The East Haddam Youth and Family Services won a First Step Award during the United Way’s Annual Campaign Awards ceremony last week.

The First Step category honors businesses and organizations that have taken the first step toward what the United Way calls “Living United,” that could include a cause-marketing program, running a first time campaign or hosting an event to benefit the United Way. Middlesex United Way’s Executive Director, Kevin Wilhelm presented East Haddam Youth and Family Services with the award.

Middlesex United Way is working with East Haddam Youth & Family Services as a Site of Healthy Communities-Healthy Youth prevention initiative, which is aimed at reducing school age substance abuse. It also includes an early childhood mental health initiative aimed at identifying and serving preschool children with behavioral, emotional and social problems and supporting parents in their role as their child's first and best teacher.

The award came during a ceremony at the Crowne Plaza in Cromwell held to honor more than 80 companies and organizations, their employees, and community leaders who contributed $1,925,723 to the 2010-11 Middlesex United Way 75th Anniversary Campaign. This year’s campaign was 3 percent over the group’s goal of of raising $1,875,000.

“Every year around the world, thousands of coordinators and volunteers are mobilized to raise resources on behalf of United Way,” said Gary Simonsen of PrimePay, President of the Middlesex United Way Board of Directors. “That cumulative effort results in a total of four billion dollars raised across the globe. You are part of this worldwide movement to advance the common good for all.

“Your efforts are changing lives and moving the needle on community conditions,” Simonsen told the hundreds of people who attended the ceremony. “And it’s working…we are getting results and creating real, lasting change in the areas of education, income, health and housing.”

Three local companies had campaigns that topped $10,000 in total giving; Bank of America, East Hampton Branch, East Hampton Public Schools and the East Hampton Stop & Shop Supermarket

Bank of American East Hampton Branch and the East Hampton Stop & Shop also received awards for having a 10 percent or more increase in employee participation in the United Way campaign.

The event brought to a close Middlesex United Way’s 75th Anniversary Campaign, and the three co-chairs who oversaw the fundraising effort were acknowledged for their outstanding leadership and advocacy on behalf of United Way. The co-chairs were:

· Chandler Howard, President and CEO of Liberty Bank;

· Larry McHugh, President of the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce; and

· Michael Roth, President of Wesleyan University.

McHugh introduced the co-chairs of the 2011-12 Middlesex United Way Campaign: Harry Eben Burr of McCutcheon Burr & Sons and Arthur “Buddy” McDowell of Middlesex Hospital.

Middlesex United Way seeks to advance the common good by creating opportunities for a better life for all. The group focuses on education, income, health and housing – the building blocks for a good quality of life. United Way recruits people and organizations that bring the passion, expertise and resources needed to get things done.

Middlesex United Way is a locally-based organization serving the towns of Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Middlefield, Middletown, Old Saybrook, Portland, and Westbrook.