LEWISTOWN - The United Way of Mifflin-Juniata has raised $347,270 of its $600,000 goal during the campaign that began on Sept. 19 and runs until March 15.
The Mifflin-Juniata Special Needs Center is one of the agencies that benefits from working with the United Way. Executive Director Beth Zong explains how partnering with the United Way has served the Mifflin-Juniata Special Needs Center:
"The words accept, support and empower hold a lot of meaning for the Mifflin-Juniata Special Needs Center Inc. We envision a community where personal dignity is honored, diversity is embraced and full inclusion for persons with disabilities is promoted in all aspects of life," Zong said. "To this end, our mission is to accept people for who they are, advocate for people with disabilities, support them and their families with essential services and empower them to develop their abilities and potential. Our local United Way of Mifflin-Juniata is an integral partner in helping us to actualize this vision.
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"Community Connections is a program with an array of social, recreational and training activities designed to enhance the lives of children, youth and adults with disabilities and the families who support them by helping them be more connected to the community in which they live," Zong continued. "This often involves participating in community activities and events or learning to volunteer and give back to the community. Over 500 individual lives were touched by our Community Connections program in the past year. This is testament to the fact that a little financial support can go a long way and each individual donor to the United Way does have an impact on what we do.
"We realize that these are tough economic times for everyone and truly appreciate the ongoing support of our agency through the United Way," Zong said. "Our goal is to Live United and not lose sight of why we do what we do. Mifflin-Juniata Special Needs Center Inc. values our local United Way partnership. We remain committed to whatever it takes to support some of the most vulnerable citizens of our community."
