As the United Way of Addison County kicks off its 2026 campaign of $800,000, let’s first acknowledge the heroic work of the 40 nonprofits that are funded through the UWAC annual campaign. Donations to the UWAC’s annual campaign help do the great work through organizations like HOPE, Charter House Coalition, Addison Housing Works, Counseling Service of Addison County, The Teen Center, Middlebury Area Land Trust, Open Door Clinic, Have A Heart Food Shelf, Bristol Family Center, John Graham Housing & Services, Age Well, Elderly Services and many others.

To understand all those the UWAC helps is to grasp the broad impact of this annual campaign over the past 58 years.

With encouragement, the campaign may exceed the million-dollar milestone set last year. (See Story on Page 1A.) Certainly the need is there. As UWAC Executive Director Helena Van Voorst recently wrote: “More families are struggling to afford housing, childcare, food, transportation and other basic necessities. Every day, people in our community are working hard, but still finding it difficult to make ends meet.” And President Trump’s signature tax cut — his big, ugly bill — makes things much worse. Federal funding for Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, SNAP, student loans and energy assistance programs and other essential programs that help Americans in need all face substantial cuts that kick in shortly after the mid-term election.

To those who can contribute, please join the hundreds of area residents who do. To those who prefer hands-on labor, join the 300 or so who help during the Days of Caring, Sept. 17-19. Together we make a huge difference to those in need.

Angelo Lynn