The United Way and Family Crisis Council began their journey as a partner agency beginning in 1978.

Looking over the history of Family Crisis Council, I realized that without the support and guidance of United Way, the agency would not have become anything other than a crisis line or helpline. A crisis line is great, but without a shelter and services to assist, it would just have been a telephone for someone to listen to the victims.

Without United Way, would Rowan County have any agencies that offered free services for the abused children, teenagers, adults, handicapped or elderly? What would those in need of emergency care do after an accident, their house destroyed by fire or other disasters?

What if there were no services for children and adults that could not read, and parents not prepared to take care of their children?

Seniors would not live a healthy and long life like they do now. There would not be programs to educate them to be sustainable, healthy and happy.

The Family Crisis Council could not provide services to victims of interpersonal violence.

I am sure you have heard there is a change coming in United Way’s funding approach in 2020. The new funds will be provided to agencies that focus on substance abuse, mental health and healthy lifestyle behaviors.

“The annual campaign will match donations with those needs and focus on achieving measurable results,” the United Ways says.

This means United Way dollars will be opened to the currently supported agencies as well as new agencies that will “develop short- and long-term goals, strategies for partnerships and key performance indicators that will create measurable outcomes” so that company campaigns will see more returns on their investments.

— Renee Bradshaw

Salisbury