United Way of Mahaska County Funds $206,500 to 11 Agencies

United Way of Mahaska County

Nonprofits in Mahaska County felt the support of the community this February, as United Way of Mahaska County announced its 2015 funding decisions. Eleven agencies will receive $206,500 – money that came out the fall fundraising campaign.

“They really are community dollars,” said Amy Langdon, executive director of United Way of Mahaska County. “We want to be good stewards of the money donated to us, which is why we complete a Community Investment process each year.”

The Community Investment Team is a group of volunteers from various industries and backgrounds. 24 community members take part in the two-day process where they hear from local nonprofits, read their grant applications and then, as a group, make a recommendation about how those community dollars are distributed.

This year, the United Way of Mahaska County will support the following agencies:

* Mahaska County 4-H

* New Hope Community Center

* Mahaska County YMCA

* Mahaska Health Partnership Hospice Auxiliary

* Crisis Intervention Services

* Imagine the Possibilities

* Mahaska County Homelessness Coalition

* Love in the Name of Christ

* The Ecumenical Cupboard

* Food Bank of Southern Iowa

* Iowa Legal Aid

The United Way of Mahaska County is very happy to have two new partner agencies this year.

New Hope Community Center received funding for kitchen improvements and the newly re-launched Mahaska County Homelessness Coalition received funding to provide housing assistance.

“New Hope is doing some really exciting things with community gardens and helping new mothers,” said Langdon. “The kitchen will help with teaching healthy eating, as well as preparing meals for Oskaloosa Summer Lunch.”

For more information contact Amy Langdon at 641.673.6043 or unitedway@mahaska.org.