EDITORIAL: Support United Way and its partner agencies
Sep. 23—The 2021-22 fundraising campaign for United Way of Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas has launched, and we hope area residents will find some room in their budget to donate to this important cause.
United Way has existed in Southwest Missouri for nearly a century, merging over the years with other area organizations to form the group that is here today. In all of that time, United Way has had as its mission the coordination of services for residents and the financial support of nonprofits and social services charities that work with children, low-income families and other underserved populations.
A donation to United Way is an investment in local programs that address education, health and financial stability, executive director Duane Dreiling told the Globe earlier this week.
"When you look at those, those are the three legs of a stool that make sure that someone is in a safe environment, an educational environment and a healthy environment, and that's really what supports people's lives. So when you give to United Way, you're not just addressing one need. You're addressing all those needs in a more holistic approach to providing community services," he said.
Partner agencies of United Way — such as the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri, the Joplin Association for the Blind, the Joplin Family Y, Pittsburg Legal Services and Safehouse Crisis Center in Pittsburg — have told us time and again that the financial support provided by the organization, contributed by donors, is a critical part of their operations. Those needs have become even more urgent amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Things are just so different for our families, and those who are struggling need the support, and agencies are trying to do the most and the best with the resources we've got," Stephanie Theis, executive director of Children's Haven, told us. "United Way support is a huge help in that."
United Way does important work locally to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable who reside here. Consider giving today at unitedwaymokan.org.
