In an abnormal year, the Callaway County United Way is still hard at work supporting local charities.
And, in turn, the community's been working to support the United Way, CCUW Executive Director Megan Prenger said.
"We've had several new individual donors, several donors give double the amount they'd typically give, in a pandemic," she said. "It gives me chills and sometimes even brings tears to my eyes to see the community step up and support us even in a pandemic."
Funds donated to the United Way are divvied up among its partner agencies: Callaway County 4H, Callaway County Senior Center, Central MO Foster Care & Adoption Association, CARDV, Compass Health, Heart of Missouri CASA, Homemaker Health Care, Callaway County Extended Employment, Mid-MO Legal Services, Our House and SERVE.
The agencies serve the most vulnerable and in-need Callaway County residents, from foster children to people escaping domestic violence to the homeless.
"They're struggling with fundraising and loss of income from there because they can't do their normal fundraisers," Prener said. "They help the most needy populations, then when a pandemic hits it heightens all that need. Especially among people that typically wouldn't need help but lost their job or couldn't work because of COVID."
Since they provide services, some partner agencies have been able to apply for federal grants meant to sponsor emergency shelter and food. Because CCUW doesn't provide those kinds of services services directly, they haven't been able to apply for as many grants to make up the fundraising difference. The CCUW did successfully apply for a Paycheck Protection Program loan, and a couple Fulton Area Development Fund grants.
One of the FADF grants will help the CCUW expand its virtual fundraising efforts, like texting campaigns.
"We realized through all this we need to get more technology-friendly," Prenger said.
Each year of fundraising for the United Way begins in September of the previous year (for example, the 2020 fundraising year started in September 2019). By the time the new year actually begins, the CCUW usually has a pretty good idea of whether it'll meet its fundraising goals for the year. Much of the organization's funding comes from annual events that bring in a reliable amount of money - like the end-of-year campaign - and employee campaigns at local businesses, in which employees pledge a certain percentage of their paycheck as a donation to CCUW.
But 2020 has been such a wild ride that the CCUW hasn't been able to make those kinds of projections. As of Wednesday, the CCUW was still around $30,000 short of their $270,000 goal for 2020, she said.
And fundraising for 2021 - with a goal of $265,000 - kicked off in September of this year.
"We're running two campaigns right now," Prenger said. "(COVID-19) put us behind, made us have to drag 2020 out as long as can."
She said she's hoping for another round of PPP funding to put the 2020 campaign to bed. New donations by individuals are going toward the 2021 campaign, while employee pledges from last year are trickling into the 2020 campaign. CCUW is currently just shy of 50 percent on the 2021 goal, Prenger added.
She also hopes for a return to normalcy and the CCUW's usual fundraising events in 2021.
"I'm keeping hopes up our 2021 fundraising will be different for us," Prenger said.
Like many nonprofits, CCUW has gotten creative with fundraising this year. A November livestreamed event in which local dignitaries got pied in the face raised around $1,000 in just half an hour. This month, parents could order personalized letters from Santa to arrive in time for Christmas.
"I wrote those letters and had them mailed out before Christmas," Prenger said.
She's also been talking to regular donors about giving a little extra this year.
"AZZ just did their employee campaign and it actually increased - they reached $10,000 this year," Prenger said. "That's probably one of their highest campaigns in a while. Dollar General also still did their corporate donation, Callaway Bank did their employee campaign, so did Central Bank. I appreciate them still working hard for us and supporting us in that manner. Even if some of campaigns a little lower this year, which we expected, just the fact they followed through means a lot."
Right now, Prenger said, the best way the public can help is by continuing to financially support the Callaway County United Way. Find ways to donate at callawayunitedway.org or keep up with the organization's latest news at facebook.com/callaway.unitedway.