LEWISTON – The United Way of Androscoggin County has adopted new initiatives to evaluate its impact on the community.

“We need to get at the root problems” of local needs, said Executive Director Joleen Bedard. She said the reason for the change was a growing realization that complex community issues require comprehensive solutions.

“We know we can’t be all things to everyone,” said Jennifer Willey, a United Way committee chairwoman. “We will let the community tell us the focus.”

United Way has changed, Bedard and Willey emphasized as they explained the new focus in a recent interview. They said the changes are consistent with the direction being taken by United Way organizations across the country.

United Way of Androscoggin County raised about $1.7 million last year. It’s important to make sure that money is invested in measurable community improvement, and that comes through identifying specific objectives, they said.

To that end, the organization has set up year-round volunteer impact councils that will concentrate on five areas: thriving families and successful children; dynamic community; health care and other essential needs; life-long learning; personal and community safety.

United Way also will work more closely with municipal officials of Lewiston and Auburn.

“We will be looking for more collaboration” rather than simple liaison between United Way and partner agencies, Willey said. “On each impact panel, we will have agency representation.”

Both she and Bedard emphasized that United Way will not be seeking any kind of role in the operations of agencies. The organization hopes the closer relationship will assure that money is allocated in the best interest of the community and its donors.

For donors, there will be no discernible change, Bedard said. Donor cards and giving options will be the same. Long-time participating agencies are already up to speed on how United Way will evaluate and allocate funds from now on, and Bedard said there has been wide support and enthusiasm for the changes.

She noted that there has been a moratorium on new agencies receiving funds, but the new process means some new recipients of United Way funds may be identified.

“There are five agencies in the pipeline right now,” Bedard said. She said the number of agencies served by United Way in coming years “may be fewer or more, as the community changes.”

Local agencies looking for a share of United Way funding will receive new requests for proposals in coming weeks and funding decisions will be made early in the new year.

Willey noted that city, state and federal government agencies have all cut back recently in charitable support, but citizens of Androscoggin County, as well as throughout the nation, have responded to extraordinary needs following events such as 9/11, a tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.

She said the local climate of giving is good. People have stepped up when more was needed and they have maintained their support for ongoing community needs.

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