Fighting for futures at LMAUW STORY BY LONNA UPTON & PHOTOS BY CLIFF WILLIAMS
The Lake Martin Area United Way makes the future great by guiding, encouraging and uniting Lake Martin community members to care for one another. To that end, in 2021, 27 LMAUW partners and initiatives positively changed the lives of 23,074 people in Tallapoosa and Coosa counties. Some 350 volunteers assisted in LMAUW initiatives and events and helped in the nonprofit organization’s office. The money pledged by individuals, families and businesses reached $502,711, while a separate Community Crisis Fund raised $67,617. “United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in Coosa and Tallapoosa counties. That is kind of our manifesto statement,” said Courtney Layfield, executive director of LMAUW. Of the 27 agencies that partner with LMAUW, 11 have programs aimed at improving physical and mental health, meeting basic health needs and improving the wellbeing of families and individuals. Seven agencies partner with LMAUW to provide programs that help individuals and families meet their basic needs in times of emergency, as well as offer every day help to improve their long term financial stability and independence with services like utility assistance and transportation, among others. The future of children, specifically, is another area of focus for the organization. In fact, 10 agencies partner with United Way to help children and youth achieve their full potential in life and school, with one new agency,
BridgeWay, added in 2022. LMAUW also partners with area schools on a summer reading enrichment program to encourage reading and education. “We offer more than just an avenue for monetary contributions. We offer a variety of volunteer opportunities, especially for our area students, to help them learn the importance of giving back and investing time in their communities. The United Way Day of Action each June works with our area schools to help clean and improve the schools before the next school year starts. Through donations and volunteers, we help our schools take care of needs, like painting, cleaning or landscaping, that may not be in their regular budget or never quite make it to the top of list,” Layfield said. Also, LMAUW partners with the local The Home Depot to do improvements and minor repairs to the homes of area veterans, so they can continue to live safely and independently. Projects have included ramps, new steps, small porches and small renovations. Pledges during the Hometown Heroes campaign for 2022 have raised $455,888 toward a budget of $515,000 at presstime with more than a month remaining to raise the balance. With this financial assistance from the Lake Martin community, Layfield, her staff, partner agencies and volunteers work tirelessly to make the future brighter for individuals and families in need of assistance in the Lake Martin area.
United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in Coosa and Tallapoosa counties.” Courtney Layfield
LMAUW director Courtney Layfield with Malorie Shores
Day of Action volunteers help to spruce up Horseshoe Bend School
WE MAKE IT GREAT HERE! | FEBRUARY 2022
93
