A Note from our President and CEO

As the new President and CEO for Heart of Missouri United Way, let me express my gratitude and appreciation for your engagement and support in our efforts to improve our community. I feel called to this position and feel tremendous support from all I have met.

My initial three weeks in this role has been an exceptional opportunity to meet with partners, supporters, staff and community leaders as we set a new trajectory for the future of Heart of Missouri United Way. During our community celebration event earlier this month, I had the opportunity to share my vision for the future and the importance of a growth mindset so that we can evolve our efforts into greater impact.

Our Board and staff are committed to stepping beyond our norm and growing Heart of Missouri United Way to be an even better organization that improves lives so that all in our community may thrive. Our internal growth will be characterized by improved collaboration, optimized processes, and deeper impact that is agile and more adaptable, while relentlessly pursuing our commitment to the continuing mission of Heart of Missouri United Way.

As we grow internally, our success will be fully dependent on our ability to engage our partners, staff and community to Grow With Us!

The needs of our community continue to evolve and now, more than ever, community challenges must be met with local solutions. While we are part of a larger network of United Ways around the globe, Heart of Missouri United Way is focusing on growing solutions that fit our local needs.

Meeting those needs will require all of us to grow together through volunteerism, collaborative problem solving, enhanced giving, and thinking together in different ways to ensure all in our community may thrive. Thank you for your support of United Way. Grow With Us! as we work united to improve outcomes in our community.

United in Service,

Talia Jackson

President and CEO

Celebrating the Future

On Monday, March 17, Heart of Missouri United Way welcomed supporters, friends, and community leaders to celebrate our future together under the leadership of new President and CEO Talia Jackson. The event was held at the Clinton Club in Mizzou Arena. Board Chair Mitzi Clayton provided introductory remarks and set the stage for Talia to share her vision for Heart of Missouri United Way. Talia challenged attendees to help Grow With Us! by donating on the spot whatever possible in addition in addition to any previous financial pledges. The event concluded with a Columbia Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting Ceremony hosted by Chamber Ambassadors.

Agency Spotlight

MISSION: To create and support one-to-one relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

VISION: All youth achieve their full potential.

United Way Support: Education Impact grants support Community Based Mentoring efforts that pair youth ages 5 through 18 who are facing adversity with a caring adult mentor and help them achieve educational success, set high aspirations, avoid risky behaviors, and have healthy relationships with peers and adults.

211 Serves Missourians Impacted by Storms

On Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15, Missourians across our state experienced severe storms and weather that left many without power, homes, and even access to basic needs. Emergency responders from across the region jumped into action and began the work for response and recovery.

The 211-service operated by a consortium of United Way agencies across mid-Missouri became a lifeline for some and filled their role as a connector for individuals in need to be matched with needed services and response personnel in their local community.

Should you, a loved one, or someone you encounter need assistance, please tell them about 211. They can dial 211 on their phone 24 hours each day, text 800-427-4626 between 9 and 5 on Monday through Friday, or visit www.211helps.org.

Joining Forces to Fight for Literacy 

Heart of Missouri United Way's annual Fight for Literacy campaign is drawing to a close on March 31. To date, we have reached over $15,000 in gifts and appreciate anything you might give to support our Read Across Columbia program that helps improve literacy for youth in our community.

This effort has proudly partnered United Way with the Mizzou Men’s basketball team, University of Missouri Athletics, Champions for Literacy, Mizzou’s Pi Beta Phi Women’s Fraternity, and International Paper. Last fall the Mizzou men’s basketball team highlighted this effort. Mizzou Athletic Director Laird Veatch and Associate Athletics Director for Academic Services Tami Chievous joined 2024 community campaign co-chairs Dr. Lauren and Rhett Brengarth, their family and other United Way supporters on court at half time to present a $5,000 check. The event collected more than 700 books for Columbia youth. 

Board Member Spotlight

Mark Gingrich

Treasurer

Heart of Missouri United Way

A native of Columbia, Mark Gingrich is a graduate of Rock Bridge High School (but his kids are or will be Kewpies) and Troop 707 Eagle Scout. He attended the University of Missouri, completing the accounting program and sitting for the CPA exam before completing his formal education at the University of Iowa College of Law.

In 2009, Mark returned home to Columbia and joined Williams-Keepers LLC (WK) as a consultant focused on entity structuring, trust and estate services, and general tax services. In 2014, Mark became an owner at WK and expanded his work into other areas including business succession planning, acquisitions, and other advisory services.

Mark pursues community services with the same relentless spirit that has propelled his education and career. His role as Treasurer of Heart of Missouri United Way is one of many notable positions he fills to serve others. He is a past-President of the Missouri Estate Planning Committee, Treasurer of the Missouri Innovation Center, and maintains membership in a host of professional organizations including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and various Bar associations. He also has been active with the CoMo Raptors youth mountain biking team, Junior Achievement of Central Missouri, and Boy Scouts of America.

Mark is an avid traveler, adventurer, and fan of outdoor life. He and his wife, Kari, are raising three children while balancing full lives of professional and community-based service. Kari is also a CPA and a Teaching Professor in accounting at Mizzou.

WK has been an active partner with our local United Ways for Mark’s entire tenure at the firm. When Troy Norton, one of Mark’s partners at WK and a past HMUW leader, asked Mark if he would be interested in replacing the Board Treasurer who had recently departed Columbia, Mark jumped at the opportunity to serve.

United Way’s far-reaching effort to fight poverty in our communities resonated with Mark. Mark cherishes the opportunity to pay forward a fraction of the opportunities he has had in life and to make an impact in the areas of Health, Education, and Financial Stability for our neighbors in this great community. 

His participation in the Heart of Missouri United Way's recent search for its next CEO stands out as an exciting event during his tenure with the organization, as he looks forward to rotating off the board with the fresh energy and vision Talia brings to the organization.

Heart of Missouri United Way operates the Give 5 civic matchmaking program for those nearing or at retirement by hosting fun, informative opportunities to learn about volunteering with local non-profit organizations.

Participants attend five, one-day sessions to immerse themselves in various non-profit organizations. Once the program is completed, Give 5 participants are matched with an organization of their interest to volunteer five hours each month in support of our local community. The next five-session cohort is scheduled to begin on May 15 with additional meetings on May 22, May 29, June 5, and June 12.

Click the link below to learn more.

Heart of Missouri United Way invests in programs at nonprofit organizations in the impact areas of health and basic needs, education, and financial stability. Our investments reach individuals and families in Boone, Cooper, and Howard Counties. Donate today to make an impact in our community.

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