United Way merging with northern branch

In a bid to cut down on administrative costs, the Central and South OkanaganSimilkameen branch of the United Way is merging with its counterpart for North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap.

The new relationship, announced this week following approval by both boards, takes effect in April 2019.

“United Way is all about local giving and local impact. That won’t change under this new regional model,” United Way CSO chair Sinead Scanlon said in a press release.

“Our boards remain absolutely committed to the principle that funds raised locally stay local. Local decision-making will continue to guide local community investments, focused on local priorities.

Combining and centralizing administrative functions, processes and systems — like finance, human resources and website operation — will help the two groups avoid duplication of efforts and throw more money at actual programming.

“The merger will also create opportunities to respond to community issues that are common across the region such as homelessness, mental health and poverty. These issues do not stop or start at lines on a map and the merger creates new opportunities to share and expand programs across the wider region,” the release added.

United Way CSO executive director Helen Jackman will lead the new organization, a decision made easy by the pending retirement of her NOCS counterpart, Linda Yule.

The NOCS branch will, however, get a new community engagement manager.

United Way began operating in the Central Okanagan in 1974 and ran its first campaign in the South Okanagan in 1997, and just one year later officially took on the South Okanagan and Similkameen in its title.

Its most popular fundraiser is the annual Drive Thru Breakfast, which last month raised $21,000 in Penticton alone.

Herald file photo Summerland Mayor-elect Toni Boot hands out a bag of goodies at last month’s Drive Thru Breakfast in support of the United Way of Central and South Okanagan, which is merging with a counterpart to the north.