The United Way of Lamar County invested over $850,000 into the community in 2022.
The year began with a surprise $1000 bonus for all partner agencies. In total, the partner agencies received $461,722 in funding. This included $44,000 to The King’s Daughters, $21,000 to American Red Cross, $32,300 to Horizon House, $45,000 to Meals on Wheels, $6800 to The Salvation Army, $69,000 to Boys and Girls Club, $3000 to Boy Scouts Circle Ten, $23,000 to Lamar County Child Welfare Board, $6000 to RSVP, $10,000 to Lamar County Literacy Council, $10,000 to CASA, $31,000 to Children’s Advocacy Center, $19,000 to Safe-T, $41,000 to the REACH Center, $6000 to Paris Kiwanis Imagination Library, $21,000 to Paris/Lamar Habitat for Humanity, $26,000 for Paris Metro, $13,800 to Tailored Rides.
In addition to funding Partner Agencies, the United Way of Lamar County paid $106,758 in rental assistance keeping 140 families from being evicted and $115,461 in utility assistance to 440 households. $1070 was paid in bus tickets and $5,775 in hotel stays for homeless individuals. In addition $3,124 in miscellaneous assistance was distributed in purchasing such things as ac window units, heaters, a refrigerator, gift cards, groceries and other needs families had. And $2000 was spent on mini food pantries.
In 2022 the United Way of Lamar County (UWLC) gave out four college scholarships totaling $3000 and hosted the Kids Marathon, Texas Scholars, a county-wide Valedictorian/Salutatorian lunch, Career Shadow Days, the Getting Ahead Financial Literacy classes, and Read to the Future. In all the UWLC invested over $10,000 in youth and educational programs.
UWLC distributed thousands of diapers donated by the Kimberly-Clark Corp. Diapers were distributed to the Paris Pregnancy Center, YoungLives, the Detroit Food Pantry and to dozens of churches and families throughout Northeast Texas and Southeast Oklahoma.
This past year the United Way of Lamar County hosted a Community Health Fair with over 30 vendors and in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association presented a lunch and learn conference on caring for those with dementia.
Finally, after the November 4th tornadoes, UWLC distributed over $157,735 to families in Lamar and Red River Counties whose homes were either destroyed or uninhabitable and purchased a tornado siren for Lamar County to be placed in Powderly adjacent to an area hardest hit.
This past fall UWLC surpassed its $575,000 Campaign goal, raising $700,000 to be invested in the community in 2023. For more information on UWLC programs, its partner agencies or how to donate, visit www.lamarcountyuw.org or call 903-784-6642.
