With the United Way of Cullman County experiencing a precipitous drop in donations this year, some local groups are working to get the organization back on track. On Wednesday afternoon, the Cullman Primary Care center pitched in with donations totaling $11,250 to the nonprofit.

“I’m so excited,” United Way executive director Sammie Danford said. “It’s things like this that help us get back on track.”

She said the donations would be used toward some of the United Way’s non-profit allocations for their commitments through the end of March.

Looking to the future, Danford indicated this would be just the beginning.

“We’ve gotten phone calls to set up campaigns” at area businesses, Danford said. She said that she hoped campaigns with local companies would help inform employees about the benefits of donating to the United Way.

“We just want to educate the public of what the United Way does and our role in the community,” Danford said.

Cullman Primary Care CFO Danny Gray expressed his organization’s pride in being able to aid the nonprofit.

“We’re glad to be partnered with the United Way,” Gray said.

Dr. Greg Meiman, also of Cullman Primary Care, said that CPC

“has donated for years.”

“[Cullman Primary Care] decided they wanted to bump up their donation,” Meiman said. He added that for every dollar given to the local United Way, 98 cents stay in Cullman County.

Meiman said that Cullman Primary Care’s donation philosophy seeks to help organizations helping the needy.

“We’re not there for the well-off,” Meiman said. “We’re there for people that need it.”