United Way serves all of Rhea County. Donations are allocated to programs and agencies within five focus areas: Education, Income, Health, Essential Services, and Community Building. Our Community Investment board, made up of local volunteers, determines which programs are funded. Based upon donors' wishes, contributions may also be designated to a local partner agency. When you give to United Way, you can know your pledge is making a difference in our community and going to carefully vetted organizations that do the most good for the most people.
For more information about how your pledge makes a difference and why you should give, scroll down.
Make a Pledge Today
You will receive an acknowledgment of your pledge in the next few days.
Tax Deduction
The United Way of Rhea County is a Section 501(c)3 nonprofit and your gift may qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes. It's always a good idea to consult with your tax advisers or the IRS to determine whether a contribution is deductible.
How Your Pledge Impacts Our Community
How does United Way raise money? United Way contributions come from workplace campaigns, individual donations and donations from companies throughout Rhea County.
What are my options for giving? Donating to United Way is easy. You can give through payroll deduction, with cash or a check, by electronic funds transfer, by using the link above, by scanning the QR code on our home page, or by credit card.
Why should I give if I haven't been helped? Many people give because a growing number of our most vulnerable are not in a position to help themselves. There is a great need in our community for the services offered by the United Way's funded programs. You never know when a family member, neighbor, friend, or even yourself may need or have used the services provided through United Way funding.
If someone can't afford to give much, will a small donation do any good? Every gift gives hope and improves lives. Even a modest gift per pay period can help provide solutions to the most pressing health and human services issues in our community. It's not the size of one gift - it is all of us giving together that makes United Way a unique and powerful concept. Imagine if you gave someone in need $1 each week; they might be able to buy themselves one cup of coffee each week. Now imagine that you and your coworkers each gave $1 per week to United Way. We will be able to use that "United" donation to keep someone in their home or provide health services to a family in need. Give United/Live United! Every donation matters!
Why should I give to United Way? Why not just donate directly to an agency? Charitable giving is a personal and voluntary decision and the United Way of Rhea County encourages you to do what is most comfortable to you. A gift to United Way of Rhea County is an investment that benefits the entire community, not just one program, issue, or population. There are many valuable non-profit organizations in the area that you may care about. United Way provides an opportunity for your one gift to support a variety of local needs. If everyone designated their gifts to their favorite agency, many services to those in need would not be available to the community. Through one gift to United Way, you can accomplish so much good! You can also be assured that your gift to United Way of Rhea County goes directly to fund programs that help people most in need. United Way conducts periodic needs assessments to ensure donor dollars are addressing the most pressing community needs. We also monitor funded programs and initiatives annually to make sure they are efficiently and effectively improving people's lives and making a positive impact. Finally, contributing through United Way guarantees agencies funds they can rely on every month rather than depending on sporadic contributions.
What if I don't want my money to go to a certain agency? Not every agency appeals to every donor, but all agencies have met the meticulous standards of United Way and the programs we fund meet needs within our community. If you like, you can designate to any agency that fits your charitable goals.
What is the minimum for a donation to United Way? There is no minimum donation to the United Way. We maximize your gift by combining it with other gifts to fund a range of program throughout Rhea County, helping address critical needs in our community. Companies may choose to set a reasonable minimum amount per pay period to be eligible for payroll deduction.
What is the easiest way to contribute? Donating through the website, the QR code, or payroll deduction are by far the most convenient methods of contribution. A small amount on a regular basis, allows you to make a small contribution that can make a big difference in the course of a year.
Why should I contribute to the United Way if I pay taxes? Your tax dollars do support many social services in the community. Unfortunately, we have seen dramatic reductions in Federal and State support of social services over the past 10 years and we expect that trend to continue. Local services are perceived to be the responsibility of the local community. That is why we need your help to continue these important services.
