A letter from Ann Murtlow and Connie Bond Stuart
Dear Friends of United Way of Central Indiana -
Next year, United Way of Central Indiana launches into what might be the most exciting year in our history – our 100th anniversary.
Can you believe it? 100 years. There are very few people, businesses and organizations that make it to the centennial category, which is why we don’t take one moment – or more importantly, one person – for granted. Because of our donors, partner agencies, volunteers and our advocates, United Way has stood the test of time and made a considerable impact on millions of residents, families, children and our community.
But even after 100 years, United Way has discovered that its brand – one of the most recognized in the world – is not easily understood. Ask yourself, can you describe what United Way does in a few words? If you can’t, we understand. It’s hard to talk about the real issues that our community faces – extreme poverty, mental health, unstable families, homelessness, and childhood literacy. But these are the problems that must be faced, and solved, for our community to thrive.
In this Annual Report, you’ll see we have a refreshed way of describing the work we do, the people we serve, the partnerships we’ve made, and the encouraging results we’ve achieved. If we all LIVE UNITED, then we must fight for the education, financial stability, health and basic needs of every person in our community (there’s your elevator speech).
Taking this a step further, we know we win this fight by forging unlikely partnerships in our community. We must find new solutions to old problems. We need to mobilize the best resources. And we want to inspire you – our donors, volunteers and advocates – to join us in this fight against our community’s most daunting social crises.
To live better, we must LIVE UNITED. It’s as simple as that. We hope you continue to fight with us as we celebrate next year’s anniversary and the next 100 years to come!
Ann Murtlow and Connie Bond Stuart