United Way now one in Niagara

Buffalo Business First reported that two United Way agencies in Niagara County have completed a consolidation, creating a $1.6 million agency that will serve over 80,000 county residents.

The United Way of Greater Niagara brings together the United Way of Niagara and the Eastern Niagara United Way, which together support 75 different human service programs run by 21 service providers.

Carol Houwaart-Diez, executive director of the new group, says together the agencies will be able to cut costs for business services like insurance rates and rental property, with the savings going back into program allocations to benefit county residents.

As the agency completes the second phase of a needs assessment process, the services funded by the agency may also change, she says.

“Now we’re trying to find out the gaps in the community. Once we find that out, we will determine if there will be significant changes,” she says.

With headquarters in Niagara Falls on Military Road, the agency will shut down its full time Lockview Plaza site this month and open a part-time community service office in Lockport’s Bewley Building. The new organization has seven employees and a 20-member board of directors.

Companies in the region will have one Day of Caring event, one meeting for agency CEOs and one funding process – saving them time and effort.

Initially, the consolidation plan that began four years ago called for bringing together all three United Way agencies in Niagara County, but talks with the United Way of the Tonawandas fell through after members voted it down on two separate occasions.

Read more: United Way now one in Niagara - Business First of Buffalo