Spring is the Season of Growth

Spring is here and with it the opportunity to transform and grow.  At United Way of Steele County, change and growth are constant.  The needs of our community continue to evolve, and with it, our need to stay a step ahead in preparation for meeting these needs.  Over the past several months, we have launched a Childcare Substitute Pilot, learned that we will be awarded $300,000 to acquire land for the purpose of developing affordable single-family homes, been awarded a grant to hire a Youth Support Coordinator so that we can launch a Truancy Prevention Initiative Project in Blooming Prairie, Medford, and Owatonna, and are now we are the home for two amazing College Interns through the summer.  Whew!  There are so many important projects taking place right now, I wanted to use this month’s space to give you some more details, so you know what to expect.

Affordable Housing Project – we are working with HUD on the application process to release the funds that have been allocated in the bill that Senator Klobuchar and Senator Smith brought to fruition.  Once we know when these funds will be released, members of the Affordable Housing Action team and additional community partners will come together to finalize our building strategy.

Childcare Substitute Pilot – United for Childcare, through a grant from Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, is currently hosting a Pilot to establish a childcare substitute program in Steele County.  If successful, this program could be replicated in communities across Greater Minnesota, with the end goal of retaining our childcare providers and increasing capacity.

College Student Summer Internship – I am pleased to introduce Emma Corbin from Winona State University who will be serving as our Volunteer Coordinator, and Madi Bruessel from MN State University – Mankato, who will be serving as our Steele County Coalition for Healthy Youth Coordinator.  These two young ladies have brought a breath of fresh air to our organization, and we are so excited to be a part of their learning journey!

Truancy Prevention Initiative Project – in collaboration with the Truancy Prevention Action Team, we will be hiring a Youth Support Coordinator this summer to work closing with youth and their families to identify the supports needed to ensure a successful academic career and ultimately graduation.  We know that youth who graduate from High School or obtain a G.E.D. have a higher percentage of success than those that do not.  Our hope is that this pilot will be successful and can be launched into an official program supporting Blooming Prairie, Medford, and Owatonna School Districts.  This pilot will run through December 31, 2025. 

These projects are not United Way Projects, they are Community Initiatives.  That means we need each one of you to join us and be a part of these conversations.  Together we will learn, together we will grow.  If any of these projects are of interest to you, reach out.  We’d love to have you join the action team that is doing this work.  This is the season for growth, and we couldn’t grow without you.  Thank you for your continued support of our mission!  Engaging Communities, Connecting People.  We’re YOUR United Way!     

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Annette Duncan is President of United Way of Steele County.  She can be reached at 507-455-1180 or via email by president@unitedwaysteelecounty.org. Our website is www.unitedwaysteelecounty.org