United Way Dollars Help Here Banners Blanket Northeast Missouri
The photograph above shows the banner hanging out front of the Senior Center in Shelbina.
HANNIBAL – Around northeast Missouri, banners sharing “United Way Dollars Help Here” are in front of agencies that will benefit from the United Way of the Mark Twain Area 2021-22 Community Campaign.
Each year, United Way has an annual campaign that raises dollars to help human services agencies in Marion, Ralls, Monroe, Lewis and Shelby counties. Those dollars are donated by local individuals, businesses, clubs and more.
“These banners are a reminder of the important partnership between United Way and agencies that service thousands of people in our five-county service area,” said Kevin Arthaud, of Hannibal Regional Organizations Healthcare System, who is chairman of the 2021-22’ Community Campaign for the United Way of the Mark Twain Area.
Arthaud said agencies applying for assistance go through a rigorous vetting process to ensure fiscal responsibility, effectiveness of programing, alignment with United Way’s goals and more.
In February, United Way’s Board of Directors rolled out new areas of priority. All dollars invested in organizations in the community must be meeting one or both areas of priority. The priorities are “providing opportunities for upward mobility” and “supporting critical services.”
Examples of programs that support critical services include those that provide food, housing, safety and senior services. These are programs that provide vital essentials for individuals to live.
Selected to benefit from the campaign this year was AVENUES, CHART Teen Task Force, Douglass Community Services, FACT, Hannibal Free Clinic, Hannibal Parents as Teachers, Harvest Outreach: Loaves & Fishes, Hannibal Alliance for Youth Success, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Learning Opportunities/Quality Works, Monroe City Food Pantry, Monroe City Senior Nutrition Center and Palmyra Senior Nutrition Center, Monroe City Student Success Center, NECAC, Salvation Army of Hannibal, Senior Citizens Community Center in Paris, Shelby County Senior Citizens, The Child Center and the YMCA of Hannibal. Many of these organizations have a “United Way Dollars Help Here” banner out front.
