United Way of Southwest Minnesota

Our Mission: Uniting people and resources to improve lives and strengthen communities in southwest Minnesota.

Have you ever attended a theater production without the stage lights on? If so, you probably realized that it was hard to see and it really wasn’t the same as when the lights are up and shining brightly on the actors and sets. 

This is a great example to illustrate WHY United Way of Southwest Minnesota is needed in our communities.   It takes a team of people to put together a production just like it takes a team of people to make our communities stronger.  Sometimes we don’t realize how much we need something until suddenly we don’t have it, like the lights at a theater production.  Or maybe it’s…

• Electricity at the food shelf
• A reading tutor at the school
• Home delivered meals for seniors 
• Advocates for victims of domestic violence
• New school supplies for students

What would southwest Minnesota be like without some of these programs that people rely on to eat, improve literacy skills or call upon when they are in a crisis? Our mission is to unite people and resources to improve lives and strengthen our communities.  With your help, we can continue to set the stage on a solid foundation built by all of us working TOGETHER.  

Only by working together can we support better living conditions for

Every Person in Every Community,

Every Day of the Year.

“The thought of leaving has always been overwhelming. Though the abuse that my children and I faced every single day, sometimes multiple times a day, was physically and mentally painful, the thought of leaving to get us out safely, was a paralyzing thought. So many things to consider - what if he finds out, what if he stops us, how will I afford life on our own. Will he truly ruin my life if I leave as he tells me every day? When I finally had the privacy and the safe opportunity to call WRAP, they jumped into action and helped us make the perfect safe escape. We are forever grateful for the advocates we had at WRAP. They saved our lives. For the first time in over 15 years, I am not walking around my home in fear, & neither are my kids.”        - WoMen’s Rural Advocacy Program (WRAP) Client

By investing in our work, you are part of working behind the scenes to “make sure the lights are on” so our communities and those living in them can flourish, every day of the year. 

We serve people living in the following counties in Minnesota:  Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Yellow Medicine and portions of Redwood, Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle and Nobles.  

Questions? Want more information?

Contact us: unitedway@unitedwayswmn.org or 507-929-2273

Source: www.unitedwayswmn.org

Some of United Way of Southwest Minnesota's Internal Initiatives & Programs Include:

Imagination Library book program is for children (ages birth – 5 years of age) who live in our service area.  Every child who is enrolled receives an age and developmentally appropriate book in the mail each month.  Children gain valuable school readiness skills each time an adult in their life takes time to read books to them.  Since 2005, over 7,609 local children have graduated from the program, and 460,319 books have been delivered to homes throughout our service area.  At this time, over 2,300 local children receive a book delivered to their home on a monthly basis. (Stats as of October, 2021)

Stuff the Bus:  In 2021, we provided over 56,263 school supplies to nearly 3,500 students attending 23 area schools. We engaged  volunteers to collect, sort, pack and distribute supplies and backpacks to elementary, middle and high school students throughout our service area. Stuff the Bus means that students can create and learn to their full potential without the worry that they don't have the basic tools needed to reach their academic goals.

Student Emergency Fund Grants totaling over $9,000 was distributed in July, 2021 to 18 local schools that applied for funds. Funds are to be used at the districts’ discretion to support their neediest students. Participating schools reported that during the 2020-21 school year funds were used for items such as: activity fees, support to a family that suffered a home fire, support to a student that lost their only parent, underwear, clothing, socks and shoes, hygiene items, emergency food support, eyeglasses and vision exams, winter apparel, specialized school supplies, etc.