219,851.

The number of books that have been delivered to children in Knox County since the Imagination Library program was brought to Knox County in 2010.

On August 10, 2022, United Way of Knox County had the honor and privilege of attending the First Lady’s Inaugural Luncheon with honored guest, Dolly Parton. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, funded in part by the United Way of Knox County, mails a new, age-appropriate book each month to any Knox County child from birth until age five at no cost to the family. Imagination Library books arrive in the child's name and are theirs to keep, read, and enjoy. Both Dolly and First Lady DeWine were gifted with quilts made by children in each county of Ohio. Dolly performed her song, “Coat of Many Colors” and told the story about her dad being her inspiration for the Imagination Library program.

The success we have in Knox County would not be possible without our incredible donors. A very special thank you to the following individuals and organizations for your support with Imagination Library:

John Brenneman just finished his 6-week internship with United Way on August 11, 2022. John was brought in with a project in mind for our agency, A Community Game Plan. John collected information from several data sources, combined the results with the United Way Strategic Plan we created in 2020, and, brought our goals and actual current data together to see if we are moving the needle in Knox County. John plans to present this to the Board of Directors at the October Meeting via Zoom from his dorm at the University of Dayton. We enjoyed having John with us and look forward to hearing his report.

We are proud to support Habitat for Humanity’s new program, Ramp Up Knox County, to build wheelchair ramps that allow seniors and community members who are disabled, to stay in their homes. The program will offer no-interest loans for ramps, a news release said. In order to qualify for a ramp, residents must be 65 or older or have a medical condition that would make a wheelchair ramp necessary. Habitat’s use of skilled volunteers can make sure every ramp is built to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The program will simultaneously allow savings for qualified homeowners who might not be able to afford it otherwise.

On July 28^th, our Program Director and Volunteer Intern got to participate in Ramp Up Knox County’s first ramp dedication. The celebration was filled with hope and inspiration, as the resident shared how thankful and excited he was to be able to leave his home again. For more information or to request an application for the program, call Terry Schulz, affiliate director, at 740-324-5407 or email knoxcountyhabitat@hfhknoxoh.org.

The new Community Resource Navigator for our United Way agency is a job opportunity I am excited to be undertaking. I retired this past June from teaching seventh grade English and Reading after 33 years, and I look to keep myself active and connected with people. The Resource Navigator allows me to meet with various agency partners and learn about how they are serving our community.

My role is to create and promote strong connections between United Way and its partner agencies through many forms of communication such as visitations, phone calls, attending various agency meetings, and continuing email contact. The goal is to develop such a position where the Resource Navigator can be a compass for those persons needing a resource connection for our community. Also, it is a goal to connect more intentionally with businesses and churches in our community so that United Way can become a resource for the community needs they may face.

Currently, my schedule is filling up with meetings across our community. In the short time that I have been here, I have had delightful and informative meetings with Julie Miller and Joe Springer of The Winter Sanctuary and Jessica Reynolds and Bob Humphrey of Touchepointe. Many meetings are scheduled in the coming weeks so I may gather information about what specific agencies accomplish but also listen to what concerns they have about the specific needs of our county. Agency directors have been eager to talk with me and help me to understand the needs and concerns of our community. This is all very exciting, and I look forward to helping develop better means of communication in the future.

You may contact me by calling the office at 740-397-5721 or via email walt@uwayknox.org. We invite you to Like and Follow Walt's new Facebook Page.

Local volunteerism is the power behind long-lasting change. United Way of Knox County has long prioritized volunteerism. Introduction of a new, dynamic online platform will amplify volunteer engagement and impact in Knox County. Nonprofits and other agencies in the area have already started posting their volunteer opportunities, special events, and engagement activities online in hopes of increasing the variety of ways for individuals to get involved. This web-based system, Volunteer Knox is administrated by United Way and available at www.volunteerknox.com.

Organizations and volunteers will utilize the tool for free under one United Way of Knox County Ohio, Inc. agreement. Contact United Way of Knox County Ohio, Inc. office for more information!