United Way of Central Shenandoah Valley outlines plan to expand services into Staunton

Amanda Leach, president and CEO of the United Way of Central Shenandoah Valley, introduced her organization’s recent name change and told Staunton City Council on June 26 that the organization is expanding services into Staunton, Waynesboro and Augusta County.

Nut graf: Leach described why United Way is shifting away from traditional workplace-giving models, cited local ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) data for Staunton and outlined programs the agency plans to bring to the Central Shenandoah Valley, including 2-1-1 referral services, a food coalition model, employer-based resource coordinators and a small-dollar loan plus financial-education pilot.

Leach said United Way’s national revenue from workplace campaigns has fallen over the past decade and the network has been “rethinking what is our place in the community.” She described local ALICE figures for Staunton — about 13% below the federal poverty level and about 33% classified as ALICE — and said the data are available at unitedforalice.org.

Leach summarized the group’s planned local activities: supporting and promoting 2-1-1, convening an ALICE coalition, coordinating food partners through a food coalition model that the organization runs in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, and piloting employer-based “financial wellness at work” programs where a resource coordinator helps employees access community services. She also described a small-dollar loan product repaid by payroll deduction and a social-work approach to financial education.

Council members asked about funding and the decline in employee giving that historically supported United Way. Leach said the organization is diversifying revenue sources, has secured increased grant funding and has expanded individual giving and business partnerships in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. “We have looked at how do we find different sources of funding,” she said.

Leach said the organization will keep its Harrisonburg office and place staff locally in Staunton, including one full-time staffer who will be based two days a week at the Staunton Innovation Hub while the organization assesses long-term presence. She invited council and residents to participate in online surveys and community listening and said United Way will coordinate locally with partners such as the Salvation Army and school systems for events like “stuff the bus.”

Ending: Leach said materials and the presentation will be posted to the city website and invited follow-up contact. Council members thanked Leach for the overview and for the organization’s outreach plans.