Barbara Stephenson

The statistics thrown out by the media in the weeks following the September 11 acts of terrorism in New York City and Washington DC were daunting.

From pints of blood needed to the numbers of people being assisted by the Red Cross, from relief dollars raised by the general public to the number of individuals taking advantage of mental health and crisis call centers, the specialty relief agencies who were in a position to step in during this national – and global – emergency were in the limelight as never before.

Within Kitsap County, perhaps no one is in a better position to understand the mechanisms necessary for those kinds of efforts than Poulsbo resident Barbara Stephenson.

As executive director of the United Way of Kitsap County, Stephenson is responsible for overseeing the funding and financial distribution of funds to more than thirty non-profit organizations whose services benefit every age, ethnic and income group in the county, including those called into service during times of national crisis.

“Americans proved themselves incredibly generous following September 11,” said Stephenson. “I believe that (as of mid-October) more than a billion dollars was raised by individuals who felt the need to donate, to give something of themselves, in the aftermath of what happened.”

“Although it’s true that during normal times the monies raised in Kitsap County stay in Kitsap County,” said Stephenson, “we did serve as a conduit for donations specifically raised for relief efforts following September 11. Some of our local firms raised monies specifically for (NYC and DC) relief efforts and our chapter was able to facilitate those monies making their way to the proper organizations such as Red Cross.”

With a staff of six and a volunteer base of 100, the United Way of Kitsap County expects to raise $1.6 million earmarked for health and human service programs in Kitsap County this year. In addition, the chapter manages and disburses the $1.5 million raised by civilian and military personnel under the federal campaign program in the county.

The funds, say Stephenson, benefit thirty organizations and programs ranging from sexual assault hotlines and battered women’s shelters to literacy programs.

Youth programs, ranging from Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Camp Fire Girls to mentoring programs for at-risk youth are funded in part by the United Way as are senior citizen programs, services for the homeless and job training programs for the disabled.

In spite of having two hundred active company “partners” in the county, Stephenson acknowledges that many residents and business owners don’t really have a clue as to how the United Way – or their local health and human service programs – are funded in their own community.

“Sometimes I think we’re Kitsap’s best kept secret,” laughs Stephenson. “We’ve really got a pretty amazing story to tell…it’s really just a matter of finding employers who are willing to let us tell it.”

What Stephenson is referring to is the process by which the majority of all United Way funds are generated nationally. Employees at companies are offered the opportunity to contribute to the United Way via payroll deduction at an interval and an amount that they choose. And only if they want to.

“I think that one of our biggest challenges as an agency is simply getting an employer or company owner to allow us to explain who we are and what we do to their employees. Quite often, a business owner will express concern that their employees might feel pressured or might not have the extra income to donate. What we usually find,” Stephenson says, “is that they’re in for a pleasant surprise.”

In a company presentation, a loaned executive – a United Way volunteer, usually a business executive from the community – shows a 7-minute video, which profiles three Kitsap County residents who share their stories of how they found themselves recipients of a United Way-funded service. The volunteer then explains how employees, if they choose, can participate in the program and leaves the rest of the decisions up to each individual.

It’s at that point, says Stephenson, where the pleasant surprise usually comes in. “First, the number one reason people usually don’t give is simply because no one’s ever asked them to. It’s that simple, really. And to top that off, statistically, people with a lower income choose to give a higher percentage of their income to the United Way.”

That may be in part, she says, because they’re more likely to realize that they’ve benefited from a United Way program at some point in their life. But, Stephenson emphasizes, that may also be more due to awareness than to fact.

“Quite often, when I’m making a presentation to a new group of employees I’ll simply start by asking the group general questions. I’ll ask them to raise their hands if they or an immediate family member has ever belonged to the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts or the Campfire Girls. Then maybe I’ll ask if they or a family member have ever taken a class in first aid or CPR or whether anyone in their family has ever had a blood transfusion during a surgery. Then maybe I’ll ask if anyone in his or her family has ever suffered a heart attack and taken advantage of hospice care or a meals program. At that point,” Stephenson smiles, “pretty much the entire room has their hand up.”

In fact, says Stephenson, it’s estimated that three out of every five Kitsap County residents have at one time or another benefited directly from a United Way-funded program, whether they knew it or not.

“If the United Way didn’t exist in Kitsap County, we’d have to invent it just to maintain the quality of life we already have,” claims Stephenson.

As part of their charter, the non-profit annually assesses each non-profit that applies to the chapter for funding, evaluating the need in the community, the financial viability of the organization and their ability to meet the obligations of those in need.

In order to do that, the chapter has a 31-member board of directors. “Our board is made up of Kitsap County residents — some from the business world, some from civil service – who help set policies and monitor the effectiveness of the organization,” said Stephenson.

“Our board is made up of Kitsap County residents — some from the business world, some from civil service – who help set policies and monitor the effectiveness of the organization,” said Stephenson. “Our board members are so effective because they mirror the community. They are this community.”

Managing the effective use of the dollars raised is a big part of the why the 49-year old Stephenson was recruited into her role nearly ten years ago. A former bank executive with Rainier Bank (which became Security Pacific and, ultimately, Bank of America), Stephenson had volunteered with the United Way while still part of the banking community. What she has, she says, is a respect not only for how the dollars are raised and spent but also about what each individual dollar donated can buy.

“Whether an employee chooses to participate in a United Way campaign is entirely up to them,” Stephenson said. “If they do choose to participate, the amount that they choose to donate is entirely up to them, no one else. What really seems to turn them on is what their donation buys, no matter what size the donation.”

To make her example, Stephenson throws out some common donation amounts and the equivalent that they make in local services. “A donation of $25 a month — which translates to $12.50 every two-week pay period or the price of a couple of lattes each week – buys three hundred hot meals for the homeless each year.”

“A donation of $50 a month,” she continues, “funds job training for ten handicapped people in the community and $75 a month provides mentoring programs for fifteen at-risk youth.”

In fact, Stephenson says, each employee who chooses to participate in a United Way campaign can also designate a specific program or type of program as their recipient, allowing them to tailor their contributions even further.

“We work with companies of all sizes,” says Stephenson, “from a one-person law firm to Johnson Controls. It’s really all about individuals in a community helping out others in the community. I think in some way the recent events (of September 11) really drove home the continuing need for us to help each other.”.