Dedicated local volunteer Cindi Whitham was honored June 2 with the 2009 Volunteer of the Year Award at United Way of New Britain and Berlin’s 70^th annual community celebration at The Stanley Center for Learning and Innovation. Whitham was recognized for her outstanding volunteer commitment to the community through Literacy Volunteers of Central Connecticut, a United Way partner agency.

“I’m very honored to receive this award,” said Whitham. “But the truth is that when you volunteer, you get more than you give! Through my literacy volunteering, I have met so many wonderful people and learned about so many different cultures,” she added. “I recommend it to anyone.”

OKAY Industries Inc. was also recognized for its commitment to advancing the common good in New Britain and Berlin with the 2009 United Way Community Campaign Champion Award. OKAY’s employee contributions to the United Way Community Campaign have increased every year since 2000, and over the past 10 years, employees and leadership have raised more than $335,000 for the campaign. That includes an 18 percent increase in giving from 2008 to 2009. Employees consistently exceed their campaign goal, and the company matches their contributions dollar for dollar.

Each year, OKAY Industries also brings in speakers from United Way and local United Way funded programs to show employees how their campaign contributions directly impact the community. 

Michelle Doucette Cunningham, executive director of the Connecticut After School Network, delivered the event’s keynote address on the importance of quality after-school programs in children’s and young people’s academic success. 

United Way of New Britain and Berlin believes education is one of the building blocks for a good life. In the 2009 fiscal year, United Way provided more than $421,000 of support for quality early childhood and after-school programs that serve the children of New Britain and Berlin.

Lindsley Wellman, chair of the United Way of New Britain and Berlin advisory board, discussed the partnership between United Way of New Britain and Berlin and the Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin in supporting the Well Managed Classroom partnership, which is helping students at three New Britain middle schools learn to manage their own behavior and increase their time “on task.” 

Recent results show that this approach lowers the rates of office discipline referrals and suspension. During 2009, United Way provided $25,000 and purchased training and classroom materials for over 100 teachers at participating schools.

Wellman also discussed United Way's partnership with the American Savings Foundation, the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, the Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin, and the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund in the New Britain Early Childhood Collaborative, which has already improved preschool enrollment in New Britain from 38 to 79 percent and recently unveiled a “community blueprint” to help improve school readiness, encourage family literacy and advance the health of mothers and children. United Way provided $20,000 in funding for the New Britain Early Childhood Collaborative during 2009.