Highmark foundation donates $100K to West Virginia United Ways

The following article first appeared in The Parkersburg News & Sentinel on November 3, 2022.

When the Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund wants to make an impact in the communities the insurance provider serves, it often turn to the United Way.

“That way we have a confidence to know that our dollars are truly going to go to (people) in need, and that’s reassuring,” said Jim Fawcett, president of Highmark West Virginia.

Fawcett and representatives of Highmark presented three checks of $25,000 each to the directors of the United Ways in Parkersburg, Wheeling and Charleston Wednesday morning at the United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley office in Parkersburg. Highmark has offices in all three cities, and the foundation is also donating $2,777 to the other nine United Ways in West Virginia since it serves people in all 55 counties.

Combined, it’s a $100,000 contribution to the United Way for the second consecutive year. Fawcett said he trusts the organizations to use it wisely.

“Highmark really relies on the United Way to be connected to the communities we serve,” he said. “In any given year, those needs change by community.”

Fawcett said the funds are unrestricted, meaning they can be used however the organization sees fit.

“A gift like this in the middle of campaign season is transformational,” said Stacy DeCicco, executive director of the United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley in Parkersburg. “It allows us to do what needs to be done.”

Fawcett asked the United Way directors if the needs vary in different parts of the state.

Margaret O’Neal, executive director of the United Way of Central West Virginia in Charleston, said utility and rental assistance are the biggest needs right now, though she expects to see increases in food and other areas due to inflation. In addition, “we don’t have enough safe, affordable housing in West Virginia.”

DeCicco and Jess Rine, executive director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley in Wheeling, agreed the needs weren’t dramatically different in their regions.
DeCicco said the contribution from Highmark will go into the organization’s annual campaign and disbursements will be determined during the grant-making process in January. The United Way partners with and funds a variety of nonprofits serving the community.

“Those dollars will move back out into the community,” she said.

Rine said the Highmark donation will go to the Upper Ohio Valley’s campaign as well, the theme of which is “Raised Here, Stays Here.” Donors and volunteers will take part in an allocation process in April to determine how funding is distributed.

“This is one of our largest corporate donations that we receive all year long,” Rine said. “We know the biggest needs in our community, and we address it with this type of funding.”