By MATT PIKE

The United Way of Greater St. Joseph is seeking volunteers to help with the allocations process for this year’s annual campaign.

Director of Community Investment Jodi Flurry says every year, around 150 to 160 community members come together to help recommend how funds from the campaign should be distributed

“Reviewing the agencies, learning about our partner agencies, and then making recommendations on how they think the money raised from the campaign, the communities money that’s been entrusted to United Way, should be invested back out into these agencies,” Flurry says on the KFEQmunnity show.

Flurry says volunteering to help with the allocations process is a great way to get to know more about where your donation is being used and impacting lives

“And have a voice in how your donation is used in our community,” Flurry explains. “And maybe you’re brand new to United Way, or the community, and you’re like well I would like to learn more about what’s going on with our non profits, with our social service agencies, what are they actually providing, what are they doing? The United Way allocations process is a great way to learn about what is happening in our community.”

Flurry says those participating in the process will be a part of sub committees that will review at two to three of the United Way’s partner agencies

“Agencies like YWCA, Interserv, Family Guidance Center, and the list goes on until you reach 16, you will review two or three of our agencies, you get an application from them so you really learn a lot about their programs and services, their financial information, and really what impact United Way donor dollars are having in their organization,” Flurry says. “So you get an application to review, you then have a presentation from the agency, where you might go on site or at United Way and you hear from the organization about what they are doing to improve lives in our community. Then going through a process, you provide feedback and recommendations on how you think United Way should invest in this agency in the coming year.”

To volunteer you can contact Flurry or visit the United Way’s website. Volunteers are asked to dedicate around 10 to 15 hours of time over two months, April to May, to meet and review the agencies.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.