By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
United Way of Greater St. Joseph wraps up its public fundraising campaign Thursday night.
United Way President, Kylee Stough, calls it a celebration.
“That celebration will be a celebration of generosity in our community,” Strough tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “We hope to announce somewhere between $1 ½ and $2 ½ million pledged. We won’t be quite finished that night. We know that there’s still some campaigns to happen, some asks out, and some donors who are going to think I want to give and I’m going to mail something in.”
The United Way conducted the 2025 campaign under the theme of Give Hope. Campaign co-chairs, Michael and Jennifer Holden, will share campaign highlights and offer special thanks to those instrumental in the campaign.
Strough emphasizes is it because of contributions to the campaign the United Way was able to put together food kits for those who might lose benefits due to the federal government shutdown.
“United Way has money to purchase these food kits, to create these volunteer opportunities, to respond to needs in the community because donors give through the annual campaign and they trust us,” Stough says. “They trust us to share those dollars with our partner agencies, but to also hold just a little bit back in a fund to meet emerging and emergency needs.”
Trust is the key, according to Strough.
“I never lose sight of trust is the currency we operate in,” Strough says. “If we don’t have the trust of people in our community we can’t do anything and be effective at it as United Way. You need to know that when you give a dollar, we’re doing what we say we’re going to do with it. We’re staying in touch with community needs and we’re spending it as frugally, efficiently, and effectively as possible to make it stretch as far as possible.”
The public is invited to the Hall of Fame Room at Spratt Stadium on the Missouri Western State University campus, beginning at five o’clock. A short program begins at 5:45pm.
Tickets for the event costs $20 a person or $150 for a table of eight.
The United Way campaign supports 17 agencies.
You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ