Joining the United Way family as executive director in January has been humbling. In many ways, the role brings with it a front row seat into the depths of humanity. Our team, community impact initiatives, and Partner Agencies know all too well the economic, health, gender, and racial inequities facing individuals in Sheboygan County. Their difficult situations made even more challenging in a pandemic. The number of those struggling has increased and the help needed is more evident than ever as pandemics know no boundaries, impacting our economy, business, education, health care and social sector systems. How does one cope, being so close to the pains and struggles, more will face now than ever? It's the other part of humanity I see in that front row seat. The sheer beauty of knowing help and hope exist. The deep gratitude in watching others find ways to give of their time, talents, and treasures to those less fortunate. With this, our team is excited to share our 2020 Campaign theme: United We Rise, and there's no time like the present to unite and rise.

Last spring we raised over $285,000 in a few short months partnering with the Sheboygan Service Club for the Sheboygan County COVID-19 Relief Fund (coming soon!) while United Way was able to continue Partner Agency program investments without a hiccup. We closed our 2019 Campaign with the ability to fund 1.67 million dollars into 21 programs of Partner Agencies and 3 community impact initiatives! We couldn't have done any of this without the outpouring of support from corporate gifts, employee giving, individual donations and grants.

At United Way, we are more than fundraisers. We are the hand raisers, game changers. The stop talking, start doing, band together and take on the impossible task masters. In this new paradigm, we need YOU. United Way isn't one person or corporation. United Way is all of us.

I look forward to rising together!

In Gratitude,