By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
The United Way will soon be expanding their reach in Tucker County. The announcement came as part of the April 8th Tucker County Commission Meeting. West Virginia 211 Community Resource Specialist Candy Travis addressed the Commission on behalf of the Tygart Valley United Way.
The Tygart Valley United Way provides Tucker County with the VITA program each year. VITA is the volunteer tax preparation program that serves households with incomes less than $69,000, according to Travis. Through the program, those served receive free tax preparation.
The organization also provides the 211 program, which is an information assistance program. The program is a free, confidential referral line, which provides information on area resources and services for those in need.
“211 is a free, confidential information referral line that connects those in need with resources that may assist with a variety of needs that they may be having, such as housing, utility assistance, homelessness services, food insecurity and a variety of other social services needs, ” Travis said.
In 2025 the 211 Program received 55 calls from Tucker County, Travis said. The needs included: utility assistance, housing and rent assistance, as well as housing and homelessness services, food security and home repairs.
The Tygart Valley United Way requested funding of $2,000 from the Tucker County Commission. However, in the past, the Commission had never given to the organization before. Tucker County Commission President Mike Rosenau said that he did not even know the program existed until the meeting.
Travis said that plans were already in place to spread the word more throughout Tucker County. Staff from the organization would soon be in contact with the new head of the Blackwater Ministerial Association and the Food Banks to distribute materials advertising the 211 Program and other services.
“With the anticipation that they are going to have a bigger footprint in Tucker County, I’ll make a motion that we approve $1,000 to see how it goes this year,” Rosenau said. “To see if we do have an increase here and we have an investment in it.”
The Tucker County Commission approved a funding donation of $1,000. The Tygart Valley United Way serves Barbour, Marion, Randolph, Taylor and Tucker Counties.
