The Sarnia-Lambton United Way is moving its office to save money, but will essentially be funding the same number of programs and services over the next three years.
Executive Director Dave Brown said their funding plan will support 18 local agencies and 36 programs and services.
Despite falling just short of its $2 million goal in the 2018 campaign, Brown said the three-year funding portfolio includes four new programs and increases allocations to 16 existing programs.
"One of the things we really wanted to focus some of our funding on or increase funding on was seniors," said Brown. "In particular, seniors in poverty living in their own homes. We've increased the available funding for seniors programs from 27 per cent of our available allocations up to 30 per cent. Families will get about 30 per cent of our funding and youth programs has dropped to about 37 per cent."
The United Way also approved a one year Venture Grant of $30,000 for Harmony for Youth.
Brown said funding to three agencies, the MS Society, St. Clair Child and Youth, and the Lambton Seniors handyman/handywoman program was eliminated after the campaign target was missed for the first time since 1993.
The United Way offices will be moving in April to Lambton Mall Road with savings of about $15,000 a year going back into the community.
