United Way of Mahaska County reaches fundraising goal

United Way of Mahaska County

United Way of Mahaska County has raised more than $330,000, surpassing the $320,000 goal set last fall. More than half of those dollars will be distributed to local nonprofits to help provide shelter, feed the hungry and support other vital services to low-income, elderly and special needs members of Mahaska County.

“We’re so grateful for the support we’ve received this year,” said Amy Meyer, Executive Director of United Way of Mahaska County. “It takes so many community members chipping in to be able to reach a number than that.”

Then each January, the Community Investment Process convenes 20 volunteers to determine how partner agencies will be funded in the upcoming year. After reading applications and meeting with nonprofit leaders, the Community Investment Team agreed to distribute more than $175,000 to 14 local nonprofits in 2018.

“We love hitting our goal, but the truth is, the more we get, the more we can support other nonprofits in the community,” said Meyer. “Even with meeting its goal, United Way received $90,000 more in grant requests than they were able to fund.”

In addition to funding other nonprofits, United Way of Mahaska County runs programs that combat childhood hunger, help low and middle-income residents with tax preparation and provide school supplies to students in need, among many other things.

In 2018, United Way of Mahaska County will partner with two new community organizations – New Sharon Childcare and Preschool and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mahaska County.

Big Brothers Big Sisters will receive $10,000 to help launch its program, where mentors are matched with a community youth, with the hope that the one-on-one relationship will build the foundation for life-long success.

In 2018, the United Way of Mahaska County will support the following agencies:

• Agency on Aging
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mahaska County
• Crisis Intervention Services
• Ecumenical Cupboard
• Imagine the Possibilities
• Iowa Legal Aid
• Love INC
• Mahaska County Habitat for Humanity
• Mahaska County Homelessness Coalition
• Mahaska County 4-H Foundation
• Mahaska County YMCA
• MHP Foundation
• New Hope Community Center
• New Sharon Childcare and Preschool

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