DOTHAN, Ala. – Amidst the pandemic, Wiregrass United Way has seen a light at the end of a challenging fundraising year and announced they have met their fundraising goal $2.9 million to the penny.
“To literally every donor in the Wiregrass, thank you,” Walter Hill, CEO of Wiregrass United Way, said.
After a year of agencies getting asked to help more people than ever before due to the pandemic, Hill said it was crucial to meet their goal.
“Thanks to some incredibly generous people from throughout the Wiregrass who gave above and beyond what they had already given,” Hill said. “Many of them had already given above and beyond in the Fall, they gave on United Way Wednesday and then they gave again on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”
On top of the $2.9 million raised, the Wiregrass Foundation will fulfill the challenge grant of $400,000. Bringing the 2020 total to $3.3 million.
“On behalf of the Wiregrass Foundation, our board of directors and our team we just want to say congratulations to you guys,” Troy Fountain, President of the Wiregrass Foundation, said. “Well done to you, to Judge Gordon, to Mike Schmitz, all your leadership, the staff here and the citizens of the Wiregrass have just stepped up.”
Hill said this will go toward special projects in the six counties the agencies serve.
“It will pay for no salaries, no utility bills, no office expenses that are recurring, it can be for big items like a new roof, new computers, new doors and windows,” Hill said. “If they serve meals, which a lot of our agencies do, it can be for refrigerators, and stoves and ovens and those type of items.”
Hill said he wasn’t always confident the goal could be met.
“I literally told people for days, this wasn’t possible,” Hill said. “Which I maybe will never say again because I’ve learned anything is possible in the Wiregrass.”
Hill said thousands have helped make this possible. He thanks campaign chairs, board members, staff, donors and everyone who helped make this possible.
