Sally Zive will leave the post she’s held since 1999 and begin treatment in February for ovarian cancer.
What’s an especially exciting project for United Way right now?
The Allumbaugh House (a 16-bed detox and mental health crisis center) will open in March.
It’s a perfect example of the special power of collaboration that we are focused on now. It takes all of us, the nonprofit organizations and all levels of the government to “move the needle” on big issues like this.
Substance abuse is a root cause of so many community problems. The Allumbaugh House isn’t a treatment facility, but it’s a place to start to build a system of care to keep folks on track.
The project has taken a while, but it was a remarkable effort from so many groups in the community who stayed at the table together to see it through.
How has United Way of Treasure Valley changed since you took over leadership in 1999?
“We’re in the final stages of interviewing candidates for my position,” said Zive, who became the organization’s CEO in 1999. She will continue her association with the group, even if it’s not as CEO, she said.
Wayne Rancourt, United Way board chairman, and senior vice president at Boise Cascade, credits Zive with refining the organization’s focus on three areas of public need: education, income and health.
“We’re looking for someone who will follow what Sally has started, identifying the big issues in the community, making the most efficient use of donations and volunteer time, and getting the right people to the table,” Rancourt said.
From everyone involved and associated with United Way of Treasure Valley, we wish her the best, and look forward to her continued involvement into the future.
As an original member of the Mayor’s Community Detox Steering Committee committed to solving the need for a sobering and detoxification center that also addresses crisis mental health issues, United Way of Treasure Valley has served as the fiscal agent for the purpose of identifying and applying for grants to fund both the construction and operation of this project.
The facility is located on Allumbaugh Street in Boise and will operate under the name “Allumbaugh House.” It will provide sobering services, medically monitored substance abuse detoxification services, and emergency mental health services to low-income, non-incarcerated adults. It’s scheduled to open in March, 2010 under the operations of Terry Reilly Health Services. It is the first project of its type in the State of Idaho and is designed as a prototype for communities in other regions of our State.
Each member of the governing board of directors is charged with providing proportional funding to fulfill the “ramp-up” operational budget. However, during these difficult economic times and budgetary concerns, especially of public entities, a short-fall was identified.
As an important community partner in the Treasure Valley, Wells Fargo Bank Foundation announced last week they have awarded a $5,000 grant to United Way of Treasure Valley to alleviate that short-fall in the Allumbaugh House start-up budget.
Thank you to Wells Fargo’s foundation for their financial help at a critical time in the progression of this community project.
On December 3rd, United Way held an Investment Volunteer Reception at Beside Bardenay to celebrate the kickoff of this process. The event, sponsored by Intermountain Community Bank, was attended by United Way Staff, Board members, and volunteers who will commit their time over the next few months to ensure that these funds are invested in quality programs.
Over 80 volunteers will review grant applications, attend site visits and engage in discussions with non-profit leaders in the Treasure Valley. To see a complete list of programs that have applied for funding, visit 2010-11 Grant Applicants (PDF).
The volunteers’ funding recommendations will be made to United Way of Treasure Valley’s Community Impact Council, which presents the recommendations to the Board of Directors in March, 2010.
But most importantly, it happens when you generously give your donations to United Way. And, to make it as simple and convenient as possible, there are a number of ways that you can give. You can:
Have donations automatically deducted from your payroll through your employer
Send a donation via mail to: United Way of Treasure Valley
P.O. Box 7963
Boise, Idaho 83707
Donate via credit card online
And new this year, you can donate directly from your PayPal account via the ChipIn widget below.
This widget will be a fixture on the Help the Most People blog throughout the 2009 Community Campaign, and you’ll be able to view the progress over time.
As always, we’d like to thank you for your continued support of United Way, and for helping us to Help the Most People. If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to contact us.
United Way of Treasure Valley advances the common good by focusing on education, income and health. These are the building blocks for a good life -- a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement, and good health. Our goal is to create long-lasting changes that prevent problems from happening in the first place. We invite everyone to be part of the change. Together, united, we can inspire hope and create opportunities for a better tomorrow.
