By Lacey Mills
Who Knew Reno County
Who knew that when you give to United Way of Reno County, you are not just donating to an organization, you are trusting your neighbors to help decide where those dollars go?
Each year, after our annual campaign wraps, we enter what we call allocations season. It is one of the most meaningful parts of our work, and one of the least known. Many people assume funding decisions happen behind closed doors or are made solely by staff or a board. The reality is far more community-driven. Local residents, people just like you, sit at the table and help determine how the funds raised across Reno County are invested back into programs that support our neighbors.
Community volunteers commit to a full day of thoughtful review and discussion. Before they ever walk into the room, they have already spent time reading applications and reviewing financial information from our funded partners. During the session, they listen to live presentations from local agencies about the programs they provide and the impact they are making. Decisions are organized around four focus areas: youth opportunity, financial security, community resiliency, and health. At the end of the day, it is not one voice that decides. It is a group of community members collaborating to determine how to best divide the funds for the greatest local impact.
Who knew that everyday residents play such a direct role in shaping where local dollars go?
Allocations is not the only way residents can be involved. In fact, there are more opportunities than many people realize to connect with the work happening across our county. One of our newest efforts is our monthly Impact Tours. Typically held on the third Thursday of each month, these tours invite community members to step out of their routine and into the programs they help support. Participants visit funded partners, hear directly from staff, and see firsthand how local investments are changing lives. It is one thing to read about impact. It is another to stand inside it.
We are also introducing a new Spring Community Workday on April 25. This initiative brings volunteers together to help neighbors with exterior home projects like painting, yard cleanup, mulching, and small repairs. Businesses, civic groups, families, and friends can sign up to serve, and residents can nominate a neighbor who may need an extra hand. Our hope is to reach individuals who might otherwise struggle to complete these projects alone, including older adults, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and hardworking families in the asset-limited, income-constrained, employed (ALICE) population who simply need a little extra support.
So this month’s “Who Knew Reno County?” might just be this: who knew there were so many ways to not only give, but to actively participate in how change happens right here at home?
If you would like to be part of allocations, join an impact tour, volunteer for the spring workday, or simply learn more about how to get involved, we would love to hear from you. Please call our office at 620-669-9329 and we will help you find the opportunity that fits you best.
Lacey Mills is the Executive Director of United Way of Reno County and can be reached at lmills@uwrenocounty.org.