(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – Johnson County United Way is working on projects that are aimed toward bettering the quality of life in Johnson County, but according to the executive director, not many people in the area know what the organization does.

What is United Way?

The United Way is a worldwide non-profit organization that uses its resources to connect agencies like the American Red Cross and ECHO together in a way that helps communities and people in those communities. The goal of the organization is to connect everyone and help them work together in the most efficient way possible.

Johnson County United Way is a member of the worldwide network. It benefits from the worldwide network with marketing materials, legal expertise, resource development strategies and other things that help the organization thrive.

Who does United Way help?

The United Way doesn’t help individuals directly – it helps agencies connect and work together as a way to unite resources of donors, volunteers and agencies. These resources are used to help Johnson County individuals in need. The organization has brought donated shoes to local students; it has also helped a family going through a medical crisis by reaching out to non-profit organizations in the area to secure comfortability for the family during hard times.

What agencies does United Way work with?

Agencies apply to be serviced by United Way and then the organization reviews the agency to see how it helps people. After that, United Way communicates with the agency to ensure the community is benefiting as much as possible from the services the agency can offer. Johnson County United Way works with agencies like Big Brothers Big Sisters, Johnson County Senior Services, the Salvation Army, Johnson County 4-H and the Hope Coalition.

Who is in charge of running United Way?

The face of Johnson County United Way is executive director Jennifer English. She runs the day-to-day operations of the organization and answers to a board that consists of 15 people. English was a member on the board before she obtained the position of executive director about a year ago. She works closely with the boards of agencies United Way provides services to in order to maintain efficiency.

What impact does the United Way have on Johnson County?

English said the community depends on Servant’s Open Door, one of the organization’s programs that distributes furniture, linens, clothing, cleaning supplies and household items to clients of the agencies United Way works with. She said over 2,700 people received supplies through the program in just the fourth quarter of last year. She also said that without United Way helping the agencies work together, the resources wouldn’t be used in an efficient way.