Greater Mankato Area United Way kicked off its 2019 campaign with a goal to reach $2.05 million.
At the campaign kickoff event held at Waseca’s Public Safety Building Wednesday afternoon, the agency shared how dollars go to support 53 regional programs that help individuals within the four counties it serves.
The organization serves Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Nicollet and Waseca counties. Attendees received a free lunch sponsored by Subway, Kwik Trip and Culligan.
Greater Mankato Area United Way CEO Barb Kaus said that the organization is the “balancer” which assists in meeting needs under three pillars: basic needs, health and education.
“United Way makes sure it has the right agencies under its umbrella, receiving funds so someone gets help all the way around in their lives,” Kaus said.
United Way, she said, is about improving lives.
“It’s giving them the tools they need to be successful citizens,” she said.
This is the third year that Greater Mankato Area United Way has served Waseca County, and Kaus said the organization has seen growth in that time.
As of last year, around $78,000 went into Waseca County to help those in need and about 3,200 individuals received help.
“The piece that we talk about a lot is that not all of the services that someone needs are located in Waseca,” Kaus said. “You want all of those four counties to be strong.”
The amount the Waseca area has given has grown as more people hear about what the organization does, Kaus said.
“As the dollar amount increases, more programs can come in locally,” she said.
Lisa Hanson of Cinch Connectivity Solutions said that the programs supported by United Way are critical to supporting and investing in the community. She also shared a hope that employers in the area can partner for a little friendly competition this year in order to raise funds.
“We really want to exceed our own organization goals and the Waseca community goals, as well,” she said.
Cedar Valley Services, which provides vocational training for people with disabilities, is one of the entities that has benefited from United Way.
Division Director Garry Hart says transportation is the biggest barrier for the people with whom Cedar Valley Services works, and United Way dollars have gone to assist with transportation needs.
Cedar Valley Services owns and operates SMART Transit, which provides public transportation.
“Not only do we give people with disabilities rides, but we incorporate everyone in the community,” Hart said. “Transportation is a huge barrier not only for the people that we work with, but also a lot of other community members, as well.”
Although initially providing services in Freeborn, Mower and Steele counties, Cedar Valley Services now also provides public transportation services in Waseca County.
Hart said there are on average over 2,400 rides offered per year.
Agencies looking to be chosen for United Way funding apply in March and go through a vetting process. The agency must fall under one of the “pillars” United Way covers — basic needs, health and education— and must also reside within the four-county area.
“They go through a rigorous vetting process because it’s (community members’) hard-earned dollars,” Kaus said. “It’s a beautiful system because it’s citizens like yourselves who determine where the funding goes and what agencies will be a part of it.”
For more information, visit mankatounitedway.org.
