This is a year unlike any other. Just ask Greg King.
King, the Alabama Regional President of IBERIABANK, also serves as the 2020 chair of United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA)’s annual campaign, putting more than 20 years of experience with the organization to good use as our community faces unprecedented times.
“The needs this year are tremendous,” said King. “They’re unlike any I’ve seen in my tenure in and around UWCA.”
King’s relationship with UWCA began as a donor early in his career at AmSouth Bank through the company’s annual campaign. Seeing the impact as a donor inspired him to get more involved in the community by serving on the boards of UWCA partner agencies Pathways and Greater Alabama Council of the Boy Scouts. These experiences showed him the amazing impact United Way has on the community, and he was asked to join the UWCA Board of Directors in 2012. UWCA was quick to capitalize on King’s financial expertise, asking him to join the Financial Stability Committee of the Bold Goals Coalition, a forward-looking initiative spearheaded by United Way and composed of 200 organizations solving big community problems by aligning partners, resources and agendas.
“My journey with United Way has been fun because I’ve seen a lot of different levels,” said King. “I’ve been able to see how all the components of United Way work together to support the broader community.”
King accepted the role of 2020 campaign chair three years ago – having no idea, of course, what 2020 would actually have in store for him. Little did he know that the COVID-19 pandemic would impact all aspects of life in Central Alabama, including how UWCA runs its annual campaign. King noted, however, that even at this early date, community support for United Way is already robust.
“We’re getting a lot of positive responses in light of the headwinds we all face,” he said. “Those who are still in a position to give are stepping up and doing just that, which is so critical this year under the circumstances that we face…and, more importantly, [to ensure] the staying power of United Way to respond to future crisis events.”
Each gift to UWCA represents hope – and real progress – toward overcoming our most difficult challenges. Each gift pushes us closer to realizing our goal of providing meaningful, life-changing help to those who need it most.
“Hope means the possibility for a better future,” said King. “It’s the possibility that we might be able to do things tomorrow that we couldn’t do yesterday. Hope is that thing we hold onto, that we work so hard for to create a better community.”
In times of crisis, holding onto hope is indeed vital. And it’s because of you — our donors, volunteers and community as a whole – that hope happens. Thank you for supporting United Way of Central Alabama.