The United Way of Grundy County supports 10 organizations in the area through fundraising.
Spokesperson Edna Foster says the local United Way organizations share a view that the way to improve lives is by mobilizing the caring power of communities.
When monetary donations are given to the United Way of Grundy County, they are divided among the organizations.
Foster represents the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, which is one of the participating organizations. She explains RSVP engages volunteers at least 55 years old to help fill unmet needs of Grundy County. She calls it a resource for volunteer engagement for organizations and individuals in the county.
RSVP volunteers can help at any 501(c)(3) or non-profit.
Some volunteers also help neighbors live independently.
Foster states the organization keeps track of hours and how many people are at each work site. That information is sent to Washington, D. C. to AmeriCorps Seniors to show how the Midwest is doing.
Foster notes there is always a need for volunteers. Individuals can volunteer as much as they want.
Other United Way of Grundy County participating organizations are the Grundy County 4-H Council, Parents as Teachers, the Community Action Partnership of North Central Missouri, the Grundy County Juvenile Office, the Juvenile Court Diversion Program, the Community Food Pantry of Grundy County, the Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri, the Grundy County Council on Aging, Incorporated at the North 65 Center of Trenton, and the University of Missouri Extension.
Donations can be sent to Post Office Box 146 in Trenton.
The Juvenile Court Diversion Program is one of the United Way of Grundy County’s participating organizations.
Spokesperson Connie Hoffman describes the program as being sanction-based through the Missouri Division of Youth Services. The program works with youth in the Third Circuit, which includes Grundy, Harrison, Mercer, and Putnam counties. She notes the largest percentage of those served are in Grundy County.
The other nine United Way of Grundy County participating organizations are the Grundy County Juvenile Office, the Community Action Partnership of North Central Missouri, the Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri, the Grundy County Council on Aging, Incorporated at the North 65 Center of Trenton, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, the Grundy County 4-H Council, Parents as Teachers, the Community Food Pantry of Grundy County, and University of Missouri Extension of Grundy County.
The United Way of Grundy County meets at the North 65 Center the third Wednesday of each month at noon. Spokesperson Edna Foster notes each organization sends a representative to the monthly meetings, and every organization has to help with fundraising and serve on committees. The committees include Kick Off, Canvassing, and Business Drive.
Donations can be sent to the United Way of Grundy County at Post Office Box 146 in Trenton.
Foster explains membership starts in May, and any 501(c)(3) can apply by contacting one of the participating organizations.
The Community Food Pantry of Grundy County is supported by the United Way of Grundy County, as the food pantry is a participating organization.
Spokesperson Connie Hoffman says the pantry offers a commodity program currently as a drive through because of the pandemic. Clients who meet income guidelines may come once a month to receive food. She notes 175 to 195 households are currently being served through the program.
The food pantry also offers a senior box program, which is open to clients with a household member at least 60 years old and meet income guidelines. About 105 boxes per month are provided for the senior box program.
Hoffman says the Community Food Pantry of Grundy County also serves the Backpack Buddy program, which provides food for about 100 students each year.
If a household is completely out of food, Hoffman explains the procedure is to contact the police department, which will contact the food pantry to make arrangements to pick up a one-time food box.
One participating organization for the United Way of Grundy County is the Grundy County 4-H Council. Spokesperson April Meighen explains that Grundy County 4-H is a program for youth five to 18 years old. Members five to seven years old are called Clover Kids.
The organization works to teach children leadership and life skills as well as about things like agriculture and nutrition. It also helps prepare children for the future.
Meighen says there are three 4-H clubs in Grundy County: the Busy Bees, Helping Hands, and Oak Leaf Achievers. Each club has adult volunteers or project leaders. The clubs are youth led with adult volunteer leaders.
Meighen notes 4-H helps with public speaking skills and talking in front of a group.
She adds that she took more than 50 projects to the state fair this year to be shown.
More information on 4-H can be obtained by emailing [email protected] or contacting the Grundy County Extension Office in the Green Hills Regional Planning Commission Building in Trenton.
University of Missouri Extension of Grundy County is another participating organization with the United Way of Grundy County. Meighen says Extension improves lives, businesses, and communities by focusing on solving challenges around economic opportunity, educational access, health, and well-being.
There are 10 United Way of Grundy County participating organizations. One is Parents as Teachers for the Trenton R-9 School District.
Spokesperson Connie Hoffman explains the program provides three to five home visits per school year for children through age five. She says the visits offer parents information on each stage of a child’s development and ways to encourage development and learning.
Parents as Teachers also offers screenings focusing on development, language, hearing, and vision.
There is a referral network to link families with special services if the families’ needs are beyond Parents as Teachers’ scope of work.
Hoffman says the organization also offers play groups.
United Way funding the group gets goes toward providing books for families.
She adds that the focus of Parents as Teachers is to empower the parent to be the teacher for a child.
