News Release
Contact: Michael G. Gaffney, APR
Vice President, Marketing
Office: 330-643-5532
Cell: 330-701-8080

Date: July 31, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


UNITED WAY OF SUMMIT COUNTY RENEWS
NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP


(AKRON, OHIO) – Bob Kulinski, President and Chief Professional Officer, announced that the United Way of Summit County has successfully completed all of the United Way of America membership requirements satisfactorily and on time for 2007. The requirements include: Membership Requirements Certification, Membership Investment, and the Database 2 Survey of Total Resources Generated (a survey that captures the full extent of a community’s resource development efforts during the year).

“The membership standards must be certified annually in order for us to remain a member of the United Way system,” stated Kulinski. “It is important for us to maintain a high standard of accountability and this is part of the process to document that our operations are transparent and meet or exceed United Way membership criteria requirements.”

The board of United Way of Summit County reviewed and approved the Membership Requirements Certification. The certification mandates completion of 13 requirements for United Way of America membership along with verification of the status of 44 indicators that demonstrate a United Way embodies the intent of the membership requirements.

“It is critically important that all United Ways meet the highest standards and verify on paper that they have conformed to the requirements of membership in the United Way system,” stated Brian Gallagher, President and CEO, United Way of America. “We applaud and congratulate United Way of Summit County for demonstrating their commitment by completing the recertification process.”

As an integral part of the community, United Way of Summit County is specifically involved in implementing the Born LearningTM initiative at Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority sites and many other Community Impact programs.

The United Way of Summit County is part of a system of 1,300 United Ways. Each local United Way must complete United Way of America’s requirements annually in order to retain its United Way of America membership.

United Way of Summit County improves lives by mobilizing community assets for health and human services. For more information, call 330-762-7601, visit our website at www.uwsummit.org, or write to us at United Way of Summit County, 90 N. Prospect St., P.O. Box 1260, Akron, Ohio 44309-1260.