Wrapping Up 2017
The New Year is only days away and the time for reflecting on 2017. For United Way, this means reflecting on another busy year…
Thinking back to earlier this year, to the delicious food and experiences provided by 17 restaurants during United Way’s 2017 Dine Out. Thank you all of the individuals that supported United Way by indulging in delicious local food served by those generous restaurants throughout the county.
Following that event, United Way’s Volunteer Center hosted the second annual Spirit of Sheboygan Volunteer Awards in March. 215 individuals joined in celebrating volunteerism across the county. With a record breaking 90 nominations, 49 individual volunteers, group organizations and corporate partners were recognized and nine award winners were announced.
Fast forward a few months. June marked the end of a successful 2016-2017 Campaign. Campaign funds were invested in 38 programs provided by 20 local nonprofit agencies and United Way’s two focus areas: Providing Access To Healing (PATH) and Sheboygan County Community Partnership for Children (SCCPC). We look forward to seeing the program outcomes as reported to the public at the end of the 2017-2018 fiscal year.
On September 14, more than 550 individuals attended the kick off of United Way’s 2017-2018 Campaign at The Sheboygan A’s Ballpark. Those individuals then participated in 2017 Day of Caring by painting, stuffing mailings, building walls, moving mulch and much more! 35 nonprofit project sites benefitted from their hard work that day! The day concluded at Fountain Park for Taste Sheboygan.
September also marks the start of every school year. The PATH Program, one of United Way’s focus areas, expanded and is available in the following schools: Elkhart Lake/Glenbeulah, Etude, Plymouth, Oostburg, Random Lake and Sheboygan Falls.
Every year individuals can’t wait to share delicious food with fellow community members, friends and family in Kohler for Harvest for the Hungry in October. Thank you to Destination Kohler and Sargento Foods Inc. for sponsoring another successful, delicious fundraiser event!
The SCCPC, another focus area of United Way’s, celebrated the one-year ‘birthday’ of their Welcome Baby program in November. The Welcome Baby provides a visit with a resource specialist to first-time parents while in the hospital, helping them navigate new parenthood and connecting them to resources.
2017 also included the hiring of three new staff members:
- Tom Malmstadt, Executive Director
- Kaitlin Deschane, Director of Operations
- Katelyn Braun, Director of Community Development
The list is endless and the memories will last for a lifetime.
United Way of Sheboygan County continues to focuses on long-term solutions by addressing opportunity gaps throughout education, financial stability and health thanks to the support of numerous partnerships across the county.
Thank you to the Partner Agencies, Volunteer Center Nonprofit Members, company leaders, employees and community individuals that gave of their time, expertise, positivity and contributions this year. You are what make Sheboygan County vibrant and we look forward to continue to partner with you in the New Year!
Happy Holidays!
-Katelyn Braun, Director of Community Development