This week we are dedicating our weekly United Way article space to the millions of heroes who have served, protected and died for our country.
Hunger does not take a summer vacation. Hunger is as real today as it was five years ago, when a number of community organizations partnered to provide a summer lunch program for children. The summer meal program is available through a partnership of Nourish, the Boys & Girls Club of Sheboygan County, the Sheboygan Area School District and the United Way of Sheboygan County. With approximately 50% of children enrolled in the Sheboygan Area School District receiving free or reduced meals during the school year, it continues to be important to help feed children during the summer months.
Last month we completed our 2015-17 strategic plan. As part of that plan, the United Way staff and 18 community volunteers worked through and put into place a strategic framework that will lead us into the future with a focus on delivering positive impact to our community. We also put into place a more concise way to structure and deliver our message because the question we get quite often is “what does the United Way actually do in the community besides raise money and give it away.” The answer is long but I will try to be brief.
On June 23 from 2-4 pm, a small group of community members will come together for a conversation about children, community, and collaboration. This conversation can lead to sustainable change in Sheboygan County, with a proven return on investment.
Saturday, May 9th is the annual National Letter Carrier’s Stamp Out Hunger food drive. Letter carriers throughout Sheboygan County will be collecting your food donations. Through the United Way of Sheboygan County, I have had the privilege to work with the Food for Tomorrow community impact focus area. In working with the Sheboygan County Food Bank and the ten pantries, who are members of the Food Bank, I have learned a great deal about food donations and needs.
Stephanie Leonhard had been an intern at United Way of Sheboygan County for the past six months. As she leaves us to move on to finishing her final weeks of school and entering into full-time employment, we thought we would give her the opportunity to express her thoughts on working within the nonprofit world. It was her first time working with a nonprofit and we think she learned much more than how to tend to administrative duties. – Sandy Leske, director of community development and marketing.
YOU ARE INVITED
THIS is National Volunteer Week. This week is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in our community. It’s about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals.
Tom is passionate about helping kids. He cares so much that he gives a large amount of money to a local youth agency. But at a presentation at his work place, he learns about donating to United Way. At first, Tom wonders, “Why should I give to the United Way when I can give directly to my favorite agency?” But a co-worker explains that United Way has the unique ability to support a diverse network of services that ALL work together to help children succeed. Often times, when people need help, they face multiple issues in order to improve their quality of life. Kids need safe housing, afterschool programs, adequate nutrition and (perhaps) counseling. United Way utilizes Tom’s donation so that it can address the entire well-being of people in Sheboygan County.
The need is great. Our affiliate agencies have submitted program funding applications for the 2015-16 year. Our planning & allocations committee volunteers have reviewed all the applications and are meeting now to make recommendations to our board of directors. Typically, and this year is no exception, the requests are more than United Way is able to award.