Your United Way Gift in Action

Forty three United Way volunteers on 6 different teams recently met with all the programs funded by United Way of Central Minnesota. 

It was a moving experience to hear one story after another from people whose lives have been changed forever because of the generosity of United Way donors.

Here are a few …

A woman, widowed at a young age with two young children, got help for dealing with her own deep grief.  She then decided to pay it forward.  She has been a Life Transitions volunteer for 15 years and serves as a support group facilitator helping others who have lost people they love.  She turned her pain into positive action.

An Iraq war veteran is now a Peer Mentor through Independent Lifestyles, facilitating support groups for veterans and for their families.  We can never understand what he faced in his recovery from burns and broken bones from a bomb blast.  But … we can see his commitment and passion put to work helping other veterans and the people closest to them.

A mom shared the experience of supporting her 19 year old daughter in her decision to give her infant son up for adoption.  She spoke of the support she, her daughter and other family members received as they struggled through this decision.  Pregnancy Counseling Program of Catholic Charities provided the ongoing listening ear, information and non-judgmental attitude.  This child is now in a loving home and because of an open adoption will still be connected with the birth family.

These are only three of the stories.  United Way funds 40 unique programs.  Imagine this impact multiplied in people’s lives throughout local communities. 

Kinder Olympics!

This Saturday event back in February was so cool!  480 children and adults came for a weekend morning outing that cost only $1 per person.  Pretty great deal.

United Way of Central Minnesota was one of the sponsors of this event that was organized by the City of St. Cloud Recreation Program.  Marci Sussenguth from the City took the lead and did an outstanding job.

At Whitney Center in the big gym, there were inflatables, little basketball hoops, skipping games, crawl through tunnels, the list goes on… In another room there was story time, coloring, resource information for families and snack time.

I helped at the check in table.  Kids were so excited to get in the gym – some parents had to hold them back.  We heard many parents say, when they were leaving … how about doing this a few times in the winter so we can all get out of the apartment or house and have some time to run off our energy?

United Way chose to support this type of event specifically because it was in the winter and because many families live in tight quarters.  It feels good to get out and run and move and bounce. 

We hope to continue to see free and low cost events like this for families with young children flourish.  It is positive family time and there is nothing better than that!

People Who Inspire

Mary Beth Moline taught my daughter’s Girl Scout troop about Braille and wrote out each of their names on a Braille card.  She worked for years at Fingerhut.  She was the first person who greeted you at the main door as you walked in.  Once, years ago, she rode with me to Alexandria and spoke to a group called The Telephone Pioneers.  These are volunteers who helped throughout the community.  She has volunteered with United Way and volunteers at St. Cloud Hospital.  Beth always tells me she is glad to see me when we run into each other.  Beth has been blind since birth but she sees more than many of us.

John Wertz is a retired teacher from St. Cloud Area Schools.  He serves as a SCORE volunteer, a United Way Community Investment Team volunteer, is active in Create CommUNITY efforts and has served on the Y board of directors. John has used a wheelchair as a mode of transportation for a good share of his life.  He may not stand up when his name is called but he always speaks out for others from his depth of experience and understanding of the need to seize life’s opportunities.

Maryan Ahmed is a woman from Somalia.  She lives with her family in the St. Cloud area.  She is a Cultural navigator for St. Cloud Area School District at Madison Elementary, a great mom and an active community volunteer.  She helps other Somali community members as they are working to understand how to build their skills, gain employment and address their family’s needs.  Maryan is a volunteer serving on United Way’s Success By 6 Partnership Team.  She believes in the need for a good education for all children, starting at birth.  She and her daughters have helped with Kids Against Hunger projects and she and her husband have help with interpreting and translation.  She is one of the brightest and kindest people I know.  We are fortunate to have her and her family as members of our community.

Tired & Inspired

Last night I told the story of a little 2 year old boy who taught me how to say “thank you” in sign language.  I was talking with one of the couples who attended the Progressive Dinner event to raise funds for Imagination Library.  That little boy’s Mom had said she loved the Imagination Library book program but there was a big problem with it…. So I asked her to tell me more. She said … I have to read the book over and over and over and over again the day we get it in the mail.  I chuckled … that is a good problem to have.

So what was this Progressive Dinner all about?

Well from my end of things last night .. it was washing dishes and setting out desserts at the home of Barb and Rollie Anderson.  It was cleaning up the floor after a couple of food spills and a quick petting of their family dog when I stepped outside to cool off.

It was also about a ton of wonderful volunteers … food preparers, host homes, planning committee members, donors of food and beverages and desserts.

Everyone who attended kept saying things like:

-        “The food at the home I was at was tremendous” (foods at the 8 different homes in St. Cloud were from a wide range of cultures – Italian, Czech, Indian, the list goes on …

-       “I had no idea that many local children get the books, I am amazed” (11,633 young children in our area received books last year)

-       “How else can I help?” (Spread the word and keep supporting United Way and this program)

This Progressive Dinner was the second annual fund raising event for United Way’s Imagination Library program and it was a great success… more people are now aware of the program and supporting it financially.  Homes in St. Cloud and Sartell opened up to help raise funds.

It was a success because people care deeply about your youngest children and their future and because everyone has their own way of being able to help and make a difference.  Thank you to every person involved!

Keep Life Simple

-       Read a book to a child in your world

-       Look up at the stars, pause a moment, and feel the awe

-       Laugh out loud

-       Get your hands dirty in the soil and sweat from physical activity

-       Find your passion for helping in the community and act on it.

Donated Funds Get to Where they are Needed

Ken Benning, Jennifer Mrozek, Jennifer Dahlstrom-Lage, Shawn Kohout, Katie Manar, Brad Aanstad are local women and  men who serve as leaders of United Way Community Investment  Teams. 

There are six teams of volunteers, composed of 7 to 9 local people.  Each team reviews a set of funding proposals submitted by area non profits that have been invited to apply in this 3^rd year of United Way’s three-year funding cycle.  They conduct site visits with each program and make funding recommendations to the United Way Board of Directors, who are also community volunteers.  A checklist of criteria is used to review each application … looking at factors such as ultimate impact of the service in improving people’s lives and sound fiscal management.

This process, engaging community members in key decision making, happens every year.  It is dynamic and challenging.  Volunteers learn about the impact of human services and gain an increased understanding of local need.   They get to know some very fine people who are their team members from a wide range of walks of life.

These decisions are difficult ones.  There is tremendous need and many issues facing local families are complex.  Many families, in order to turn things around in their families, utilize the services of several agencies.  Most non profits operate with very tight budgets, limited and talented staff and many volunteers.

I applaud these volunteers who commit many hours pouring through proposals with the goal of identifying the services with the greatest impact and ability to use United Way donated funds in ways that truly make a difference in the highest priority areas.

If you think you would be interested in this type of volunteer role in the future, contact me:  (320) 229-3507 or email: bschnettler@unitedwayhelps.org

Welcome Home

On Saturday, March 19, I attended the Welcome Home Event held at the St. Cloud Civic Center.   There were veterans from current wars and past wars present to thank each other for their service.  There were family members, children and adults, who hugged often and were just so glad to be together once again.  There were volunteers from a range of organizations who just wanted to be there to help and community members who came because they wanted to share their gratitude with women and men who have served on behalf of their country.

As part of the children’s area, United Way had a couple tables for children and adults to make handmade Cards of EnCOURAGEment… stickers, glue, color crayons, paper donated by Creative Memories.  38 cards were made in that short time, mostly by children.  They will be sent to Afghanistan and shared with service members who will feel remembered.  That is what it is all about.

The first few children who made cards shared with me that their father died in Iraq last year serving his country.  They were there making cards for others.  Pretty incredible, isn’t it?

St. Cloud Times Media, members of the Warrior to Citizen group in Central MN and all who were involved are to be commended for organizing this event.  There will be more Welcome Home events in the future.  When you hear about them .. check it out and attend.  You might be surprised at how glad you are that you were there.