United Way honors volunteers and businesses

JACKSON, Tenn. — “We’re here to celebrate United Way and a year of success,” Judy Long, Chairman of the United Way Board of Directors, said.

West Tennessee businesses came together Friday morning to celebrate another year of United Way West Tennessee.

“Culminating our campaign year, looking back, awarding some of our great companies and the work they do and then looking forward to next year,” Scott Conger, president and CEO of United Way, said.

United Way serves 14 counties in West Tennessee. This year they have raised $1.3 million for programs to help the less fortunate.

“United Way serves as the connector,” Conger said.  “We partner with about 79 nonprofit agencies with about 110 programs, and we look for ways to meet the needs in every community that we serve.”

They showed a short video to show how United Way impacts the communities that it is in. Then gave awards to the volunteers and companies for raising money throughout the year.

“I think it provides those opportunities for all of us to be a part of what’s going on in our communities and to feel like we’re contributing,” Long said.

Just within the past six months United Way has been able to help almost 49,000 West Tennesseans educationally, financially or with their health.