Category: Mon Valley Miscellany, News || By

It's that time again. No, not time to bag up 14,192 maple leaves that fell in your yard despite the fact that the tree is in your neighbor's yard, God love 'em, as Joe Biden might say.

No, I'm talking about United Way time. Many employers are running their United Way campaigns right now. Back in 2004, I compiled a list of eligible United Way agencies from the Mon-Yough area. It's become an annual tradition around here (mostly because it makes it look like Tube City Almanac is published in the public interest).

Yes, the economy is down, and we're all hurting. But local charities are hurting even worse.

Many agencies, like Womansplace or the YMCA, lean heavily on foundations and corporations for grants and donations.

With the stock market doing its best impression of the Titanic, foundation investments are down 30 or 40 percent, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. That means they have less money to give away.

And don't even think about trying to squeeze money out of a company right now. Hell, General Motors and your local bank are looking for donations themselves.

So, if your employer is running a United Way campaign, please consider giving as little as $5 per month in a payroll deduction. And to keep the money in the Mon-Yough area, write down a specific code number for one of the following United Way eligible agencies in our community.

That ensures that the money is spent locally, where it can do the most good.

Most of these agencies receive United Way money only if you specifically request it, so if you want to help Meals on Wheels or the Salvation Army, you need to say so. United Way donations are tax deductible, so this should give you a nice bump in your rebate check next year.

(Also: Most employer-run United Way campaigns allow you to remain anonymous, so you won't be pestered by fundraisers.)

If you know of any other local groups that are participating United Way agencies, add them in the comments section below, please.

City of McKeesport ("Our Fair City")

American Cancer Society, Mon-Yough Division: 1311
Auberle Home: 339
Boys & Girls Club of McKeesport: 7051
Consortium for Public Education*: 2910
The Intersection: 433
Long Run Children's Learning Center**: 406
Lutheran Service Society (Meals on Wheels): 3040
McKeesport Hospital Foundation: 888454
McKeesport Collaborative: 9514
Mon Yough Community Services: 343
Mon Yough Community Services, Angora Gardens: 7061
Mon Yough Community Services, Center for Substance Abuse: 251
Salvation Army, McKeesport: 4875
Sonshine Community Ministries***: 4306
UPMC McKeesport hospital: 360
UPMC McKeesport Diabetes Center: 9354
UPMC McKeesport Oncology Center: 4905
UPMC McKeesport pediatrics center: 4904
Womansplace: 479
YMCA of McKeesport: 112
YMCA of McKeesport, Residential Program: 112
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* --- formerly Mon Valley Education Consortium
** --- formerly McKeesport Pre-School for Exceptional Children
*** --- formerly Associated Lutheran Missions

To see a list of United Way participating agencies located in the Mon-Yough area outside of Our Fair City, click on the "more" link ...

Braddock Area

Braddock No. 2 VFD: 9115
Gideon's Place: 222840
Salvation Army, Braddock: 4127
Shady Park Place, Presbyterian Senior Care: 222556
UPMC Braddock hospital: 236
UPMC Braddock House of Hope: 224953
UPMC Braddock Psychiatric Services Fund: 834
UPMC Braddock Social Services Fund: 833
UPMC Braddock Summer Camp: 1532002

Clairton Area

Clairton Bears Athletic and Academic Association: 9353
West Jefferson Hills Foundation for Education: 1462189

Duquesne

Duquesne Volunteer Fire Co.: 880871
Habitat for Humanity: 7283
Boys & Girls Club of Duquesne: 7035

Elizabeth Forward

Buena Vista VFD: 1382
Forward Township VFC: 397
Gallatin-Sunnyside VFD: 698
Greenock VFC: 2321

Homestead/Steel Valley

Carnegie Library of Homestead: 221593
Methodist Union of Social Agencies: 81
Mon Valley Initiative: 3525
Mon Valley Unemployed Committee: 822
Steel Valley Trail Council: 1229848
Transitional Services Inc.: 172
West Homestead VFD: 1713
Young Life of Steel Valley: 417

Liberty Borough

Liberty Borough VFD: 1730

Mid-Mon Valley

ARC, Charleroi: 1257
Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Mon Valley: 2643
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Greensburg (Mon Valley): 2640
Mon Valley AIDS Task Force: 3354
Mon Valley Emergency Medical Services: 934
Mon Vale Health Resources: 1648878
Mon Valley Hospital: 815653
Mon Valley Hospital Regional Cancer Center: 1648877
Mon Valley Youth and Teen Association: 15
Options Resource Center: 3187
Rostraver-West Newton EMS: 1394
Salvation Army, Mon Valley Corps: 17
YMCA, Charleroi: 16

Mon Valley Region

Alzheimer's Association: 896417
Boy Scouts of America: 4212
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank: 361
Mon Valley Providers' Council: 222694
Multiple Sclerosis Society: 4222

Norwin Area

Boy Scouts of America, Irwin: 2420
Circleville Day Care Center: 9246
Hope Lives Foundation: 1528345
North Huntingdon Township Rescue 8: 614
Norwin Meals on Wheels: 965516
Norwin Public Library: 565
Rescue 14 EMS: 614
Salvation Army, Irwin: 3960
Sewickley Twp. Library: 1154
Westmoreland City VFD: 952948

Turtle Creek Valley

St. Afterschool Corp.: 3286
Ma's Pantry Food Bank: 1978
Turtle Creek Development Corp.: 3831
Turtle Creek Valley MH/MR: 136
Westinghouse Valley Services Center, Emerging Leaders Program: 1621520
Westinghouse Valley Services Center, Mon Valley Providers Council: 222694

West Mifflin Borough

Prism Health Service: 708
St. Agnes Angel Fund: 1531914

White Oak Borough

White Oak EMS: 2323