United Way of Mason County awards funding to local programs and initatives the are working toward the achievement of specfic outcomes in the areas of Adults and Families Living Well and Self-Sufficient and Children and Youth Reaching Their Potential.

During the 2009/2010 Funding Cycle United Way of Mason County reviewed Request for Proposals and awarded dollars to the following programs:

2-1-1 Information and Referral and Volunteer Advocacy Program
United Way of Mason County and other organizations have developed a program for area residents to access health and human service information and referral, and to seek out volunteer opportunities. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year by simply dialing the number 2-1-1 or going to the website at www.call-211.org.

Blindness/Low Vision Rehabiltation Program
This program is available through the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The purpose of the program is to improve people's ability to function independently in their living environment and community. This includes the ability to perform activities of daily living and activities that are incidental to daily living (e.g. hygiene, reading, safe travel, cooking, managing a household and others).

Comprehensive Youth Development
This program is available through the Gerald R. Ford Council Boy Scouts of America. The intent of the program is for youth to learn the importance of making good decisions. This is achieved by providing positive adult association and a wide-range of activities that ar reflective of the Scout Oath and Law.

Crossroads Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program
This program is available through Catholic Social Services for children, adolescents and adults who are experiencing the affects of an alcohol and/or drug disorder. The program also partners with area schools in teaching youth about the negative effects of alcohol and drug use.

Emergency Assistance Program
This program is available through The Salvation Army. The intent of the program is to provide assistance to those who find themselves in a situation where they may not be able to continue basic need services without interruption such as, rent/mortgage, utilities and food. The program's target population is those individuals who are living at or below 200% of poverty. Individuals must be able to prove that they are in an emergency situation, with the ability to sustain themselves once they have been assisted.

Emergency Assistance Program
This program is availabe through the American Red Cross West Shore Chapter. The purpose of the program is to educate the general public how to prevent and prepare for disasters, and to provide recovery assistance in the event of a disaster.

Girls On The Run Program
District Ten Health Department provides a seven-week after-school program for 8 to 12 year old girls living in Mason County. The program uses physical activity and experiential learning to teach very specfic and well-defined social and personal skills. It is lead by trained Girls on the Run coaches, who work with a group of 15 to 20 girls twice a week for 90 minutes to prepare for and complete a 5K run/walk event. Partcipants examine their own core values and uniqueness. They also examine body image issues, stereotyping and discriminatory behaviors, as well as, the importance of maintaining a healthy appreciation of themselves.

Affordable Housing for Families
This program is available through Habitat for Humanity. The intent of the program is to build safe, decent, affordable and permanent housing to qualified families and to educate them on the sound principals of financial management. Qualified families are provided with a no interest mortgage in exchange for providing 300 hours of sweat equity prior to moving into their new home.

Journey Into Life Program
The Ludington Area Senior Center, Journey High School and other organizations have developed an intergenerational program. This program is designed to match at-risk teens with senior volunteers to gain social interaction skills by preparing and eating nutritional meals together.

Mason County Housing Resource Initiative
This program is provided through Newaygo County Community Services. The purpose of this program is to develop an array of housing resources (temporary, supportive and permanent) for low income individuals and families residing in Mason County.

Medical Transportation Program
This program is provided through the Scottville Area Senior Center. The intent of the program is to provide transportation to older adults for medical appointments who have no other means of getting there. Program volunteers will transport older adults to medical appointments within 100 mile radius.

Mental Health Services for Families Affected by Trauma
This is a partnership between Catholic Charities West Michigan and C.O.V.E. The purpose of the program is to provide comprehensive mental health services for individuals and families affected by domestic violence. The program allows individuals and families to receive counseling services from the initial crisis phase to a safe resolution to the crisis.

Residential Services
This program is provided through J and J Mission of Mason County, also known as Jericho House.  the intent of this program is to assist homeless women in changing their destructive behaviors by providing activities which eventually help them to become productive citizens.  This includes, but is not limited to, achieving employment goals and re-establishing healthy family relations.  The funding provided through United Way of Mason County for this program is to be use for the specific purpose of purchasing food, clothing and housing items. 

Senior Home Delivered Meals Program
This program is provided through Mason County Central Senior Meals.  The intent of the program is provide home delivered nutritious meals to homebound seniors at least one time a day. 

Senior Outreach and Assistance
This program is provided through the Ludington Area Senior Center.  The purpose of the program is to assist older adults in obtaining their prescriptions at the most affordable cost, as well as, filing income tax and tax credits.  These savings, in turn, will help them to meet their basic needs (food, shelter, utilities, medications and others). 

Women's Shelter Program
This program is provided through C.O.V.E. (Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters).  The purpose of the program is to provide safe shelter for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and homeless womean and children. 

Youth Mentoring Program
This program is provided through Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore.  The organization recruits and enrolls volunteers to match with children who may not have a positive role model in their lives.  Having a caring adult involved in a child's life, that they respect and can confide in gives them a sense that they can have a successful future. 

Youth Outreach Program
This program is available through Staircase Youth Services.  The program utilizes a positive youth development model to help youth and families to be better equipped with the skills and resources needed to function as confidant individuals, family members and Mason County community members.  The following types of services are provided:  24-hour crisis intervention, assessments, referrals, solution focused sessions, case management, prevention groups, community education and short-term placement. 

Youth Recreation Program
This program is a collaborative effort between the City of Scottville Recreation Department, Fountain Action Youth Recreation, Riverton Recreation and Victory Baseball Association.  The intent of the program is to allow for physical activity, family involvement, fundamental learning and positive social interaction with peers.

Youth Summer Enrichment Program
This program is a collaborative effort between Staircase Youth Services, West Michigan Community Mental Health System and other organizations. Its purpose is to teach at-risk youth social skills, employment skills and leadership skills through a variety of activities including community service projects.

Annually organizations must submit a Request for Proposal to seek funding for a specific program and have the ability to measure specific outomes and indicators.  The organization must also meet other requirements such as, be a local non-profit health and human service organization, have a active governing Board, have an annual operating budget that is reviewed and approved by the governing Board, have an annual audit completed and IRS 990, if applicable, etc.

The Request for Proposal is reviewed by a panel of local volunteers.  In addition, the organization makes a program presentation to the appropriate presentation.  The panels evaluates the proposal and presentation and recommends to the United Way of Mason County Board of Directors if a specific program should be awarded funds and how much.   A program is not automatically awarded funds by virtue of completing a Request for Proposal.