United Way Changes Its Name to Better Reflect Service Area

United Way of Franklin County has updated its name to United Way of Franklin and Ripley Counties.

(Brookville, Ind.) - United Way of Franklin County has served the residents of Franklin County since 1990, and the organization’s network of partners has served both Franklin and Ripley Counties for many of those years. To better reflect its true service area, the organization has updated its name to the United Way of Franklin and Ripley Counties. Kelly Bulmer, President and CEO of United Way of Franklin and Ripley Counties, says, “We’re excited about this change because the residents of both counties we serve and the local companies that employ them will know we’re here for them.”

Part of a larger global network of United Ways, but independently operated, the United Way of Franklin and Ripley Counties fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in our counties. United Way has a special emphasis on uplifting individuals and families that are considered ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed). A focus on ALICE means that working households ─ that often cannot qualify for resources reserved for those under the Federal Poverty Line ─ get the critical support necessary to meet the basic needs of their families. These needs include food, clothing, housing, transportation, childcare, healthcare, and basic communications technology.

To meet the needs of those who live, work, and play in the area, United Way of Franklin and Ripley Counties has actively partnered with other local nonprofits like Coats for Kids, the Batesville Area Resource Center, and the Southeast Indiana Economic Opportunity Corporation. In recent years, United Way of Franklin and Ripley Counties brought $250,000 in COVID-19 relief into its service area to support emergency needs.

“Over the last several months, we have been conducting community conversations in Ripley County to better understand what needs are currently going unmet,” says Ms. Bulmer. “We were eager to hear how we could assist individuals and businesses in meeting basic needs and achieving a high quality of life for themselves, their families, and their employees.” To view a copy of the final report from these conversations, visit http://www.uwfcin.org/. For a deeper conversation, reach out to kelly@uwfcin.org.