Town of Palm Beach United Way draws 137 volunteers to help with annual distribution process

The process to distribute millions of dollars to organizations that help those in need has begun at the Town of Palm Beach United Way. The organization will be tapping the expertise of 137 community volunteers to conduct its annual review process — a three-month effort that will end in early April.

The volunteers, a majority of whom live or work in Palm Beach, make up the Allocation Committee, led this year by co-chairs Suzanne Brenner, Carla Cove and Diane McNeal. The committee divides the volunteers into 15 teams, each focused on different social causes such as early childhood education, afterschool programming, middle and high school graduation, disabilities, mental health, housing, food, substance abuse, and domestic violence.

"In total, they will review 77 health and human service programs administered at 41 nonprofit agencies throughout Palm Beach County," the organization announced in a written statement.

Last year, Town of Palm Beach United Way reports it awarded nearly $4 million in grants to 39 agencies to support 71 programs, reaching more than 175,000 people in the county.

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Although the fundraising cycle doesn't close until June 30, the campaign has raised $5.3 million to date, putting it on track to meet its goal of $6.5 million or even eclipse that sum, spokesperson Aleese Kopf said Thursday.

The volunteers are a vital part of getting those resources out to those who need them.

“We’re elated to have so many volunteers this year,” co-chair Cove said. “The grant allocation process is such a wonderful way for people to get involved, to see and understand the needs of our community, to invest donor dollars where they matter most, and to see firsthand the difference donations make in the lives of children and adults in need.”

While some of this year's volunteers have been with Town of Palm Beach United Way for more than two decades, 34 are new to the process.

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“My husband and I are spending more time in Palm Beach and I wanted to get more involved by volunteering doing something important,” said Nancy Lane, one of the newcomers. “The Town of Palm Beach United Way Allocation Committee seemed like a great way to get to know the community and to make a meaningful difference.”

Lane and her fellow volunteers are charged with culling through funding requests from area charities. They will analyze financial data, check policies and procedures and meet with the agency staff and board members before making recommendations to the United Way Board of Trustees.

In its statement, organization officials reflected, "Since the Allocation Committee review process began in 1945, more than $105.2 million has been invested in programs that build strong educational foundations for children, create healthy communities, lift families out of poverty, and improve the quality of life for residents in Palm Beach County. "

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Volunteers to help Palm Beach United Way prioritize millions in grants