SOUTHEAST MISSOURI – United Way of Southeast Missouri (UWSEMO) invites community members to help everyone ‘Win the Game of Life’ by attending their 2022 Campaign Kickoff. The fun and informative luncheon will be held September 1st from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. at the VFW in Cape Girardeau. The luncheon returns following a two-year hiatus due to the COVID pandemic.
This year’s event will include the introduction of UWSEMO’s 2022-2025 network of funded partners, recognition of volunteers, donors, and corporate investors, along with data and progress reports on the impact being made by the United Way network. While the United Way luncheons are always packed full of information, they frequently contain an element of surprise to complement the annual campaign theme.
Previous years included a boxing announcer and the roaring entrance of a Harley. This year’s event includes some surprise special guests to help support the theme, ‘Win the Game of Life,’ which United Way and its funded partners help others do every day, according to Elizabeth Shelton, Executive Director of UWSEMO.
Shelton explains: “We are delighted to be able to host in-person events again! So many people know of United Way but don’t really understand all that we do and how we do it. This is their opportunity! Rather than making this a fundraiser, we are simply passing along our costs to encourage more members of our community to attend.”
Guests also will learn first-hand about need in the region and volunteer opportunities they can participate in by sitting with funded partners representing the programs UWSEMO will support for the next three years. These 35 programs represented by 31 partners are determined by volunteers from UWSEMO’s four-county footprint. Although they are part of a global organization, every United Way operates independently, allowing each organization to invest in programs that directly impact their assigned footprint.
United Way of Southeast Missouri supports nonprofit partners in the counties of Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Perry, and Northern Scott. Thanks to corporate investors and grants that help to fund UWSEMO’s operating expenses, $.98 of every $1 donated by individuals is invested back into the 35 partner programs in these communities.