(Bridgeport, CT) December 13, 2002 - United Way of Eastern Fairfield County announced today that community builders will be honored at the second annual Celebration of Community Builders, February 13, 2003, at the Arena at Harbor Yard. The awards will be given in recognition of volunteers who have demonstrated outstanding service to health and human service agencies in the greater Bridgeport area during 2002. Twenty-five volunteers, selected from among the nominees, will be honored at the event.

Community Builders are volunteers whose contributions to a nonprofit organization help make our community stronger, healthier and a better place to live. They give their time so that critical health and human care services can be delivered to citizens of the six towns served by United Way of Eastern Fairfield County - Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford and Trumbull. Nominees do not need to reside in this six-town area to receive the award.

Volunteers from any area of the organization are eligible. This is a chance for nonprofit agencies to honor a volunteer who helps build our community while helping that organization fulfill its mission. Paid employees are not eligible for this award.

The Celebration of Community Builders event is open to the community. Cost of admission is a donation in any amount to the charity of the attendee's choice. Last year, more than $9,700 was raised by attendees on behalf of 38 programs.

Nominations are being accepted through January 6, 2002. An easy-to-use nomination form can be filled out on-line at www.thewaytocare.org. A paper copy can be picked up at the United Way offices, 75 Washington Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06604. For further information, please contact: Andrea Kovacs, Sr. VP, Marketing and Community Relations at United Way, 334-5106, ext. 309 or via email (preferred) at akovacs@thewaytocare.org.

United Way seeks innovative partnerships and solutions to the region's most pressing human service needs. United Way of Eastern Fairfield County builds a stronger community by raising funds to support 78 local health and human service programs that helped more than 180,000 people last year. United Way funded programs are involved in a range of critical services serving the six towns of Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford, and Trumbull. In addition to it's funded programs, more than $3 million was raised through the United Way Community Campaign to support donor selected non-profit health, social service and educational organizations throughout Connecticut. To find out more about United Way, visit www.thewaytocare.org.