Barb Anderson Special to the Citizen
Did you happen to read the short article in the Citizen on Nov. 18 that spoke to the difficulties impacting young people in our community? It related the journey of a youth who reached out to Cowichan’s Community Options Society and who received assistance, not only in creating options for a better future, but in an everyday tangible way — bus tickets.
In 2006 Cowichan United Way and Cowichan Valley Regional District came together to answer a growing need within our community. The CVRD provided complimentary tickets to CUW to distribute to our community through United Way Partner Agencies and their programs.
This outreach is called TAP — the Transit Assistance Program and it continues to this day. Through this program, United Way, with continued support of the CVRD, distributes complimentary tickets not only to our partner agencies but to other not-for-profit agencies in our community. This tangible support helps our youth who are reaching out to a better future, to single parents stretching too few dollars each month. TAP helps children and families get to medical appointments, individuals to employment interviews, and seniors on fixed incomes.
As both an employee and now volunteer at United Way Cowichan, I’ve witnessed the efficacy of this program and many other programs. Without the help of the CVRD, tickets for this program wouldn’t exist and without your support, United Way wouldn’t be able to administer it and fund the 25 programs that are provided through our partner agencies.
This is our community, the community in which we live, work, play, and retire. The money you donate stays right here in the Cowichan region to support all of us. So, as a member of our community and a volunteer, I’m asking for you to donate to the United Way Cowichan 2015 Campaign to support all of our programs. It benefits all of us.
Together, we are possibility! To donate, please call United Way at 250-748-1312 or online at www.cowichanunitedway.com
Barb Anderson is a Cowichan United Way volunteer