Business, community and nonprofit leaders logged in recently to a virtual version of the annual Community Leaders Breakfast, hosted by the United Way of Indian River County, to celebrate the collective good and highlight the support given to the community over the past 60 years.
“Since the pandemic hit 18 months ago, your United Way has been working overtime to help our community respond, recover, reimagine and rebuild. With your support, we raised, leveraged and distributed more than $5.2 million for this crisis response work,” said Jeff Schlitt, UWIRC board chair.
During that time, he said, the United Way facilitated and distributed rental and utility assistance to help thousands of local residents stay in their homes, provided funding to help residents purchase food and prescriptions, and provided childcare scholarships.
Keynote speaker Jeff Johnson, AARP Florida state director, highlighted the importance of the work undertaken by the Livable Community Initiative, which aligns with that of the United Way. He noted that the initiative advocates “at the local, state and federal levels on issues of health and financial security and making communities more livable for all ages.”
Meredith Egan, UWIRC CEO, said that as part of that initiative, the Senior Collaborative of Indian River County was founded just prior to the pandemic to provide seniors with access to service providers, funders and advocates.
The pandemic only intensified the needs of the community, said Egan, noting that 2020 was challenging and 2021 has been only slightly easier. She challenged attendees to “continue with more of what we do best – partner, engage, hold one another up, stay united.”
From there, Jeff Petersen, UWIRC chair-elect, took attendees on a filmed “Prize Patrol” roadshow, presenting awards to this year’s recipients of the Richardson Spirit of Indian River County Awards and the Ralph T. King Award.
Petersen and his crew presented Dan K. Richardson Spirit Awards to the School District of Indian River County, the Substance Awareness Center, and Jeremy Odom, local McDonald’s proprietor, representing large, medium and small organizations respectively, that have supported the United Way and the community through continuous volunteerism and financial support.
Petersen ended the ‘journey’ by presenting the United Way’s most prestigious recognition, the Ralph T. King Award, to Jeff Smith, calling him “a steward of our community with over 30 years of continuous giving.”
Smith, Indian River County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, and a prior UWIRC board chair, has served on numerous United Way committees. “He has inspired with his service model to gift to the United Way over $200,000. What he has been able to foster is a spirit of giving that is befitting of the Ralph T. King Award,” said Petersen.
“I believe strongly in the methods and what the mission of the United Way here in Indian River has done and will keep doing. I believe that with all my heart,” said Smith.
At the conclusion, it was announced that Smith, along with Wesley Davis, Indian River County Property Appraiser, and Sheriff Eric Flowers are the 2021-2022 campaign co-chairs.
For more information, visit unitedwayirc.org.
Photos provided
