Help launch United Way’s Ride 2 Health program by volunteering

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - United Way of the Brazos Valley does much to help the community, but now KBTX is highlighting how to help them, both through donations and volunteering. Alison Prince the President and CEO of United Way joined First News at Four to share more about the organization and where the money donated will go.

“We look at community-wide needs and identify what are the greatest needs in our community and then deploy resources towards those,” explained Prince.

Many of these resources distributed are funds that are given by donors across the community. The donations are given to the over two dozen nonprofit organizations that United Way works with, as well as some internal programs they run.

Prince explained the benefit of donating to United Way saying, “when you’re donating directly to a nonprofit organization, you are supporting that one mission. When you donate to United Way, you’re not only supporting United Way, but 26 different missions.”

United Way works collaboratively with these nonprofits, sitting around a virtual table once a month and talking about the issues they face.

Every two years they open up the application process for more nonprofits to get support, and while the process isn’t easy, it’s very rewarding to be chosen.

“When an organization is funded by us, they have two years of sustainable funding that they can count on every single month,” explained Prince.

Other than donating, one way people can help is through volunteering in programs such as Ride 2 Health. This new internal program was created to provide transportation to get people to non-emergency medical appointments.

“It’s just the idea of, kind of like a volunteer Uber that needs volunteers who are willing to take people to their medical appointments,” said Prince.

Still in its pilot phase, Ride 2 Health needs more volunteers before it can launch community-wide.

Watch the full interview in the player above.

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