Open house to mark United Way’s ‘return’

Published 8:34 am Wednesday, December 12, 2018

 

One might call Friday’s 2-3:30 p.m. scheduled event at the United Way of Mid & South Jefferson County a grand re-opening, open house or a hearty “welcome back.” But the United Way never left us.

Forced out of their offices by 3 feet of floodwater, courtesy of Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey, in August 2017, United Way moved to the sidewalk outside their front door, handling business on behalf of storm victims from a folding table after waters subsided. Soon after, they occupied a trailer in the office parking lot at 7980 Anchor Drive, No. 600, Port Arthur.

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“It was important for us to remain where the community could find us and so we did and worked to heal our community,” United Way CEO Janie Johnson said in announcing Friday’s celebration.

She called board members early on and told them the good news — the board would meet — and the bad — members had to bring their own chairs.

So the community should be delighted to note the formal ribbon-cutting that will be hosted there Friday, which will mark the United Way staff’s official return to their permanent headquarters. But we should all also know United Way never relented from working for this community’s behalf.

In announcing Friday’s event, Johnson wrote that United Way used its national network to seek supplies for this area. United Ways around the U.S. responded, including those in neighboring Louisiana. Industry partners chipped in and United Way used its own disaster fund to generate supplies and foster hope.

Johnson listed Harvey-related programs that helped our community recover, including Temporary Housing Assistance for Rent and Hotel, $60,000; Return to Work Program, $22,394; Basic Needs Support, $25,000; Youth Programs, which supplied students with uniforms, books and more, $53,521; Grants to Non-Profits for Repairs and Supplies, $204,849; and Building Supplies Assistance for Home Repairs, $312,578.

From their makeshift office, they conducted an informal campaign — materials had been destroyed in the flooding — that raised more than $1.5 million. And their 2018-19 campaign is well underway, launched with full knowledge that help has been slow in coming to this area and that needs remain profound.

Here’s who your United Way helps: Adaptive Sports for Kids, Boys’ Haven of America, Boys Scouts, Capland Speech Therapy Center, Communities in Schools, Community Care-Prayer Outreach, Groves Senior Citizens, Hospital Center Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas, Nutrition & Services for Seniors, Port Neches Senior Center, Rape & Suicide Crisis Center, Salvation Army, Samaritan Counseling Center, San Jacinto Girl Scouts, Shorkey Center, South East Texas Food Bank, Southeast Texas Hospice, United Board of Missions, Willie Carter Outreach Center, Women & Children’s Shelter Family Service of Southeast Texas, YMCA.

It’s not too late to help. You won’t need to bring your own chair.