The Johns Hopkins Gazette: September 13, 1999
September 13, 1999
VOL. 29, NO. 3

  

United Way Campaign Focuses on Four Areas

Johns Hopkins Gazette Online Edition

Thirty-two percent of Baltimore City children live in poverty. In Anne Arundel County, 19 percent of all residents age 25 and over did not complete high school. And throughout Central Maryland there are about 140,000 people in need of drug and alcohol treatment.

To combat these alarming statistics, the United Way Campaign of Central Maryland has this year adopted what it calls a Community Safety Net to focus campaign dollars into four critical areas of need.

Investing in Children and Youth will support programs that provide after-school care, foster a caring adult model or mentor and offer community service. Strengthening Families is focused on reducing substance abuse and increasing access to health services. Building the Workforce programs will try to help people transition from welfare to work, provide job mentoring and skill building and offer ongoing support for workers. Responding to Crisis is aimed at providing shelter for the homeless and food for the hungry and stabilizing people in crisis, such as caring for victims of domestic violence.

Audrey Smith, vice president for human resources and chair of the university's United Way campaign, said the Community Safety Net is a very positive way to allocate funds to United Way-affiliated agencies.

"I am extremely pleased that the United Way has taken a serious look at the growing number of problems in our local community and decided to focus their attention on four critical need areas," Smith said. "Job readiness programs are critical to the success of not only our organization but many other local businesses. I am also encouraged that the United Way is working to address and reduce substance abuse and increase access to health services throughout all four impact areas."


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