Editorial
United Way a good return on investment

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While contributors to United Way of King County remain among the most generous in the nation, the recession has made raising money more challenging while governments at all levels have cut back services. For the same reasons, demand is greater as more people find themselves out of work and with their unemployment-insurance benefits elapsing.

This year's goal is to raise a total of about $97.5 million — up about $5 million from last year.

Former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice, who with wife Constance is co-chair of the this year's campaign, especially wants to encourage people to increase contributions to United Way's safety-net fund. That fund is earmarked for solving the community's most urgent needs. Among top priorities are helping all children to be ready for kindergarten and ending homelessness in King County.

United Way and its partners are finding ways to make their money go further, including helping people help themselves. Among the programs:

• Volunteers assist people in preparing tax returns and claim earned income tax credits they might not otherwise claim. This year, about 620 households were boosted by a total of $820,400 in earned income tax credits. Another $551,000 was claimed in child tax credits.

• The Ready to Rent program teaches homeless people how to be responsible tenants. Program graduates receive a certificate to help convince a landlord to take a chance on them.

• The Individual Development Account Program matches every $1 a participant saves with $3 from banking partners. Participants can use their savings to pay for college classes, to start businesses or to put a down payment on a home.

United Way agencies continue to assist others who need it, including helping abused children to find safe living arrangements, people with disabilities to live independently and others to kick their dependency on drugs or alcohol.

An endowment assists with overhead costs, so contributors know that an impressive 93 cents of every dollar goes directly to programs. And participating agencies, which must meet United Way standards, are held accountable for program money.

United Way remains an excellent investment in our community.

For more information, go to www.uwkc.org