The Work Of United Way Continues On

We are a fortunate community in that we have numerous resources and the will to do better. The United Way of Steele County supports the organizations providing the valuable services desperately needed by our friends, families, and neighbors in good times and bad. For many, this pandemic has simply highlighted the needs that were already there.

Over the past few months, United Way of Steele County has been working diligently with our partner agencies to ensure that they have what they need to be able to continue to serve. We have made emergency funding available to those agencies struggling to meet the additional needs brought on by this pandemic. We have also kept the community updated on local COVID-19 resources and creative ways to unite under challenging circumstances. Our team has been dedicated to identifying the needs of not only our partner agencies, but our business partners as well, and working alongside others in the community to help address those needs.

While we continue to work to counter the affects of the pandemic on our community, we still have our day to day work. Individuals and families depend on the services provided by our partner agencies and the funding we provide them, now more than ever. I am very proud of our board, staff, and this community for the work they have done to ensure the funding of our partner agencies. Not all United Ways have been able to accomplish. In fact, our Community Investments Committee has just allocated $550,000 to fund local programs addressing income, education and health disparities for 2021!

I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to acknowledge another segment of our population that has successfully overcome significant challenges these past few months. A huge shout out to our graduated seniors for their dedication to excellence despite the obstacles presented. The schools, parents, students, and dedicated community members united to help make this year a memorable one. The Steele County Safe & Drug Free Coalition developed activities that reduced risk and enhanced protection, to help students celebrate prom and graduation, including bringing back an honored local tradition, “Cruise Main.” At this event, where social distancing and facial coverage was promoted, the Coalition’s youth, faith and health sectors collaborated to distribute approximately 350 homemade masks to the public, which was very well received.

While we are blessed here in Steele County to have the tremendous support and resources we have, we are reminded every day that we still, as a society, have so much more to do. Dr. Juliette Tuakli, Chairwoman and Brian Gallagher President of United Way Worldwide issued the following statement in response to recent events. “United Way believes that every person is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect — this includes equal treatment and access to justice. We must all do our part, working United, to make our communities the places that we need them to be: equitable, respectful and opportunity-filled. We, as a society, can and must do better to guarantee that the basic human rights and freedoms of every person in every community are protected.” This is what United Way of Steele County works toward every day, working together to change lives by mobilizing and optimizing the caring power of our community.

We have responded, we will recover, we must reimagine, and together we will rebuild. United, we can accomplish anything. Thank YOU for helping to make this community a safe and vibrant place to live for all!