What would cross your mind if someone texted out of the blue, “Hey, I think your apartment is on fire?”  

Centre County resident Ja Nae Wian and her young daughter were at her grandparents’ house getting ready for a Fourth of July cookout with family when she received that exact disturbing message.  

“I thought my friend’s text was crazy, of course! But I ended up leaving my daughter there with my grandparents in Bellefonte and drove back to State College just to check things out,” Wian recalled. “On the way there, I started to see a lot of fire trucks pass me, and as I was following these trucks I thought, ‘Oh maybe they are just heading to the stadium for the fireworks for backup on the field tonight.’  

“I vividly remember going down College Avenue and seeing that thick black smoke. As I got closer to my house though, the traffic started to get backed up and sure enough, it was real. It’s an indescribable feeling to approach your home and see it engulfed in flames.”  

Wian had just graduated from Penn State with a degree in media studies when the fire at the Waupelani Heights apartment complex broke out July 4, 2013, leaving 13 families homeless and without their belongings.  

“It was a very traumatic experience and something for which I was very grateful to have immediate support," Wian said. "I lost everything that day. Thirteen families were evacuated and the only source of hope that we had was the Red Cross.” 

“Besides the fire department and the police, the first responding units were the Red Cross. They were there right away to set up, directing everyone to get the help they needed and finding immediate housing for both the residents and the students living in the complex... And if there was something they couldn’t provide, the Red Cross had lists of resources and was so incredibly helpful, continuing to reach out even months later with gift cards and more resources — not just that first day.” 

It has been almost a decade since the tragic fire, and Wian says she continues to look for ways to give back in her career as a result of the positive experience she had receiving support during such a low point. 

“I joined Rotary, started volunteering, and ultimately that led me to my career with United Way, which works with the Red Cross as one of our partner agencies," Wian said. "Now I’m a campaign and relationship manager for them. Going through something so life-changing when it personally affects you, and having support when you’re in that time of need the most, I think that is what has strengthened my commitment because I know what it’s like to need help.” 

Providing service at the local level 

The Mid-Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region is one of 24 local agencies currently funded through the Centre County United Way, which is in turn supported by the Penn State United Way campaign. 

According to Hope Roaten, executive director of the Mid-Central Pennsylvania Chapter, the organization is cost-concious and boasts a workforce overwhelmingly comprised of volunteers, with more than 140 volunteers ready to assist in Centre County.  

 “Our mission is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies, by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. We are an organization made up of 90% volunteers,” Roaten said. “And the Red Cross is also proud of the fact that an average of 90 cents of every dollar we spend is invested in delivering care and comfort to those in need. The remaining 10 cents helps keep the entire Red Cross running by supporting routine, but indispensable, day-to-day business operations. We strive to be cost-conscious in everything we do, so that we can spend more on the people who urgently need our services.” 

Including Centre County, the Mid-Central Pennsylvania Chapter supports 10 counties. Last fiscal year, they responded to nearly 100 disasters and more than 350 people. And in the first four months of fiscal year 2023, this team has already responded to nearly 30 disasters and helped more than 100 people impacted. But Roaten wants people to know that the Red Cross does much more than respond to emergencies.  

“In addition to disaster relief and blood drives, we provide service to the armed forces, offering programs to assist military members, veterans and their families," she said. "And we offer a host of training services: CPR, lifeguarding, and first-aid skills."

“We also do preparedness presentations for children, adults and entire communities, in addition to responding to disasters. Of course disasters aren’t planned, but we have volunteers who respond to disasters 24/7, 365 days a year, whenever we receive notification — whether that’s a house fire or flooding.” 

“As part of our preparedness, we participate in the United Way Day of Caring every year," Roaten added. "We do a smoke alarm installation event and provide fire safety education to residents; it’s always the first Thursday of October.” 

Roaten has been with the Red Cross now for almost eight years and said it’s that wonderful feeling of being able to help that keeps her motivated on the day to day. 

“The Red Cross has been around for a really long time; it was started in 1881 and we received our first congressional charter in 1900. So I think it’s great to be a part of an organization that has such a rich history and is well-known," Roaten said. "I’ve had the opportunity to do such amazing things and deploy to different disasters, and it’s always amazing to see people’s reactions when you come into a community and you have that Red Cross — it’s such a symbol of hope and optimism for people."

Upcoming United Way campaign event 

As 2022 draws to a close, the Centre County United Way is looking to build on last year’s campaign success with an ambitious goal of raising $2.2 million this year.  

“We try to raise money all year long, but we kick off our campaign at the end of August or beginning of September and the campaign runs through Jan. 30, 2023,” explained Megan Evans, communications coordinator for the Centre County United Way. “And $2.2 million is an audacious goal, but the reality is that the pandemic has left a lot of people in need. We are currently about halfway there with our goal and I think it’s everyone’s responsibility to help our neighbors and our community.” 

According to Evans, the United Way’s upcoming Taste of the Town on Dec. 15 is its marquee event of the year, hosting local vendors at the Bryce Jordan Center with proceeds directly benefitting the United Way and its partner agencies.

“Taste of the Town is our big year-end event and will feature 30 local restaurants, breweries, bakeries, wineries — all different types of food vendors,” says Evans. “There will be samplings of signature dishes and 55 tables of 10 seats each to purchase tickets. Additionally, there will be a silent auction as well as a live auction that evening from 6-9 p.m. and tickets are available through Ticketmaster. It’s always a lot of fun.” 

With United Way’s 50th anniversary just around the corner in 2023, Evans said she hopes for a big turnout at Taste of the Town and a final push for the campaign in January. 

“We never have enough money at the end of the campaign to fund everyone,” said Evans. “But when you give to United Way, it is important to know that we give to the program most in need and we vet our agencies and make sure they are using the money the way they are supposed to.” 

Formerly an employee of the Youth Service Bureau for 13 years, Evans has been with United Way for a dozen years and said it's a labor of love. 

“I did direct service for years, and what I love about this job is it combines my experience in human services with my formal education in communications," Evans said. I also love helping our neighbors and our local community, and I hope others will join us and help them, too.” 

Making a difference 

Each year, one in three Centre County residents access the services provided by the Centre County United Way’s network of partner agencies. And each year, donations from the Penn State community make up approximately 40% of the total dollars raised for the United Way, representing Penn State’s commitment to creating a positive community impact as a 21st century land-grant institution. Members of the University community are encouraged to visit UnitedWay.psu.edu to learn more, and to consider supporting the Centre County United Way through a monthly payroll contribution.