Susan Asher with United Way of Central Kentucky spoke at the Grayson County Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Thursday, June 12. United Way of Central Kentucky serves Grayson, Hardin, LaRue and Meade counties. United Way supports several Grayson County and surrounding county community programs including the Grayson County Community Alliance, Hospice, American Red Cross, Communicare Kids Care and SpringHaven. Several companies in Grayson County support United Way including MTD, Warren RECC, Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie.

United Way is a community solutions provider first set up in 1887 in Denver, Co. as the Charity Organizations Society. The first national service center was established in 1918. By 1948 more than 1,000 groups were organized across the nation. Today the organization has 1,400 community-based groups. Each group is independent, separately incorporated and governed by local volunteers.

In 2001, United Way set up the September 11th Fund to help victims, families and communities affected by the terrorist attacks.

In 2002, United Way of Central Kentucky provided safety and first aid and CPR training to over 630 individuals through the American Red Cross. It supplied food to more than 600 families through Grayson County Community Alliance, First Apostolic Church and Loucon Retreat Center with America's Second Harvest.

SpringHaven (formerly Lincoln Trail Domestic Violence Program) is a progam by which United Way provides shelter, advocacy, and counseling for 190 victims of partner abuse as well as educating more than 530 high school students on healthy relationships.

United Way also helped the Central Kentucky Seniors Program, Community Health Charities, Communicare Kids Care and Hospice and Palliative Care, spending over $345,916 in the last year.

For more information on United Way of Central Kentucky, contact Asher at 270-737-6608.