More than 10,000 individual and 250 corporate donations pushed the United Way past its capital campaign goal this year, raising $2.9 million to improve the community.

"We had a very successful year," Dave Graebner, the campaign chair this year, said. "We had an original goal of $2.75 million and we got to $2.9 million, an 8 percent increase from the year before."

The majority of donations to the annual campaign come in from August to March, with funding then going to community programs and services that focus on three core areas of education, income and health.

The fundraising goal this year was helped by businesses becoming heavily involved — corporate mascots were first introduced at United Way events this year — and more than 400 volunteers turned out for the United Way Day of Caring, a community-wide day of volunteer service projects.

“It was a really nice even to get people engaged and made it fun,” Graebner said. “It’s a nice way for companies, or groups, to work together. It’s nice team building.”

United Way also completed a community needs assessment, and funding will go to new programs identified as needs in the community as identified through the assessment.

“This last year, United Way has gotten more focused on where the needs are in the community," Emily Rendall-Araujo, director of resource development at Sheboygan's United Way, said. "They went through a needs assessment, and that helped inform an area of focus, so those dollars will go toward the development of new programs tied specifically to where needs were identified in the community.”

Under the focus area of education, funding will go toward program called Born to Succeed. Already being piloted in Plymouth, the program focuses on early childhood learning and connecting new parents with organizations in the community that provide childhood development services.

Graebner, the president of Aurora Sheboygan Medical Center, said the program gives parents tools to help with the next new phase of their lives after having a child.

“We see a lot of moms and babies come in that see a lot of pediatric care,” he said. “It’s a great program, because what we see is a lot of parents that don’t have a lot of tools or information necessary to feel confident in caring for their kids.”

Under the focus area of income, funding will go toward a program called Food for Tomorrow, which aims to help coordinate food distribution organizations in the county.

“There are a lot of organizations in Sheboygan County that have something to do with food distribution,”  Rendall-Araujo said. “There hasn’t been a ton of collaboration, and United Way comes in to bring folks together.”

Under the focus are of health, funding will go toward a program called PATH, which will provide licensed therapists in schools to allow students struggling with anxiety or depression to have access to a therapist.

“Transportation and scheduling can be a huge barrier to kids to get help they need, so by having that therapist right in the school they don’t have to worry about who will drive them,”  Rendall-Araujo said.

Nonprofit organizations in the community with programs that fit within those three core focus areas will also receive funding.

With the capital campaign drawing to a close, Graebner is passing the role of campaign chair to new volunteers, Karri and Todd K. Neils.

“Karri and I have been passionate about United Way for most of our lives, if not our business careers,” Todd said.

Karri Neils is executive vice president of human resources at Sargento Foods, while Todd is market president of Bank First National in Plymouth.

The two have been involved in United Way through various committees for several years and have a goal of increasing contributions from the Plymouth Community to the United Way during their tenure as co-chairs.

“We’re a little nervous about it,” Todd said. “It’s an honor, but it’s a lot of responsibility. I think it’s time to do what we can, and I think it is going to be fun.”