By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
United Way officials and volunteers have gathered for their annual meeting, looking ahead to the needs of the community this year.
United Way of Greater St. Joseph President Kylee Strough says the biggest need appears to be families on the verge of vulnerability and fragility.
“It’s expensive to live right now,” Strough tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “A dollar is not going as far as it was and when you have really cold temperatures and increasing grocery costs and the gas pump is a little more expensive, it makes it hard for families and households to pay all their bills.”
Strough says the local United Way staff is in discussion with its volunteer agencies about how best to meet those needs. Strough says giving was sluggish coming out of the pandemic, but has pick up in the past year.
Strough says the financial struggles facing many area families cause a lot of stress.
“We see them as very connected and interdependent and we alone will not solve anything,” Strough says. “But can we bring the right hands and feet and minds around ideas to actually try to make life a little bit better for people in our community?”
Strough says the economic woes facing many are not uncommon.
“A lot of us are one disruption of a paycheck away from really struggling and the more we can come together as a caring community and take care of one another the better things will be for each and every one of us who lives here.”
The United Way campaign raises close to $2.5 million a year to fund its 17 agencies.
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