Building on their early momentum, United Way of Midland County is reporting pledges of $1,880,442, representing 41% of the overall $4.5 million goal.
“It’s exciting to see how local people and organizations are rallying around our campaign to help our neighbors, especially during Midland Neighboring Week,” shared Holly Miller, Executive Director at United Way of Midland County. “United Way has served as the glue for our community for nearly 100 years, and we continue to advocate for our neighbors in need and provide a voice for those not heard.”
Chemical Bank launched their campaign with a high-energy kickoff event at Northwood University on Wednesday. 180 local employees learned about United Way and the many activities planned to engage employees. They also hosted the final round of their “Putt-Putt Golf Challenge” where the three finalists faced a daunting obstacle golf course.
“We like to have a little fun, but the message is really about supporting our community and supporting United Way,” stated Bob Rathbun, East Region President, at Chemical Bank. “You can see how your donation can make a difference in countless lives. All of us here have been impacted by United Way in one way or another, whether we’ve benefited from a United Way program ourselves, or know someone who has.”
DuPont kicked off their first-ever campaign on Monday with great success. To celebrate, they had a “Keepin’ It Local” Ice Cream Float bar, featuring Faygo, Vernors and Michigan-made ice cream floats served in DuPont tumblers.
“We had 59 DuPont North volunteers at six sites and 16 buildings who enjoyed a float while taking a break from work to celebrate our partnership and commitment to United Way,” explained Kayley Lyons, Community Relations Leader at DuPont. “In our first day alone, we raised over 25% of our goal and we’re just getting started!”
Young Leaders United are a group of young professionals in their 20s and 30s committed to philanthropy and volunteerism. They recently supported a surplus food giveaway at West Midland Family Center, serving 205 families with over 16,000 pounds of food.
“Being a United Way Young Leader is very rewarding, as it provides the opportunity to assist individuals across our community at many levels,” shared Ashley Raetz-Myers from Young Leaders United. “Organizing the personal care item drive and volunteering with the food distribution at West Midland Family Center helped many people provide essentials for their families. It is inspiring to see the impact of your efforts first hand.”
Local organizations continue to launch their campaigns and host a variety of fun activities. The Dow Legal team hosted a cornhole tournament and bake sale, where they raised $3,300 in a single afternoon. Much of this was through friendly sabotage and healthy competition. Corteva employees enjoyed shaved ice treats on Wednesday when the Kona Ice Truck visited each of their plants inside the I-Park as a thank you to employees and to build awareness about the campaign.
Family & Children’s Services hosts weekly activities, and this week they featured a “Soup Kickoff” where staff made soup and donations were made to vote for their favorite. Disability Network of Mid-Michigan will be sponsoring a cornhole tournament along with a change drive throughout their campaign.
Midland Public Schools, carrying on their culture of caring for our community, is reporting increased giving this year. The MPS Transportation Department was the first team with 100% participation to turn in their pledges, and were rewarded with a staff pizza party.
The 2019 United Way campaign will continue until November 1st and everyone is invited to make a difference. For more information about how you can help improve lives in our community, visit unitedwaymidland.org.
