United Way Of Western Nebraska Annual Campaign Underway

      United Way of Western Nebraska has kicked off its 2022-23 campaign with the theme  “We Can’t Do What WE do without YOU!” and a goal of $400,000.

     Agency Executive Director Karen Benzel says the campaign covers all 11 counties in the Panhandle plus Goshen County, Wyo, but with a careful tracking of where the money comes from.

United Way both has its own programs and provides funding for non-profit organizations. Benzel says its own programs include Stuff the Bus and Fighting Hunger in the Community..

United Way was created as an umbrella funding organization for nonprofits, reducing or the need for each of them to conduct their own fundraising campaigns and swamp the same businesses with requests for support for each one.

      Benzel says United Way of Western Nebraska is supporting 27 nonprofit partners and programs with a new effort this year to make sure residents of the Northern Panhandle know which of those partners and programs are in their area.

Benzel says United Way relies on generous donors, volunteers and community support. She encourages those who’d like to contribute but don’t know how to do it to go to the agency’s webpage.

The United Way Campaign runs until early next year. This year’s co-chairs are Ally Berggren of Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Dr Derek Shafer of Box Butte General Hospital in Alliance, and Shane Wilson of Scottsbluff Screen Print.