Thanks to the incredible generosity of people in our community, more people will now be able to obtain emergency services, educational support, and preventative programming in the upcoming year.
United Way of Washington County announced today that they exceeded their $1,339,000 fundraising goal, raising $1,400,747 during the 2015 campaign. This year’s total also exceeds the organization’s previous record of $1,305,892, which was raised in 2014.
“The increase in funds will allow United Way to increase our capacity as investor, convener, facilitator, and partner in solving community problems,” said Kristin Brandner, Executive Director. “We are so thankful to everyone who gave and volunteered during the campaign, and we are especially grateful to Tom and Pat Strachota for sharing their passion, leadership, and expertise.”
“As Campaign Chairs, our primary goal was to increase awareness and support,” said Pat Strachota, 2015 Campaign Co-Chair. “Tom and I are proud to say that this year, more people gave at United Way’s Leadership Level than ever before.”
“We also saw an increase in corporate and employee giving this year,” said Tom Strachota, 2015 Campaign Co-Chair and General Manager of Dairyland Seed Company. “There were 17 Pacesetter companies and together they raised more than $557,550. It was great to see participation from companies and employees around the county.”
“We were blessed to have so much support from everyone,” Pat said. “Washington County is truly a special place.”
United Way of Washington County utilizes the funds to empower people to improve their lives through Education, Income Stability, and Health.
United Way’s most recent focus has been improving health in Washington County. The 2014 Community Health Survey commissioned by Aurora Health Care, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, and Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin found that drugs and alcohol, chronic diseases, and mental health were the top health concerns in Washington County.
In response to these community-identified needs, United Way of Washington County increased efforts to improve AODA and mental health services, encouraging collaborative work and coalitions. After a rigorous screening and interview process, community volunteers selected 11 health programs that will receive United Way funding for the next three years.
“The overwhelming number of applications we received demonstrates the increasing needs in Washington County,” Brandner said. “The generosity of our donors, volunteers, and community partners will allow us to implement more root-cause initiatives that achieve measurable and long-lasting results.”
United Way is currently accepting applications for Education-focused programs. Any eligible nonprofit agency or coalition is invited to apply for 3-year funding. Programs must serve Washington County residents, advance United Way’s education goals, and align to one or more of their five focus areas:
• School readiness
• Early childhood reading
• Middle school success
• High school graduation
• Youth life skills
All applications for United Way funding must be outcomes-driven and evidence-based. The submission deadline is March 25, 2016. To obtain more information about United Way, the application process, eligibility and program requirements, visit www.UnitedWayOfWashingtonCounty.org/agency.