For Amy Meade, the Executive Directorship of United Way of Kent County is a way of giving back to the community she has come to embrace and an expression of gratitude for the life she has led.
Appointed in August, Meade has fast-tracked her understanding of the County’s needs and how United Way can expand its support of organizations focused on specific assistance from health to housing.
And according to statistics provided by United Way, she found the county’s needs to be alarming.
Per UWKC data, 36% of households in Kent County are ALICE households (working poor, earning above the Federal Poverty Level yet struggling to afford basic expenses.) 51% of seniors in Kent County cannot afford their basic needs for food/shelter and healthcare; a household with one child in childcare and one parent needs to make $59,172 to afford the basics; 58% of those under 25 live in a household that cannot afford the basics.
The cornerstone of United Way’s success has been its community-based approach. Local United Way branches operate independently, allowing each to tailor their programs and services to the specific needs of their communities.
UWKC has provided funding to 24 non-profits in Kent, including the American Red Cross, Kent Attainable Housing, Chestertown River Arts, and Minary’s Dream Alliance. This funding is essential for helping these organizations stabilize their finances and continue supporting the community.
The new executive Director is also working on an overarching plan to link the various non-profits to understand each other’s roles better and enhance their abilities to meet individual needs. Meade feels this coordination will be essential to United Way’s effectiveness as the program evolves and to better clarify the path a client could take.
As United Way kicks off its annual appeal on September’s first Friday, Meade wants to get the word out that as a hub to help fund Kent County’s many non-profits, United Way also needs support for its continuing mission.
There is even a fun fund-raising dinner planned at the Kitty Knight House on September, Friday the 13th, featuring a dinner by chef Robbie Jester and a séance in the house legends portrayed as haunted by its nineteenth-century heroic owner. Attendance is limited. For tickets, go here.
The Spy recently interviewed Amy Meade to learn more about United Way and her plans to strengthen the organization.
For more about United Way of Kent County, go here.
This video is approximately eight minutes in length.
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