Pamela Boyd, United Way of Eastern Utah Executive Director, visited the Price City Council during its meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss what the program has achieved within the last year.
Boyd began by speaking on the space that United Way occupies within Price City Hall. She stated that it is a great space and she could not ask for a better place to operate United Way. She expressed her gratitude to the city for lending the space to the program and wanted to recognize that first and foremost.
Boyd then encouraged the council members to save the date for June 1, which is United Way’s annual volunteer donor and appreciation dinner, which will be hosted at Washington Park. There will be a food truck and Boyd asked the council to bring their families and celebrate living united, which is all about community.
From there, Boyd spoke on the various ways that United Way gave back to the community in 2022. The organization finished the year with the Angel Tree, in which United Way matches families with those that are willing to put gifts under trees for children on Christmas Day.
In 2022, they served 115 families and 343 children. There were great sponsors this year and Boyd said that she was in awe by the way that the community came together and supported those that were having a hard time during the holiday season.
The Live Love Local cancer assistance program is what she highlighted next. This assistance program provides those that have received a cancer diagnosis with funds to travel to treatment. Program participants are given a card that has $500 on it to pay for transportation costs.
Through this, 32 people were served last year and there are already two citizens that are slated for the cards in 2023. Boyd encouraged all to refer anyone that is having cancer treatments to United Way.
Finally, she turned the spotlight to Soles to Souls, which is an opportunity to provide school-aged children in the community with new shoes for the year. There was a pop-up shoe shop on Aug. 12, where all the shoes in their inventory were given away within 20 minutes.
From there, Boyd took names and numbers and fulfilled further requests. Almost 300 pairs were distributed and, due to overwhelming success, the same event was hosted in Monticello with nearly the same results.
The program is returning in 2023 and, with grants, it is going to be better than ever. This year, United Way of Eastern Utah is partnering with New Balance and will be able to give quality shoes to local children.
Following her presentation, Price City Mayor Mike Kourianos informed Boyd that the city appreciates what they are accomplishing through United Way.