The United Way of Selma and Dallas County made a $30,000 donation to the YMCA Tuesday to help build a second soccer field.

Jeff Cothran, the executive director of the United Way, said the donation was made possible due to a $100,000 anonymous donation.

Cothran said the United Way could’ve chosen to keep that money in the bank but instead chose to invest it in Selma.

“Someone has to start the investment in Selma. If we don’t do it as nonprofits, we are not being very good leaders for the rest of the community,” Cothran said.

We couldn’t have said it any better. In addition to funding the YMCA’s soccer fields, the United Way has donated money to Grow Selma to buy land for its community garden and to Arsenal Place Business Accelerator for renovations.

The new field will allow the YMCA to add programs like flag football, ultimate frisbee and allow soccer games to be played at the YMCA’s facility in the future.

The United Way partners with the American Red Cross, SABRA Sanctuary, Salvation Army, BOSCO Nutrition Center, the Cahaba Center, Selma AIR, the Selma Area Food Bank and many other local agencies. When someone donates to the United Way, they are helping fund the agencies that give back to Selma.

This is just another example of that. The United Way continues to invest in Selma and is making our city a better place to live.