Local organizations band together as important programs are threatened by United Way budget cuts

Rochester, New York – Some of the affected organizations are banding together to find answers as United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes practically slashes in half the amount of support it provides to neighborhood nonprofits compared to previous years.

A joint statement from 16 affected NGOs stated that up to 40,000 people or households now receiving services from the affected programs may be impacted by the reductions.

Charles Settlement House and The Community Place of Greater Rochester’s CEO, Scott Benjamin, called the amount of money his organizations lost “definitely startling”—losing a total of $815,000 in multi-year United Way funding, which could have an effect on 2,000 customers.

“It’s a major hit to our family services department, which provides basic needs, and our after-school programs,” he stated.

According to Benjamin, the department has a clothes closet and a food pantry.

“A lot of our food in our food pantry comes from Foodlink, so a cut to them impacts us in a secondary way,” he stated.

Although Benjamin stated that his groups will still receive multi-year funds from United Way for senior activities, other important initiatives are at risk due to the recently announced reduction.

“It’s a big hit to both organizations because some of the funding we have from the other programs can’t be used for family services and after-school,” he stated.

United Way attributed the notable reduction in financing to a decline in donor contributions following the outbreak.

At least two legislators from Monroe County, Mercedes Vazquez-Simmons and Rachel Barnhart, are urging the county to assist organizations that the United Way cuts will affect with any leftover American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

Wanda Medina has spent thirty years working in the food pantry at Charles Settlement House and is an integral part of the community’s support system.

“We have to always find ways to assist the best we can,” Medina stated.

Benjamin expressed his confidence that his groups will be able to continue.

“We would have the potential of up to 18 job cuts, but I don’t expect that to happen because I’m confident we will work our way through this — but it’s going to be painful,” he stated. “It won’t be easy.”