Category: Press Mentions

November 13, 2023: United Way Fundraising Push for Housing in Honor of National Homelessness Awareness Month

Posted on by Brian Buckner

United Way fundraising push for housing in honor of National Homelessness Awareness Month

 Updated 

 

  • MADISON(WKOW) — United Way of Dane County is currently working to raise money for its housing efforts in honor of National Homelessness Awareness Month.

    “Having a safe and stable home is a launchpad towards well-being,” Communications Director for United Way of Dane County, Ashley Manthei, said.

    Manthei says United Way hopes to address homelessness at the root cause. That’s why they partner with organizations like Community Action Coalition (CAC).

    “We seek to transform all communities by fostering conditions where everyone can achieve social and economic security,” Casework Coordinator with CAC, Cielo Lazo, said.

    Lazo works directly with families to find stable, reliable shelter. Most recently, she was working with a woman named Rosa whose family’s apartment became infested with mites. Lazo says the infestation got so bad, Rosa and her kids started living out of their car.

    Read the full Article Here

October 19, 2023: United Way of Dane County Announces 211 Wisconsin App

Posted on by Brian Buckner

United Way of Dane County launches 211 Wisconsin app

United Way of Dane County has announced the launch of its new 211 Wisconsin mobile application.

The 211 24/7 hotline already helps connect Dane County residents with available health and human services based on their individual needs. This new app will expand the program further by reaching a wider audience.

211 helps residents find resources for food insecurity, paying rent, addiction treatment, older adult services and other various challenges. The hope is that the 211 app will provide an easy and intuitive way to provide the same support to more people.

Users can browse the application anonymously, or register and bookmark community resources for later use. There is also a mapping feature to display nearby resources in relation to the user’s location.

Read the Full Article Here

October 17, 2023: New United Way App Connects Communities to Help, Resources

Posted on by Brian Buckner

New United Way app connects communities to help, resources

  •  Updated 
  • MADISON (WKOW) — A new app is making it easier for people to get around-the-clock help from the United Way.The United Way of Dane County 211 Wisconsin app can help users find food, rental assistance, addiction treatment and even health and human services resources.The resource isn’t just available for Dane County — the Columbia, Sauk, Iowa, Rock, Green and Lafayette county communities are also able to use it to find help.

    Ed Wall, director of 211, says the app does more than connect people to agencies.

    “Our specialists are trained to identify root causes of a client’s problem – and provide callers with a wide range of available resources that meet all their underlying needs, not just the one that prompted the call, text or email.”

    He said the app will let them reach more people who need help.

    The app is available for download on the Apple Store and Google Play. There are also kiosks that have the app on them so everyone has access to the resource.

Sep 19, 2023: United Way kicks off $18.1 million Community Campaign at Breese Stevens Field

Posted on by Brian Buckner

Wisconsin State Journal  |  Melissa Perry  | 

On a sunny Monday afternoon, more than 400 volunteers and community members were scattered around Breese Stevens Field, as the United Way of Dane County kicked off its annual Community Campaign.

The outdoor event attracted attendees of all ages and backgrounds, as they came together to celebrate and unite in their passion for community service and philanthropy.

“I’m excited to see all the champions for positive change,” said Renee Moe, president and CEO of the United Way of Dane County. “You walk around and you see kids, you see retirees, you see users of United Way services, partners, CEOs. Everyone is just so excited to come together.”

 

For this year’s campaign, the United Way of Dane County has a goal of raising $18.1 million. The funds raised in the Community Campaign are essential in supporting the organization’s partnerships with local nonprofits and its Community Plan for Wellbeing, which seeks to address needs related to early childhood, income, education and health.

Read the Full Article Here

Sep 19, 2023: United Way of Dane County kicks off 2023 campaign

Posted on by Brian Buckner

Madison365 staff  | 

United Way of Dane County officially kicked off its 2023 Community Campaign on Monday at Breese Stevens Field on Madison’s East Side.

The United Way hosted 450 volunteers for an afternoon of family-friendly activities as the group packed more than 4,000 paper product packs to be distributed to nonprofit partners at Community Action Coalition, WayForward Resources, Second Harvest Foodbank and Porchlight.

 

“The energy at Breese Stevens Field was contagious. It just goes to show how much we can accomplish when we come together as The Power of Many. Working for All. I’m so grateful for the community support as we innovate forward and continue to uplift family well-being in Dane County,” said Pete Vogel, president and CEO of Vogel Bros. Building Company and United Way 2023 campaign chair, in a statement. “We can’t wait to build from this momentum into this year’s campaign season.”

Read the Full Article Here

September 18, 2023: United Way campaign focuses on education, income, health

Posted on by Brian Buckner

  • United Way campaign focuses on education, income, health

    The Cap Times  |  By Noreen Sharif  | 

The chief executive officer for United Way of Dane County explains its mission in simple terms. The organization, CEO Renee Moe said, “tries to frame up how the community can solve big problems like homelessness and getting more kids to graduate from high school.”

“The fundraising that we do is really a communications campaign to help more people … understand what’s going on in our community, and then asking them to help make the community stronger by giving, advocating and volunteering,” Moe said.

United Way kicked off its 2023 community fundraising campaign Monday afternoon with an event at Breese Stevens Field, seeking $18.1 million to support goals related to early childhood, education, income and health.

To achieve these goals, United Way is collaborating with organizations that are already engaged in those areas. “It’s about solving a particular issue and getting the right partners around the table to solve the problems,” Moe said. 

“To work in education, you need to have great connectivity with school districts and agencies doing after-school care, and we do some programs directly in the schools through our AmeriCorps program, for example.”

According to a report from United Way, educational support programs the organization invests in, such as the community mentorship program offered by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County, helped all participating students in 2022 graduate high school. Of the participants, 95% improved their academic performance and 86% of previously “disengaged students” experienced improved belonging, leadership and academic success, the report said.

“One of the key strategies for higher graduation rates is early childhood home visitation, so helping parents be their child’s first teachers and then helping support with tutors and mentors to focus on key milestones,” Moe said.

Read the Full Article Here