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United Way Launches Database of Community Resources with Assistance from $18,000 Verizon Grant (Nov 13, 2007)

Continuing its tradition of matching community resources with human needs, United Way of Delaware County is compiling and launching a comprehensive data base to help Delaware County residents find the best schools, housing, health care services and other resources. United Way has partnered with Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Corporation, who is providing $18,000 for the project.

“Overall, this database will be an encyclopedia, if you will, that Delaware County residents can use to match resources and needs,” said Katherine Tatterson, executive director for United Way of Delaware County. “By unifying this information in one place, we will be able to make more efficient and effective use of data to assist both individuals and groups in the county.”

Verizon’s technology grant for the project is a response to “key stakeholders, especially community leaders and elected officials, who are looking for assistance from corporate citizens to help transform these organizations and improve the valued services they provide the community,” noted Todd Colquitt, president of Verizon Ohio. “Verizon recognizes the need for nonprofit organizations to upgrade and improve technology to enhance their services,” he said. “By promoting the use of the Web with projects like this one, Verizon helps create online ‘communities’ that enhance cooperation between nonprofits, community leaders and corporate citizens.”

Tatterson explained the first step for United Way and its partners is to develop a blueprint of assets in the county from housing to jobs to transportation to childcare and education.

“We want to involve current business, civic and political leaders with people from neighborhood organizations as we collect this information,” she said.

Once the information is gathered, assets will be matched with opportunities to improve the community.

In the original Delaware CARES assessment, United Way partnered with Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware General Health District, the Council for Older Adults, Delaware-Morrow Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, Grady Memorial Hospital, the Delaware Area Chamber of Commerce, and The Ohio State University Cooperative Extension Service.

Among other results, their work resulted in creation of an Affordable Housing Task Force, development of a countywide set of health and human service indicators, and increased interagency collaboration in the county.

“This second Delaware CARES assessment will help us create a vision of a better community,” Tatterson said.
She said the vision could include:

• Identifying new opportunities for community improvement
• Influencing public policy
• Supporting proposals for redesigning systems and programs
• Helping leaders make informed decisions on the distribution of new resources and redistribution of existing resources
• Documenting the need for increasing resources

Touching the lives of one in four persons in Delaware County each day, United Way of Delaware County continues to promote community partnerships and initiatives that improve the quality of life in Delaware County. Its member agencies include: Action for Children; The American Red Cross; The Arthritis Foundation; Big Brothers/Big Sisters; Boy Scouts of America, Simon Kenton Council; Delaware Area Recovery Resources; Delaware Speech and Hearing Center; Girl Scouts, Seal of Ohio Council; HelpLine of Delaware and Morrow Counties; Heritage Day Health Center; The Legal Aid Society; Liberty Community Center; The Literacy Coalition; Marion Goodwill Industries; Meals on Wheels of Delaware County; People in Need; Senior Services for Independent Living; Turning Point; and YMCA, Liberty Township/Powell.