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February 03, 2007 | Old Colony Memorial

By David R. Smith, CNC Newspapers

Dennis Carman, president and CEO of United Way of Plymouth County, wields the large scissors for the ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday with staff and friends celebrating the opening of the new Plymouth office in Cordage.
Staff Photo/Wesley Ennis

Richard Whelton, director of resource development for the United Way of Plymouth County, displays the organization's t-shirt with slogan Thursday at the new Plymouth office in Cordage.
Staff Photo/Wesley Ennis

PLYMOUTH - A flashy grand opening with fancy catering and a string quartet works for some, but when every dollar matters, and those dollars are going to others, costs are kept low even when spirits are high. That was the case Thursday during the opening of the United Way of Greater Plymouth County's new Plymouth branch. The kick-off celebration was as subdued and simple as the office itself.

Located in the Tower Building at Cordage, the office is small, allowing for a few desks, some phones and a table. Dennis Carman, who took over as the CEO and president of the United Way of Greater Plymouth County last year, said that's all his agency needs to make a difference in the community.

"The United Way has the advantage of keeping it simple," he said. "We bring people together at the table to talk about how to resolve problems."

Last year, the agency provided $1.5 million in funding to more than 30 local service groups. Beyond providing financial support, the United Way acts as a referral resource among different organizations.

Headquartered in Brockton, the United Way of Greater Plymouth County serves 22 cities and towns from Marshfield to Lakeville.

Carman plans to be at the office at least one day during the week. Rich Whelton, the agency's new director of resource development, will be on site at least two days a week. Volunteers will staff the office Monday through Friday. Whelton said he hopes the new location will help the United Way help even more people than before.

"We'll continue working with the community to raise awareness of what this agency does," he said.

The agency is in the process of a community survey targeting residents, businesses and agencies. The goal of the survey is to gauge which issues are of most concern to the area.

The United Way was founded in 1887 in Denver, Colo., as an organized grass roots campaign to raise money for a number of charitable organizations. Since then, the agency has expanded to nearly 1,400 local chapters throughout the country, including the 85-year-old Greater Plymouth County group.

The grand opening featured a mountain bike raffle and was broadcast by 95.9 WATD. The event brought out past and present United Way staff, as well as members of groups helped by the agency. Carmen said the opening has been a long time coming.

"I know we've been trying to do this for a number of years," he said. "For whatever reason, it didn't happen. We didn't feel the United Way was as visible or vital to the area as it should be. Now it will be."

A few of the Plymouth groups helped by the United Way include the Salvation Army, Mayflower RSVP and the Boys & Girls Club. Just down the hall from the United Way's new office is ARC (association of retarded citizens) of Greater Plymouth County. As a group of ARC's clients taking part in the agency's work program enjoyed lunch in the break room, the organization's Executive Director Alex Perez explained the United Way's role in helping his agency do its job.

"The help the United Way provides is essential to meet the demands of our families and our programs," he said. "They are also a critical resource outlet for us, as well."

Groups such as Arc rely on other agencies to provide additional help. Perez said that's where the United Way really shines. "They bring agencies together so we can work together," he said. "That way we're not all reinventing the wheel."

The United Way helps individuals, as well. Their help line is designed to point people to the right agency to address their needs, whatever they may be.

"The community is everybody," Carman said, "from the youngest to our elders."

Although the United Way has provided help to area organizations for some time, Carman said being in Plymouth will give his agency an even better sense of the issues and needs faced by those groups.

"This allows us to have a pulse on what's happening here," he said.

To contact the United Way's Plymouth office, call 508-747-6160. The agency's helpline number is 508-584-HELP (4357). The office is located at 10 Cordage Park, Suite 237. For more on the United Way of Greater Plymouth County, visit www.uwgpc.org.