United Way allocates grants, appreciates volunteers
Human services agencies in Superior and Douglas County received financial support needed to make real changes in the lives of area residents thanks to $177,000 in grants from the United Way of Superior-Douglas County.
In all, 25 programs received funding to address needs in one of three areas: literacy; reducing recurring homelessness; or reducing truancy while increasing high school graduation rates. The United Way of Superior-Douglas County has identified these as fundamental to building and maintaining vibrant communities, families and individuals.
This is the first year that the local United Way has targeted funds solely to these three areas. “Several years ago, we conducted a community needs assessment to determine what activities make the greatest impact on the long-term success of people and the communities they live in,” says United Way Executive Director Kathi Madsen. “Our board decided we could make the strongest, long-term impact, if we worked on these areas.”
This year, 30 programs, including eight new ones, applied for grants. Collectively, they sought more than $370,000 in funding, which Madsen says demonstrates the growing demand for services in the United Way’s priority areas.
“Unfortunately, we continue to see people struggling to meet day-to-day obligations. At the same time, government agencies are cutting back on support for many social service programs,” says Madsen. “For these reasons, the support of local United Way donors is more important than ever.”
Here is a list of grant awards for area programs:
Literacy
Foster Grandparents, $3,130
Head Start Bookworms Project, $1,500
Imagination Library, $13,054
Just Kids Dental, Douglas County, $1,200
Homelessness
American Red Cross, $9,972
CASDA, $11,970
Community Living Support Services, $12,294
Homeless Collaborative Counseling Outreach, $4,550
Lake Superior Community Health Center, $1,982
Life Skills Training, $11,262
LSS Financial Counseling and Homeless Risk Factors, $3,732
Project Reach Out Runaway and Homeless Youth Program, $4,460
Salvation Army, $13,173
SVC’s Rep Payee Program, $10,462
At-risk youth
Boys & Girls Club, $18,829
4-H, $5,760
Health Care Clinic, $3,372
Just Kids Dental, $1,554
LSS, $4,000
Membership Extension in Superior, Douglas County, $6,124
Mentor Superior, Douglas County, $15,000
North Country RIDE, $1,950
Summer Camp After School Program, $2,250
Voyageurs Area Council Boy Scouts, $6,670
YMCA membership scholarships, $10,000
The United Way of Superior-Douglas County holds its Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast and annual meeting 7:30-8:30 a.m. Wednesday in the conference room at the Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College of Superior, 600 N. 21st St.
Tom Hansen will be the guest speaker. Admission is $10.
Prior to and during the breakfast, a silent auction featuring eight years’ worth of decorations from the KBJR weather garden will take place at WITC.
Whether people are attending the breakfast or not, they can bid on silk floral arrangements, huge wreaths, boxes of Christmas decorations, scarecrows and more 7:15-8:15 a.m.
There will also be a few cat care items, food preparation supplies and miscellaneous items up for bid. All proceeds will be earmarked for the United Way.