By Matt Clevenger

For Miami Valley Today

TROY — Representatives from ITW and other local Hobart companies delivered the proceeds from their annual United Way campaign on Monday, June 21, presenting a check for $396,527 to the United Way of Miami County.

“Considering the global COVID pandemic that affected everyone’s lives in 2020, it is a testament of our company culture and values that our employees were able to still give almost $400K to the United Way,” ITW Food Equipment Group business unit manager and campaign co-chair Jeff Johnson said.

ITW and Hobart employees campaign to raise funds for the United Way every year, through activities like bake sales, auctions and the annual Hobart Hustle 5K, and the company also matches contributions made by employees. Over the past three years, ITW and its employees have raised more than $1.2 million in support of the United Way and its local partner organizations.

“The yearly United Way campaign is an important part of ITW culture, and our employees have been so generous in supporting their neighbors through hard times,” Johnson said. “We are proud to step up and match their efforts with a corporate donation and overall support for the campaign, even during a difficult year.”

“It would be very hard for us to do what we do in this community and in this county without the support of ITW,” United Way of Miami County CEO Sean Ford said. “ITW is a huge supporter; they advocate, they volunteer and they donate their time and money to the United Way, and it makes all the things we do possible.”

ITW and its employees have been contributing to the United Way for over 60 years. “It’s 60-plus years they’ve been donating, and they’ve been the top donor in the city of Troy and the county,” Ford said.

Like other non-profit organizations, the United Way has seen reduced funding this year due to the COVID pandemic.

“We are down on funding, but we were awarded $100,000 from Meijer to give out COVID grants,” Ford said. “So, during the whole pandemic, we’ve been giving out COVID grants to organizations and companies who were affected by COVID.”

“We weren’t necessarily able to raise all of our goal, but we were still able to get some money to give out to help those who were most impacted by the pandemic,” he said.

The United Way’s own annual fundraising campaigns will start in August and September this year. “We’re going to have a campaign kick-off breakfast probably sometime in August,” Ford said. “We’re really expecting this year to be a rebound year, and the community is showing support more than ever.”

The United Way is also offering a new emergency services hotline that is available for free, simply by dialing 2-1-1 on any phone. “We’ve got our 2-1-1 service out there that’s available now; it’s a 24/7 crisis human and social services hotline that anyone can call if they’re in emergency,” Ford said.

“If there’s an emergency and you need assistance right now call 9-1-1,” he said. “But for food, shelter, domestic violence, suicide awareness and other things, call 2-1-1 and talk to a licensed, crisis-trained social worker today.”