Kritsty Ortega of United Way speaking recently to Rotarians. Courtesy photoBy Kirsten Laskey
Los Alamos Daily Post
Kristy Ortega, executive director of United Way of Northern New Mexico, recently provided the Rotary Club of Los Alamos with a preview of the United Way’s upcoming fundraising campaign.
During the regular club meeting Tuesday at Cottonwood on the Greens, Ortega explained that United Way operates its fundraising campaign in the fall and provides monies to nonprofits in Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties in the spring.
The criteria United Way uses to select organizations to receive funds:
- must be a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit;
- serve Los Alamos or Rio Arriba County; and
- filter into one of the focus areas that United Way supports.
These focus areas include education, financial stability and health.
“We fund all the stages of life,” Ortega said.
This includes everything from early childhood development and youth mentorship to financial planning and retirement workshops.
Ortega added organizations apply for anything from $1,000 to $70,000. She credited the Los Alamos National Laboratory and its employees for helping United Way with its campaign. LANL matches every dollar each employee contributes.
“LANL has done a really great job encouraging their employees to give,” Ortega said.
This year’s campaign officially kicks off Sept. 16. Los Alamos Fire Chief Troy Hughes, a past president of the local Rotary Club, is this year’s United Way campaign chair, encouraged his fellow Rotarians to support United Way. “It makes a huge impact,” he said.
