United Way provides gift wrapping service to busy holiday shoppers

Donations through the gift wrapping service are collected and applied toward the United Way’s 2016 campaign goal of $842,000. Kopp said the United Way has reached 70 percent of that goal so far, and she’s hopeful the agency can reach or exceed the mark.

Director Marie Battles said the booth raises anywhere from $7,000-$10,000 each year, and that money helps fund the many organizations United Way supports in 2016.

The United Way assists a wide range of partners, each with very different needs. Battles said there are two new organizations that have been funded this year, Gorilla Youth and the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness.

She said Gorilla Youth works with at-risk kids to foster success in school and life through improved health and well-being. United Way also is supporting the Housing First model for the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness by providing rental assistance to homeless individuals in Harrison County.

“For our agencies, we’re not the only funding source, but for many of them we’re the constant that they can depend upon,” Battles said. She added that many other funding sources can have delays, but agencies approved for funding by United Way can receive help monthly.

United Way also provides mini-grants for agencies with a need that wasn’t immediately considered when they requested funding, Battles said. For instance, United Way recently helped Bi-County Nutrition with a grant to purchase a generator.

The agency helps 500 people a day with meals and had days in the past when they couldn’t operate due to a lack of power.

Anyone can bring their gifts to the wrapping booth, which is located inside the mall next to the entrance of JCPenney, and help United Way in its effort to give back to the agencies that help others.

The booth is available starting at 8 a.m. Friday, and is otherwise accessible during mall hours, she said. The booth will be staffed through 6 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Battles said $2 donations are appreciated per wrapped box. She said sometimes, closer to the holidays, last-minute shoppers will offer even larger donations because they say they are very thankful for the service.

Battles said gift wrapping can become one less thing for shoppers to worry about this holiday season, and she welcomes anyone who would utilize the service. She said United Way has offered it for at least the past 15 years.

Sometimes people wait for the booth to open to have their gifts wrapped, Battles said.

Wrapping all those gifts requires lots of paper, boxes and bows. Battles said sponsors enable United Way to stock up on the needed materials. Returning sponsors this year include FirstEnergy Foundation, Clarksburg Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and www.EZToUse.com.

The booth sees a lot of presents each year, so even with the help of sponsors and donations of materials from businesses, sometimes more is needed.

“We always have a need for boxes,” Battles said. “Any kind of gift boxes or small boxes that can be used as a gift box can be dropped off here at the booth or we can pick them up.”

She said each of United Way’s funded partners have adopted a day to wrap gifts, and 20 days have been covered this way. More hours are covered by volunteers from United Health Care, West Virginia Junior College and various businesses that sometimes use the experience as a team building exercise, she said.

Volunteers are still welcome, Anyone who wishes to offer an hour or more of his or her time is encouraged to call the United Way at (304) 624-6337.