Blair, Laurel Highlands United Way chapters merge

Southern Alleghenies agency will serve three counties

CLAYSBURG -- In an effort to increase outreach and services, the Blair County United Way has merged with the Laurel Highlands United Way.

The United Way of the Southern Alleghenies will serve the counties of Blair, Cambria and Somerset, officials announced Thursday morning during a news conference at the Sheetz Operation Support Center in Claysburg.

Karen Struble Myers, president and CEO of the new organization, said the two groups are better together -- they were both founded as community organizations that have operated for nearly a century to support those who are experiencing poverty.

"The founders came together with two fundamental beliefs -- one, that tomorrow could be better than today and two, that we have a personal responsibility to make it so," Struble Myers said.

Joining forces will allow the groups to improve the capacity to leverage funding at regional, state and federal levels.

Struble Myers said over the last eight years, the United Way of the Laurel Highlands has raised more than $11 million through its community grant writing initiative.

"Building on the work of Blair County, we are poised to improve on this established track record," she said.

The two combined campaigns will have the ability to raise $1.4 million a year and help about 75,000 people, she said.

The Southern Alleghenies plan is to strengthen the Healthy Blair County Coalition, building on the successes of early child care and learning with the family resource center, Struble Myers said.

In the months to come, the Laurel Highlands' diaper bag program will be expanding into Blair County, she said, and the group will be working to strengthen its evidence-based grant making process.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to serve our community and to be a small part of the change we want to see in the world," Struble Myers said.

Jessica Fisher, former Blair County United Way board chair, will be the vice president chair of the new organization.

The merger came about because the Blair County United Way was looking for ways to expand its reach, she said.

One of the options explored was partnering with another local United Way with similar demographics and community needs.

"The most natural fit was the United Way of the Laurel Highlands that has been serving Cambria and Somerset for decades," she said.

Fisher said from the beginning of the discussion, stakeholders of the United Way of Laurel Highlands were extremely receptive and excited about the potential the two groups could have if they combined their efforts.

Jerry Zahorchak, current board chair of the United Way of Laurel Highlands, said combining efforts will expand the outreach possibilities.

"These three counties can do marvelous things," he said.

"This is really going to help Blair County in so many ways to better serve the community and people who need services from the many nonprofit organizations," said board member Shari Routch.

The announcement about the merger was made at Sheetz, because it's a longtime, major supporter of the United Way of Blair County, officials said.

Stephanie Doliveira, executive vice president of people and culture at Sheetz, said the company is thrilled with the merger because it allows the company to expand its support to the counties surrounding Blair.

"My hometown is Johnstown, so it is great to be expanding into the communities that are around Blair County," she said.

Mirror staff writer Cati Keith is at 814-946-7535.