Latest news with #LiveUnitedDay
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Live United Day returns to help local nonprofit organizations
April is National Volunteer Month and United Way NWA is gearing up for Live United Day on Friday, April 25. Watch as Hannah Savage joins our KNWA Today/FOX24 morning shows with details. Learn more about United Way NWA here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
United Way overcomes difficult 2024, ready to assist community in new year
A troubled economy didn't stop the United Way of Cass County from spreading hope across the community in 2024. Thursday evening, the community came together to celebrate that success at the Vibrant Event Center during the United Way's 2024 Campaign Celebration. A record 180 people registered for the event. Despite a difficult financial year for everyone, the United Way still managed to raise $483,040, just $17,000 short of the goal set by campaign co-chairs Kelly Stephenson and Lynn Ness, both of Security Federal Savings Bank. Chris Armstrong, United Way of Cass County executive director, said 2024 was a difficult year. 'The campaign is down, I'm not going to lie,' she said. 'But Lynn and Kelly did a tremendous job. They were still out [fundraising] two weeks ago. They worked very hard and I'm very proud of what we accomplished.' 'I think they laid a lot of groundwork for our 2025 campaign and helping us get back into companies we haven't been in for a while and making connections for us again,' said Karli Armstrong, Impact and Marketing director. 'Even if we didn't necessarily meet the goal, a lot of the work that they put in will hopefully be realized this year even.' Chris and Milt Hess will co-chair the 2025 campaign. Armstrong said that even though the fundraising was down, that didn't mean that the community wasn't supporting the United Way. She pointed to the record 700 participants who helped with last year's Live United Day on Sept. 13. 'That speaks volumes for our community,' she said. 'We have a very caring and giving community.' Board president Alesia Brown announced some of the specific things the United Way was able to do during the past year. Throughout 2024, the United Way of Cass County helped 10,000 community members, distributed 17,000 books to children ages five and under through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, served 3,500 children via programs such as the Reading Railroad, Begindergarten and the Business Partners Program and provided nearly $23,000 in grants to 15 area organizations. One of the United Way's biggest successes came as a result of Cass County's giant heart. Live United Day, held on Friday, Sept. 13, featured 700 volunteers helping with 46 projects across the community. Kailin Bauman, co-chair of Live United Day, told a story about one Live United Day project that personally moved her and others who worked on it. They build a ramp at a local home to help a young man's caregivers and family better maneuver his wheelchair. Bauman awarded Live United Day Awards to McCord's Do It Best and Zagajewski Construction for donating the equipment and helping build the ramp. Karli Armstrong also gave Transco Railway a Live United Day Award in honor of the difficult projects they had completed over the years. The Volunteer of the Year Award went to Chef Mike Huffer of Woodbridge Health Campus. 'He's always eager to donate his time to prepare food for Live United Day, our campaign rally, whatever it may be,' said Chris Armstrong. 'He puts a lot of time into this and we can't think him and Woodbridge enough.' 'It was unexpected,' Huffer said after the celebration. 'I'm here to serve the community and help the residents at [Woodbridge].' Huffer said he had been working at Woodbridge for 11 years and said he thought he had been involved with the United Way for eight years. 'The things the United Way does is amazing,' he said. 'I really only supply food but what they are doing out in the community is just amazing.' The final award of the night was the newly established Joe Johnson Legacy of Impact Award. Armstrong said the United Way had considered creating the award for some time and unfortunately, they waited too long as Johnson passed away in December. 'If you didn't know Joe Johnson then you truly missed out,' she said. 'A longtime support of the United Way of Cass County, Joe served on the board from 2012 to 2017. He was the campaign chair in 2012 and raised the most money from any campaign in the history of United Way of Cass County, raising over $600,000 dollars.' Armstrong credited Johnson for speaking from the heart and taking a personal approach to fundraising by always meeting with or calling potential givers. 'He was genuine and that's what we loved about him, she said. The award was presented twice, first to Johnson's family and then to Lloyd R. Knight, a longtime contributor to the United way and 2019 volunteer of the year Cole Hardwood also received the Pacesetter award during the evening. The United Way honored outgoing board member Gaby Moore and welcomed new board members Sarah Cole and Jenny Sera. The United Way does not receive federal grants but there is a risk that the state will cut funding for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. 'If they do take that funding away, that's about a $20,000 hit for us,' Armstrong said. The United Way's next fundraising event is Pins for Kids on March 1. There is still time to reserve space for a team. More information and registration forms can be found at Questions can be directed to Karli Armstrong at karmstrong@
