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United Way of Southwest Minnesota (hereafter UWSWMN) is excited to announce Community Impact Grant awards totaling $237,255 to fifteen local programs. Each of the programs awarded funding serves people living in the UWSWMN service area and is working to make a difference in the lives of the people they serve by:
• Increasing healthy behaviors and wellness
• Improving life-long learning and development
• Improving financial stability and independence
• Increasing food access, nutritional awareness and/or outreach
• Increasing access to services focused on safety and well-being
Trained community volunteers worked together to review and score submitted grant proposals, conduct interviews of applicants, review program goals and anticipated results, as well as verify non-discrimination policies. They then made recommendations to the UWSWMN board of directors for final approval. These funding awards would not be possible without the generous donations received in their most recently completed fund-raising campaign.
Following are a few examples of how awarded funds will be working within the UWSWMN service area:
• To provide nutritious meals and crucial social interaction to high-risk seniors to improve their mental and physical health, thus preventing or delaying the need for costlier hospital or nursing home care, thus enhancing their quality of life.
• To provide advocacy, support, and empowerment to those whose lives are impacted by sexual assault and general crime and reduce the occurrence and impact of crime and victimization in our communities.
• To provide for the safety of individuals and families experiencing homelessness by offering temporary shelter and services to help them move from crisis to stability.
• To provide supervised visits and safe exchanges to best ensure the parent/child bond is preserved and keep families connected in a safe and secure environment.
• To help children and youth build strong relationships with peers and adults through activities that build decision making, interpersonal, and life skills.
To learn more about UWSWMN and the many programs we invest in, visit our website at www.UnitedWaySWMN.org. Watch our Facebook page for photos with each of our Community Impact Grant recipients.
UWSWMN is a 100% autonomous, local nonprofit organization that focuses on the human service needs of people living in our service area. Their mission is to unite people and resources to improve lives and strengthen the communities they serve in Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Yellow Medicine and portions of Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle, Nobles and Redwood counties of southwest Minnesota. UWSWMN’s board of directors is comprised of fifteen local volunteers from throughout their service area. These volunteers are responsible for setting policies, budgeting and overseeing the direction of UWSWMN. Professional staff manages day-to-day activities.
NEED HELP? Call 2-1-1 from a land line and some cell phones; 1-800-543-7709; or on the internet at https://www.unitedway.org/our-impact/featured-programs/2-1-1. This is a 24-hour confidential and anonymous information and referral service for community resources within Minnesota. UWSWMN cannot give any direct funding to individuals, they invest in many high quality programs that work daily to make improvements in the lives of local people.