For nearly three decades, Sebastian Dixon has been a United Way supporter. As a young man in his early 20s, he saw a young girl who was dealing with the effects of Sickle Cell.
“I saw a child having an episode. I inquired about the child. When I saw United Way gave money to Sickle Cell, I was all in,” he recalled. “It really broke my heart to see that child. It not only affected the child but also the parents.”
That moment in Mobile, Ala., turned Dixon’s mind to United Way organizations, and he’s never looked back.
“I was maybe 22 back then. I turned 55 this year, so I’ve been a longtime supporter of United Way,” he said.
Dixon serves on the Board of Directors for United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley. He has seen first-hand how agencies that are supported by United Way affect the community.
“Some are even organizations I was a member of growing up,” he said. “Like Boys and Girls Club. It was in the community I lived in. It was something you looked forward to.”
Dixon knows seeing where the dollars go makes it that much easier to want to give money to the United Way.
“If you look at your city and you want to do something for the greater good of your city or your home, United Way is a good place to put your money,” he said. “I’ve worked with people who were better off than others who have said ‘I don’t need their services.’ I remind them one day they will know someone who will need those services. The scriptures say to whom much is given, much is required. I try to live by that and give more than my fair share.”
United Way invests in local programs providing the most needed services. The partners United Way partners with help to improve people’s lives by addressing three priority areas: health access, economic mobility, and educational equity. The Community Investment strategy is volunteer-led and ensures all the dollars raised remain in the Chattahoochee Valley community.
Through United Way, more than 83,000 people experiencing food insecurity received food boxes.
Through its focus on Economic Mobility, the Home for Good Strategy shows a 20 percent decrease in homelessness since 2016.
Through the focus on Educational Equity, more than 700 uniforms and other clothing items have been shared with students and families, and more than 2,000 books were provided to build family libraries.
For more information on United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley or to give, visit unitedcv.org or call 706-327-3255.