Live United by Erin Haag

 

My next column will be the last one for a while. Our column runs during the legislations offseason, so we’ll make way for our representatives to talk about what’s happening there. Whew. Talk about pressure. I’m left wondering what my most important message should be. I’m not sure this is it, but it’s on my mind today. 

Cindy and I are attending the state conference. Twenty-four United Ways in Minnesota gathered to share our successes and struggles and to learn about innovative work happening around the state. It’s safe to say we’re on information overload. My biggest takeaway from this conference is that we’re on the right track. In such a small office, it’s easy to wonder if you’re existing in a vacuum. While there’s quite a few things that are in the works that I can’t talk about yet, I was pleased to hear other United Ways that said, “This is an issue. We’re trying to figure out how best to tackle this.”

We’re not behind. We’re not alone. We face the same struggles across the state.   

A common phrase is that, “everyone’s heard of United Way — no one knows what we do.” Isn’t that the truth? I find that it’s very true in our community as well. In fact, even beyond United Way, many people don’t understand nonprofits in general. So, what does a nonprofit leader’s day look like in our community? 

We participate in the Healthcare Collaboration. A group of representatives from many of our agencies meet every other month to talk about strategies to educate our community on key health care issues. In this group, we often talk about our children, our seniors and our disadvantaged populations. 

We participate in the Rural Impact Community Challenge Committee. This is a group that focuses on the unique challenges in rural Minnesota. One focus was child care. This next week, the results of the work accomplished in the past several months will be announced at the Childcare Providers Appreciation Dinner. 

At a statewide level, we’ve recently joined the United Way Childcare Task Force. We’re hoping that we’ll learn more about strategies that we can bring back to our RICC committee to implement and further us along the goal of making childcare available and affordable in Freeborn County. 

Every month, we’re part of the Homeless Response Team. We sit at the table with representatives from Semcac, Salvation Army, Crime Victim’s Center, clergy, food pantry leaders and more. We share stories, best practices and plan events such as our Project Community Connect at the end of the month. 

Project Community Connect is a one-day event on Jan. 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Our goal is to reduce poverty and end homelessness by partnering with local service providers, businesses, citizens and faith-based organizations to bring multiple resources to one central location. 

Persons struggling financially are invited to access resources for themselves and their families. In addition to the resources provided, participants will have access to free lunch, haircuts and other items, providing a sense of hope and caring. 

In our third year of this event, we hope to engage the larger community in understanding and reducing poverty by creating awareness and volunteer opportunities. 

If you would like to participate as a volunteer, service provider, or in any other capacity, please contact SEMCAC at 507-373-1329.

In addition, we have our board meetings, our community engagement meetings, and are meeting one-on-one with our donors and volunteers. Cindy and I give presentations to our community service clubs, such as last week’s Lions Club meeting. 

While we attend a lot of meetings, it’s definitely not a meeting for the sake of having a meeting. Our philosophy is that if one more person can understand truly what United Way does — and what United Way has the potential to be — the ripple effect can change the world. At our last presentation, we learned of a vulnerable adult and a group of concerned citizens that felt caught between a rock and a hard place to help him. We were able to connect them with resources and plan on following up to ensure that he’s getting the help he needs. 

While we don’t provide the services directly beyond our events such as the Project Community Connect and our Winter Gear Drive, we make a very real difference in the lives of people in Freeborn County. I hope you’ll stay tuned on our social media pages, visiting our website, by listening to our local radio and even calling or stopping by our office to find out what’s going on — and how you can help. 

Erin Haag is the executive director of the United Wat of Freeborn County.