This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Thank you for your generous support

On May 1, about 160 people gathered at the Crowne Plaza in Cromwell to celebrate our generous and committed community. Nearly 100 local companies and nonprofits, a few municipalities and a handful of individuals were honored for their generosity, commitment and support of the campaign over the past year.

It always astounds me to see how Middlesex County makes it happen. This is a community that knows how to come together and LIVE UNITED—and I am truly honored every day to be a part of it.

If you joined us at the breakfast Wednesday, I hope you felt appreciated—because you are. If you were unable to make it, I hope you will join us next year. It’s a festive occasion to celebrate the hard work of many. The breakfast is the ceremonial end of the annual campaign, and each year, we announce how much was raised in Middlesex County. Well, together, in the 2012-13 Middlesex United Way campaign, we raised $1.81 million to advance education, income, health and housing.

During the campaign we talk a lot about raising money and numbers. But the more important numbers come what happens when we invest that money into the community. For example: teens are reporting that substance abuse is down 25%, and violence is down 24%; 243 households, including 285 children, have remained in their homes thanks to the Homelessness Prevention Fund of the Middlesex County Coalition on Housing & Homelessness; and more than 730,000 meals were distributed last year to low-income households struggling to make ends meet through Amazing Grace Food Pantry and Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Together, we are investing in a better future for Middlesex County.

We all have great aspirations for our community, and together we are working to make them a reality.

We envision a community where there is no more homelessness.

We envision a community where people don’t go hungry.

We envision a community where we can all pay our bills and have money left over at the end of the month.

We envision a community where people are safe and healthy.

And we envision a community where our kids will succeed long after we are gone.

What better way is there to invest 1.81 million dollars?

Thank you for your role in investing in our futures.

LIVE UNITED.

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