photo by: Austin Hornbostel/Journal-World photo

United Way of Douglas County Interim CEO Peggy Johnson, pictured this week, says the United Way is assessing the organization's needs and continuing its work with partner agencies.

With an interim leader at the helm, the United Way of Douglas County has entered 2022 committed to assessing how it responds to community needs and prioritizing its standing relationship with its partner agencies.

Interim CEO Peggy Johnson — who has served in that role since former president and CEO Jeffrey Cornish’s departure at the beginning of last October — said the organization’s goals now are much the same as they were when she began in the position. There’s an emphasis on evaluating the United Way’s current operations, for one.

There isn’t, however, an immediate emphasis on finding a permanent president and CEO, Johnson said Wednesday. The United Way has yet to begin its search for a formal permanent leader, and instead plans to continue to look inward for the time being.

“We’re really exploring — what are the opportunities, what the partnerships, what are the collaborations we can do that move us forward to support our vulnerable population?” Johnson said. “You know, sometimes you keep doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. We’re just thinking we really need to evaluate everything.”

While Johnson has been interim CEO for a little more than three months, her relationship with the United Way of Douglas County goes back many years. Along with being a previous board member, she said she has a lengthy history of volunteering with the organization.

“I like the outreach,” Johnson said of her long-standing involvement. “The United Way reaches out to support so many programs and provide services to those that aren’t quite as fortunate.”

Johnson was asked to help with the United Way’s transition in leadership, which led to her being tapped for her current role. Since then, she said she’s been spending much of her time on outreach to donors and partners, and getting a handle on how the nonprofit and charitable giving world has changed.

“We’re looking at the communities we serve, we’re looking at the people we serve and support, and how best do we move forward?” Johnson said. “I think we’re looking for partnerships, we’re looking for opportunities to modernize a little bit with the changes that are going on. The ultimate goal is to get as much money as we can to support services and programs that help improve lives.”

That goal of “modernization” was at the forefront when Johnson last spoke with the Journal-World, and it remains a key component of the goals the organization is working toward three months later.

The United Way is helped in that pursuit by a “phenomenal” team, Johnson said, and an equally impressive volunteer base. Johnson pointed to the United Way’s involvement with helping to facilitate vaccinations throughout Douglas County last spring as a key example of its ability to organize volunteers for a cause — in that case, 1,700 of them contributing 11,000 cumulative hours on the ground in partnership with the Lawrence-Douglas County health department.

Outside of the United Way’s continued self-assessment, Johnson said the organization’s usual work with its more than 23 partner agencies hasn’t stopped. The same goes for the United Way’s Roger Hill Volunteer Center and its Americorps program, which Johnson said play a vital role in providing partner nonprofits with trained, affordable staff.

It makes for a strong foundation as the United Way finds its way forward.

“There was a lot of good foundation set by previous people who worked for United Way,” Johnson said. “Don’t ever doubt that for a minute. So we’re very grateful for that, as well.”

Johnson said that for now one of the organization’s more immediate concerns is a decline in funding, an issue United Way organizations and other nonprofits across the nation are also facing. The organization is evaluating how to find new opportunities for monetary support as it stands.

In the meantime, those interested in helping support the United Way or learning more about the organization can do so by visiting its website and clicking the “Give” button at the top of the page or by calling 785-843-6626.

Johnson encourages community members to reach out to her with questions or feedback, either at the United Way’s office line or via email at pjohnson@unitedwaydgco.org.

“As we start making decisions on how we hope to change and modernize and move forward, we absolutely will reach out and … let our donors know, let the community know,” Johnson said.