Community Focus, Summer 2022

COMMUNITY FOCUS

United Way of South Wood & Adams Counties' Quarterly Newsletter

Summer | vol. 9 no. 3

MEET OUR 2022 CAMPAIGN CHAIR, CRAIG BROEREN

I am honored to serve our community and United Way of South Wood and Adams Counties as the 2022 campaign chair! I have been a member of the Board of Directors for the past five years and have developed a very well rounded understanding of our communities’ needs in addition to the work of our United Way to help address these needs. We are focusing on providing dollars to local programs meant to enhance the wellbeing of individuals and our communities. When you donate to your local United Way, approximately 81% of your donation goes directly to local programs that have a direct impact on our community. What does that direct support look like:

• Education - Early Years: provides books to kids in our area as well as support to local childcare providers to enhance their services and invests $8,000 in partner programs.

• Education - Youth Success: provides area teens job fair

opportunities and “learning for life” reading mentors for elementary aged children and invests $99,000 in partner programs.

• Income - Financial Stability: provides the ability to file income taxes for free for people in need and age appropriate books regarding personal finance and invests $11,500 in partner programs

• Health - Supportive Community Health Services: provides savings to community members on prescription drug costs and “help guides” distributed in our communities and invests $115,350 in partner programs.

• Safety Net Services - Emergency Shelter: helps homeless community members receive rental assistance or eviction prevention through $116,525 invested in partner programs.

• Safety Net Services - Food Security: provides access to food as well as community meals through $42,125 invested in partner programs.

• 2-1-1 Information Resource and Referral is provided by United Way to help community members know what programs are available to them and give them a place to connect when information is needed. Along with 2-1-1, the Volunteer Center connects organizations with a need to those who have time to give.

Individuals who provide a donation to United Way are guaranteed their dollars will have a profound and immediate impact in our community. The past two years have been a struggle for many and have exacerbated an already difficult circumstance; it is more important than ever to step up and support United Way of South Wood and Adams Counties whose explicit goals are to have a direct and lasting impact on local communities. Please join me in supporting your community by giving to United Way of South Wood and Adams Counties today!

Thank you,

Craig Broeren

2022 Campaign Chair

HELP US CELEBRATE 80 YEARS!

To help us celebrate our 80th birthday, we are challenging our community members! There are several ways to help celebrate, but you must finish five to receive a special gift.

Participate in as many of the items as you can! Check off each as you

celebrate, fill in the information at the bottom of the form, and email it to

Tari@uwswac.org. Complete 5 birthday challenge items by September 30th, 2022, and receive a special recognition gift! Go to uwswac.org to learn more about the challenge. Join us for birthday cake at Lunch by the River on August 4th and pick up your 80th birthday challenge form!

UNITED WE CAN

This year’s event was an absolute success, bringing in over 7,400 pounds of food and $1,500 for local food programs! With ten teams participating, the competition was tough – congratulations to our 2022 United We Can food sculpture award winners:

• Most Nutritious: Solarus

• Most Creative: WestRock

• Community Choice – Major League: Paper City Savings

• Community Choice – Minor League: Grace Lutheran Church

The competition is exciting, but these teams can be proud of their impact on the food programs serving our communities each day. All food and monetary

donations leveraged by this year’s event were distributed to five local food programs: FOCUS Food Pantry, FOCUS Family Backpacks, FOCUS Community Meals, The Family Center, and Adams Food Pantry.

We are grateful to the ten teams who invested their time and resources to build sculptures, as well as our team sponsors: The Boys & Girls Club Teen Center (sponsored by Nekoosa Coated Products), Domtar, Grace Lutheran Church, Opportunity Development Centers (Sponsored by Chris Inda of NextHome Partners and Renaissance Learning), Paper City Savings, Prevail Bank, Samoset Council Boy Scout Troop 9171, Solarus, WestRock, and Wisconsin Rapids Parks & Recreation Department. In addition, we appreciate Aspirus Health for their

generous sponsorship of the Miracle Minute.

Thanks to our dedicated teams, volunteers, and community members, a total of nearly 65,000 pounds of food has now been leveraged since 2013! The

accomplishments of this event are an inspiration, and proof that united we can change lives!

Most Nutritious: Solarus

Most Creative: WestRock

Community Choice - Major League: Paper City Savings

Community Choice - Minor League: Grace Lutheran Church

ORDER A CAMPAIGN SHIRT!

Show your United Way spirit with our 2022 Campaign Shirts! Buy one for yourself, your family or staff. These shirts are Bella & Canvas tri-blend tees in maroon.

We have a limited number of shirts in stock. Orders will be filled on a first-come first-serve basis. The only

special order will be placed on

September 7, 2022.

Short Sleeve T-Shirt

$14.00 per shirt. Comes in sizes S-3XL. XXL & XXXL are an additional $2.00.

Long Sleeve T-Shirt

$18.00 per shirt. Comes in sizes S-2XL.

XXL is an additional $2.00.

Sweatshirt - Hoodie or Crew Neck

$20.00 per sweatshirt. Comes in sizes S-3XL.

XXL-XXXL is an additional $2.00

Click here for an order form!