professionally. I have learned over the years that even a small gift can have a large impact. What if all of my colleagues at IAC donated one dollar out of their paycheck? One dollar felt insignificant when that was all I was able to give many years ago, but if all of my colleagues only donated one dollar we would raise close to $1,500 in our small nonprofit. That is impact. That is also our goal, 100 percent giving. You can be a part of that impact too. Please support the United Way of the Tanana Valley, the 21 member agencies, or any nonprofit that is important to you with a meaningful gift of any amount. You can make your gift online by clicking here.
Kara Carlson
UAF advocacy services coordinator
Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living
2016 UAF United Way Committee:
Kara Carlson
Amy Hartley
Brad Lobland
Teresa Thompson
Doug Schrage