Re: your June 30 article, "United Way's fundraising improves:"

When United Way of Ventura County started down a new path four years ago, we knew the journey would be exciting, but not without challenges. Little has happened along the way to alter that assessment, as was reflected by the article that spoke to the merits of United Way's focus on "community impact."

Community impact is about identifying community issues, with a goal of providing a long-lasting resolution. United Way is now focused on providing financial and collaborative support that is different from the historic model in which United Way annually provided funding for a select — but relatively small — group of nonprofits.

Today's United Way is focused on the broader nonprofit community, which is critical given that the nonprofit sector in our county has grown from 1,200 organizations five years ago to an estimated 3,000 today. Programs and strategies United Way has put in place to reach out to the burgeoning nonprofit community include:

— 211 was developed in 2005 by United Way and Interface Children Family Services, with support from First 5 Ventura County, as a three-digit, easy-to-remember telephone service that provides critical health and human services support to local residents 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

— VolunteerVenturaCounty.org links hundreds of residents monthly to volunteer opportunities across the county.

— The Children's Health Initiative is a collaborative effort involving United Way and some 20 community- and faith-based organizations and county government, with a goal of establishing a comprehensive health plan that someday will ensure no youngster in our county is without access to health coverage.

— The United Women's Leadership Council, with 54 founding members contributing a minimum of $1,000 each, has committed to providing support to women, ages 18 to 21, who are emancipated from the foster-care program.

— The Earned Income Tax Credit program is a collaborative effort involving community-based organizations, banks and the IRS, resulting in 345 low-income local clients receiving tax rebates this year totaling more than $307,000.

— Born Learning. Through a partnership of United Way, First 5 Ventura County and local pediatricians, parents are receiving information focused on children up to age 5.

— The "Freeze Fund." When hundreds of farmworkers were displaced from their jobs following the January freeze, United Way joined forces with the Ventura County Community Foundation to establish a fund to help displaced workers with rental and mortgage assistance, utility bills, food and other items. More than $600,000 has been raised.

In addition, United Way's community outreach has been expanded to ensure more of Ventura County is being reached by United Way, including:

— The Young Leaders Society, composed of professionals, 25 to 45 years old, is focused on networking and educational and volunteer opportunities.

— Latino Outreach Advisory Committee, composed of leaders in Ventura County's Latino community, is working with United Way in helping to identify and prioritize issues of concern in the Latino community.

— East- and west-county action teams, composed of United Way board members and community leaders, support respective east- and west-county communities and nonprofit organizations through work-service opportunities.

— Day of Caring, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29, is expected to attract several hundred local residents to volunteer for dozens of projects.

All of the above only happens with the financial support of the community. While the United Way is gratified with its fund-raising efforts in recent years — $4.3 million a year ago and a projected $4.8 million during 2006-07 — clearly, it is focused on community-impact results, not just dollars. That, I believe, is a critical message that needs to be shared.

For example, it's important to know that nearly 20,000 local residents turned to 211 during 2006 for health and human services assistance, and that, today, nearly 1,800 calls are being placed to 211 each month. Hundreds of local residents have demonstrated the value of volunteering, thanks to their contact with VolunteerVenturaCounty.org, and nearly 350 low-income families are better off financially today because of United Way's Earned Income Tax Credit program.

It's all about community impact, with United Way focused on four priority areas — basic needs, self-sufficiency, health, and programs connecting residents to services — ensuring our county is better served by United Way, its agency partners and other nonprofit organizations.

— David M. Smith, of Camarillo, is president and chief executive officer of United Way of Ventura County.