Fleur de Lis Fall 2020

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Rice County Area United Way:

Helping during a time of need

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ollowing the 2019 merger of the United Way organizations — Faribault and Northfield — Rice County Area United Way was starting its annual grant-making process in early spring 2020 when COVID-19 arrived in Minnesota. In April and June, we awarded $11,700 in COVID-19 microgrants to nonprofit agencies that were dealing with a surge in needs for food, shelter and financial assistance due to the pandemic and its economic impact. These experienced local agencies have worked diligently and creatively to deliver the needed services to more people while keeping clients, staff and volunteers as Guest Columnist safe as possible. Thanks to individuals Penny Hillemann and organizations who donated specifically for this purpose, the United Way was able to get these additional funds out to help meet rising community needs. At the end of June we announced annual grants totaling $240,000 to 27 nonprofit and school-sponsored programs that promote youth success, foster health in individuals and communities, help people acquire skills and habits that lead to long-term financial stability, and assist people experiencing crisis and hardship. Eighteen of these programs provide services to Faribault residents,

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including programs that serve multiple Rice County communities. These programs play an essential role in the United Way’s commitment to fighting for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in our community. Learn more at ricecountyunitedway. org/partner-agencies. As the local sponsor of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, we also expect to invest approximately $25,000 in 2020-21 promoting all the good things that happen when families read together. Imagination Library sends a free, age-appropriate book each month to more than 900 Rice County area children from infancy to age five. The benefits of reading to babies and young children are enormous. At a time when home life, child care, pre-schools and public library programs have been disrupted, Imagination Library will keep the books coming. The RCAUW board of directors is growing and includes members from both Faribault and Northfield. Our Faribault-based board members currently include Narren J. Brown, Ph.D., South Central College; Anne Marie Leland, Ph.D., Faribault Public Schools; Ryan Knott, Express Mobile Plus; and Gordon Liu, Hourglass Consulting. This year we are also adding two youth members, including Sarah McColley, a senior at Faribault High School. We invite community members who may be interested in serving on our board to get in touch with us. Some people who normally support the United Way will not be in a position to do so this year, but in this extraordinary time the needs are greater than ever. If you are fortunate enough to be financially stable, please consider making a generous donation to Rice County Area United Way at ricecountyunitedway.org. Now more than ever, every gift is needed and makes a difference for our community. Penny Hillemann is executive director of Rice County United Way.


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Fleur de Lis Fall 2020 by Kate Noet - Issuu