Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry United Fund Torchlight Campaign Co-chairs (left) Kimberly Snyder-Holt and Jennifer Cummings-Tutmaher celebrate with United Fund Executive Director Lacey Hanson on the occasion of reaching the campaign’s 2022-2023 goal of $700,000.

The goal went up and the community rose to the challenge.

The annual United Fund Torchlight Campaign has met its target.

This year, organizers set the goal at $700,000 – the highest ever.

On Friday, Executive Director Lacey Hanson met with campaign co-chairs Kimberly Snyder-Holt and Jennifer Cummings-Tutmaher at the campaign sign at Third Avenue and Liberty Street in Warren.

“The value of living in a small, rural community exceeds the things we see daily,” Tutmaher said.

It’s easy to look around and see natural beauty and resources. Seeing the willingness of communities to help those in need takes a deeper look.

“Though we may be small, we are strong and we can achieve goals like this year after year,” she said.

The United Fund’s 20 member agencies receive funding from the campaign.

“The fact that we give the money directly to the community member agencies makes it an effort worth giving to,” Tutmaher said.

There are two new entries among those entities this year – the Warren County Children’s Advocacy Center and the Women’s Care Center”

Adding member agencies means the United Fund’s efforts are reaching more people, Holt said.

“Both of those non-profits reach more people and brought in more people.”

That there are changes to the list is a positive.

“It helps the United Fund stay relevant,” Hanson said.

The United Fund aims ever higher with its campaign. Sometimes — especially in times when higher levels of community need means fewer people have as much to give — the organizers are concerned that they will not reach the goal.

“I’m really encouraged,” Holt said. “Going through COVID and the economic climate, we pushed this a little bit higher this year.”

“It’s a testament to the longevity of the campaigns,” she said. “Not only do we have people who believe, we continue to find new people.”

She attributes the ability to retain donors and reach new ones on the work put in by volunteers in support of the campaign.

“Warren County takes care of Warren County,” Holt said.