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United Way Helps County to Get Connected

C-A-L-L 211 of the Lakeshore. Department of Human Services. Greater Ottawa County United Way. Great Start Collaborative. Human Services Coordinating Council.

What are all these—and more—government and nonprofit agencies? What do they do?  Whom do they help? How does it all work?

Whether you’re a human services professional or a private citizen, Greater Ottawa County United Way will help you decode the alphabet soup of agencies and community collaboratives, the work they do and the services they offer, with a workshop entitled “Getting Connected in Ottawa County” on Wednesday, February 25, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District Educational Services Building, 13565 Port Sheldon Street, (northeast corner of US31) in Holland. The cost is $25 per person and includes lunch. Scholarships are available for parents.

Billed as “a practical and constructive introduction to Ottawa County for human services professionals, community members, agency staff, parents and new residents,” topics include an overview of the county’s history and current population demographics; an introduction to human service organizations and collaborative groups, and helpful tools for accessing services that citizens can use in their jobs and in their lives. Dozens of agencies will be represented at the Agency Fair from 10:00 to 1:00, and workshop attendees will participate in an “interactive agency experience” where they go in search of resources to meet specific needs.

This annual event was previously chaired by the Ottawa County Human Services Coordinating Council and this year is being offered by Greater Ottawa County United Way.

“As the go-to resource for human services in Ottawa County, United Way was the logical choice to take the lead,” said Liz Vanderby, United Way Director of Community Impact.

Registration forms are available at www.ottawaunitedway.org/Advocateor by calling Joyce Bos at Pathways, MI                      (616) 396-2301           or emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Completed forms, along with $25 per person registration fee, should be mailed by February 20 to Bos at Pathways, MI, 412 Century Lane, Holland, MI   49423.

New Director of Volunteerism Joins Staff

Greater Ottawa County United Way welcomes Shannon Morton to its staff as Director of Volunteerism. Morton replaces Paulina Lawton, who left in December to join the staff of International Aid.

United Way President Patrick Moran said, “We are delighted to have Shannon join United Way as we continue to work daily at advancing the common good. Volunteerism is a vital part of our Live United philosophy and we are confident that under her leadership we will continue to see it thrive and grow in Ottawa County.”

Morton has served on the front lines of volunteerism in Ottawa County for several years. From 2006-2007 she was a VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) volunteer appointed to United Way. In that full-time position she assisted the director in carrying out United Way’s volunteer effort and helped launch the Student Service Learning Program. Since then, she has been the Community Resource Manager for Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity in Holland, where she also recruited, managed, and recognized volunteers.  

“I am excited to be back at United Way at this pivotal time in its history,” said Morton. “I am looking forward to helping Ottawa County citizens to make a difference through volunteerism, and especially to continuing the rollout of Student Service Learning in high schools county-wide.”

Morton graduated from Grand Haven High School in 1993 and attended Muskegon Community College and Western Michigan University. She and her husband Aaron make their home in Grand Haven with sons Jack, 7, and Spencer, 3 months.  She can be reached at                      (616) 396-7811           in Holland or                      (616) 842-7130           in Grand Haven or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Community Investment Applications Due

New program applications for community investment funds are due at Greater Ottawa County United Way by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, January 26.  They may be dropped off at either the Holland or Grand Haven office.

Current program applications (those that received community investment funds in 2008) are due by Monday, February 2, 5:00 p.m.

Please direct questions to Liz De La Luz Vanderby, Director of Community Impact, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ,                      (616) 396-7811           in Holland or                      (616) 842-7130           iin Grand Haven.

Community Investment Volunteers Sought

Greater Ottawa County United Way is seeking interested community members, who live and/or work in Ottawa County, to have a voice in the funding of human service programs throughout Ottawa County. Community investment volunteers help to decide where the funds raised during the annual campaign are invested, or allocated. They focus on the areas of Healthy Communities, Strong Families, and Thriving Kids. Volunteers need to simply have an interest in helping to better their community and may choose a focus area and panel that fit their interests and time schedule.

The “Healthy Communities” focus area includes programs that help people meet life’s challenges; “Strong families” includes programs that give families and/or individuals the tools that they need to build and sustain healthy relationships; and “Thriving Kids” includes programs that help children and youth to be successful. Last year approximately 56 volunteers from around Ottawa County volunteered during the community investment process. They decided where $1.2 million in funds would be allocated across 63 programs of 39 nonprofit agencies that serve Ottawa County.

 “The community investment process is what helps make United Way unique,” says Liz DeLaLuz Vanderby, Director of Community Impact for Greater Ottawa County United Way. “You have community members making decisions that affect the community that they live and work in. It’s a great way to learn about all the services that make up Ottawa County.”  

Hillary Hovinga, public relations manager for Herrick District Library, coordinates the Library’s United Way campaign and also serves as a Community Investment Panel member. She said, “Taking part in the community investment process is not just a wonderful way to learn more about all the organizations that are making a difference in the community, it’s also an affirmation that United Way holds every organization accountable for the money they receive.”

The community investment process begins with a brief training session in early February. Volunteers are assigned to panels, or teams. There are usually three panels for each focus area; on average, each panel is assigned to consider about seven applications. Each volunteer receives a 3-ring binder containing the applications and agency information to review, along with study materials about United Way’s community impact model. The panels visit the agencies to learn all about the programs and the impact they have on the community. After the tours are complete, the panels meet (either in the morning or the evening) to discuss the applications and make their recommendations. One member of the panel, called the panel leader, then takes that panel’s recommendations to the Impact Cabinet, which makes its final recommendations to the United Way Board of Directors.

The volunteer time commitment averages about 20 hours over a three-month period. This year, community investment volunteer training is scheduled for Monday February 9 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the JSJ Training Center on Robbins Road in Grand Haven, or on Tuesday February 10 from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. at Macatawa Bank, 139 E. 8th St. in Holland.  Volunteers need attend only one of the two sessions. Dinner will be provided on February 9 and lunch on February 10.

United Way officials ask those who are interested in volunteering in the process to contact United Way by February 3. For more information on Greater Ottawa County United Way’s Community Investment process contact Liz DeLaLuz Vanderby, at                      616-396-7811           or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Or go to the HOME page of www.ottawaunitedway.org, click "Advocate" then click "Community Investment Process" at the left, then "Volunteer Information."