“With the help from WRAP (a United Way of Southwest Minnesota funded program) and its many volunteers I have been able to successfully leave and stay gone from my abuser for 1 year and 4 months. This is a huge success as I have spent the past 9 years of my life with my abuser.” — local resident

This is one example of how a donation can make a difference in a local life! United Way of Southwest Minnesota (UWSWMN) initiatives, community partner programs and partnerships are at work throughout 2019-20 to make changes in the lives of 52,600 local people. United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. In southwest Minnesota, we focus on health, education, financial stability, hunger and safety & well-being.

Community volunteers from throughout our service area review local grant requests and make funding recommendations to our local board of directors to be certain donations to UWSWMN make the most impact. Below you will find all programs invested in with contributions made to our last campaign.

Health:

Hygiene Supply Collection & Distribution (UWSWMN); and Power of Produce (Marshall Area Farmer’s Market).

Education:

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten (UWSWMN); Born Learning Trails (UWSWMN); Imagination Library (UWSWMN); Read for the Record (UWSWMN); Little Red Bookshelf (UWSWMN); Minnesota Reading Corps (ServeMinnesota); Student Emergency Fund Grants — Public/Private/Charter Schools (UWSWMN); Stuff the Bus School Supply Initiative (UWSWMN); Wild About Kindergarten School Readiness Kits (UWSWMN); and Wild About Reading Summer Reading Program (UWSWMN).

Financial Stability:

K-12 Financial Literacy Programs (Junior Achievement of Lyon County); Free Tax Preparation Clinics (U-CAP); and The Refuge Emergency Shelter (U-CAP).

Hunger:

Granite Falls Food Shelf Updates (Neighbors United Resource Center); Kitchen Table Food Shelves in Tracy & Marshall (U-CAP); Marshall Community Meal Site (Esther’s Kitchen by Loaves & Fishes); Senior Nutrition Programs in Yellow Medicine County (Prairie Five CAC); and Weekend Food Backpacks (Marshall Food4Kids).

Safety & Well-Being:

Social Recreation Groups (Western Mental Health Center); Crime Victim Services (New Horizons Crisis Center); Domestic Abuse Services (WoMen’s Rural Advocacy Center); Parenting Time Program (New Horizons Crisis Center); and Youth Development Programs (U-CAP).

Community:

Get Connected Volunteer Platform (UWSWMN).

2018-19 Small Grants (2019-20 Deadlines — Aug. 31 and Jan. 31):

Personal Health Care Items (Neighbor’s United Resource Center); Prenatal Vitamins & Folic Acid Education Initiative (SMOC Family Planning); Preventive Dental Care for Youth (Westbrook-Walnut Grove Elementary); and MCC Backpack Program (Murray County Central Schools).

For more information, call 507-929-2273 or log onto http://unitedwayswmn.org/CIG.