Good health is both a community responsibility and a community benefit: It goes beyond personal diet, exercise and the many other individual choices we make. The foundation for a healthy life is in the neighborhoods we build and environments we inhabit. When people have access to parks, bike paths, safe playgrounds, healthy foods, and good medical care, they are more likely to succeed in school, work and life.
Shawano Area United Way is supporting solutions that help everyone thrive, creating a healthier community that improves our collective quality of life. We’re focused on expanding access to healthy foods, opportunities for physical activity and quality health care. To do this, we partner with local schools, governments, health agencies and other community-based nonprofits.
Health Impact Areas:
We work with several organizations that are providing a direct impact on healthy living in our service area! Whether through providing access to clean, healthy food or by direct treatment services for their clients, each of these groups makes a big impact on the health of the Shawano area! 2024's organizations included:
- Bridge the Gap, Inc.
- Community Alternatives
- Curative Connections, Inc.
- Lutheran Counseling and Family Services WI
- Red River Therapeutic Riding Program
- Safe Haven of Shawano County
- Shawano Area Food Center (SAFC)
- Shawano Area Food Pantry and Resource Center (SAFPARC)
- Shawano Menominee Resiliency Coalition
- The F.R.E.S.H. Project
Each of these organizations received funding from United Way for a variety of projects that support their missions and the work of making the Shawano area healthier for everyone. One example is that The F.R.E.S.H. Project used their funding to help fund their token program at the Shawano Farmer's Market. Families in need can request tokens to be used at the Farmer's Market to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the season helping provide good sources of nutrients and vitamins to supplement their diets!
In addition to these funded organizations, we also run the Snuggled with a Hug Diaper Bank. This program provides free diapers on the first Tuesday of every month to qualifying families in Shawano County. On the first Tuesday of each month at the First Presbyterian Churn on Main St. in Shawano, families that provide a valid form of ID with a Shawano County address and either a WIC Card or proof of Badger Healthcare can receive diapers for each of their children aged 0 to 4 years old!