Donations made to United Way of Northeastern Minnesota (UWNEMN) over the past year will now support 30 nonprofit agencies, 15 libraries with summer reading programs, 13 food shelves, and UWNEMN’s eight direct service programs.
UWNEMN’s Board of Directors last month approved the following local agencies to receive 2024 funding:
- Advocates for Family Peace
- Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Elderly Nutrition Program
- Boys & Girls Club of Hibbing
- Camp Chicagami
- Care Partners
- Check & Connect
- Citizens for Backus
- Ely Community Health Center
- Ely Historic State Theater CinemaKidz After-School Program
- Ely Community Resource
- Friends Against Abuse
- Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin Lakes and Pines
- Justice North
- Koochiching Aging Options
- Koochiching County Food Access
- Laurentian Arts and Culture Alliance Youth Empowerment Project
- Mesabi Fit Youth Development Membership Grant
- North St. Louis County Habitat for Humanity
- Northwoods Partners
- Project Care Free Clinic
- Range Transitional Housing Inc
- Second Harvest Northland Food Bank
- ServeMinnesota Reading Corps
- Sexual Assault Program of NSLC
- Star of the North Maternity Home Iron Range
- Support Within Reach
- The Salvation Army – Hibbing
- The Salvation Army – Virginia
- Volunteers in Education (VinE)
- Voyageurs Area Council – Boy Scouts of America
These partners were determined by UWNEMN’s annual Fund Distribution process.
“Fund Distribution is an integral part of how our United Way operates,” said UWNEMN Executive Director Erin Shay. “Each year the process gives donors the chance to have a direct say in how their donor dollars are invested and learn about our local nonprofits’ impact on the community, what needs they see, and who they serve.”
Agencies submitted applications detailing how their work addresses one of UWNEMN’s target issues (helping children succeed, empowering health lives, or stabilizing individuals and families) in UWNEMN’s service area (Iron Range, Koochiching County, and Lake of the Woods County).
Applications were reviewed by UWNEMN’s Board of Directors and approximately 75 community member volunteers.
In addition to reviewing applications, volunteers came together for a day of in-person interviews hosted by UWNEMN. After the interviews, the volunteers made funding recommendations to the full board.
Volunteers said the experience opened their eyes to UWNEMN’s reach in the region and the level of needs in their community.
“Dental care and child care were often brought up,” one volunteer noted in a follow-up survey. “It is excellent to hear that UWNEMN is actively pursuing answers to these issues.”
The majority of funds UWNEMN raises each year comes from workplace campaigns and individual donations according to Resource Development & Events Director Elizabeth Kelly.
“Each Fund Distribution Day we see the results of each campaign meeting and each donation made,” she said.
Donors who participated in Fund Distribution Day agreed.
“I have a better appreciation for the way my donated dollars are spent and the care that goes into the process,” one said in the follow-up survey.
To learn more about UWNEMN’s 2024 partner agencies and Fund Distribution process, visit www.unitedwaynemn.org/partners.