The United Way of Cullman County’s ‘Seeing is Believing’ tours continued Monday, offering local officials and residents the chance to get a look at a few of the organization’s partner agencies supporting the community.

The tour included stops at four of the United Way’s partner agencies: Good Samaritan Health Clinic, Cullman Caring for Kids, Pilot Light House and Cullman County Center for the Developmentally Disabled.

One guest on Monday’s tour was Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, who said he was invited by the United Way to see some of the contributions that the agency is making to local organizations and how those partner agencies are helping the community.

“I think it’s so very important to continue to remind people in the community who have needs, as well as people who need to be made aware of opportunities like this that can be taken advantage of if they know that they’re out there,” he said. 

Merrill said seeing the methods that local agencies use to spread their messages means those ways can also be shared with other organizations around Alabama to make sure everyone who needs help can get it.

“It’s important to be reminded of the needs that we have in all 67 counties, and it’s important to figure out the way that we’re addressing those needs too,” he said. 

Merrill said one of the most impressive things about United Way is that along with the projects that the organization supports throughout the year, they also provide monetary support to their partner agencies to help them keep their doors open.

“I think they’re doing a tremendous job,” he said. “They make sure that these folks that need this for their general operating funds have the resources to meet the needs of the community, and that’s the key.”