Focusing on a combined effort to help others in a five county region, the United Way of Central Alabama held its annual kickoff last week in Pell City.

“Together we are much stronger than we are apart,” said Gordon Martin, Chairman of the 2012 UWCA’s fundraising campaign.

Over 80 agencies make up UWCA with over 42 directly in operation in this area, utilizing $667,000 in services to over 28,000 people in the St. Clair area.

Services offered range from the Success by Six program, which gives preschoolers the needed tools they will require in kindergarten to succeed.

“We all know from science that those first years are critical and if you don’t get that then, it can be detrimental,” Martin said.

All money given to the four-star rated nonprofit United Way stays in the central Alabama area with 91 cents of every dollar going directly to services offered by the many agencies or programs the UWCA oversees.

This year more than 600 volunteers will be visiting locations making sure the money given to the United Way’s mission is being carried out and used with measured results; making sure money is spent efficiently and effectively.

The United Way also helps many adults, often those who have fallen on hard times.

Over 100,000 people in Alabama lost jobs since the great recession. “Unfortunately, that means business at United Way is booming,” Martin said. “We want to be more than a handout; we want to be a hand up.”

To give to the United Way of Central Alabama you can securley log on to http://www.uwca.org/donate2.htm or call  (205) 458-2012 to place your donation by phone.