As a young girl, I grew up knowing a sense of community from early on.  There was the community of my large extended family of special aunts, uncles, cousins and my grandmother. My parents were educators, so many afternoons and summers were spent with them at their school communities. 

My dad was a three-sport coach as well, so if he wasn’t teaching U.S. History, he was coaching, both on the field and off.  We have always been a faithful family and church on Sunday was often followed by lunch at the Holiday Inn buffet or someone’s house. All of these communities showed me how to care, how to love and how to believe in someone and how to be grateful.

To be honest, when I moved back home almost 17 years ago, I believed my move would be short-lived. I would get good work experience at the entry level position I had taken at The Free Press and I would move on. 

Thankfully, I met my husband, worked my way up in my career and we set down roots for our family in my hometown. As I have worked in various roles here in Lenoir and Greene counties, I have met amazing people as well as worked alongside many I had long admired.  

Which brings me to now, our present time as a community. We are a community in transition in some ways, be it infrastructure or new faces in leadership roles or establishing ourselves as a destination for art, history and food tourism. 

Yet we have this incredible heritage that is a constant, beautiful light. We have so much talent and we have a true sense of humanity and loving our neighbor as witnessed through the back-to-back hurricanes of Matthew and Florence.  

Having joined our local United Way just 17 months ago, the volume of love we give as a community still amazes me. The heart and soul our 15 partner agencies at United Way pour into their work makes me immensely proud. We have only two full-time staff at our United Way, which may surprise some of you, but not a day goes by that Laura and I don’t remark on something we love about our work. 

Our board of directors are incredible leaders who truly believe in our mission and want the very best for Lenoir and Greene counties.

We are beginning our 2020 campaign year under the theme, “Give the gift of now.”  We feel this theme embodies where we are in our communities and how we want to serve.  Our United Way has been and will continue to be present for our communities.

We will provide funding to programs and services that create impact and benefit. We will serve as a resource network for the community-at-large. We will advocate on your behalf with our legislators and state leaders.

We will hold your hand when you are in the midst of a disaster. We will research the tools needed to create the best outcomes in the areas or education, health and financial stability.

Why United Way?  Because there is no better way to serve, than to be united. Won’t you join us?

Give the gift of now.

Molly Taylor is the executive director of the Lenoir-Greene United Way. You can reach her at 252-527-0734.