With less than two weeks to go, United Way is asking Bismarck-Mandan community-members to pitch-in towards the final $100,000 necessary to effectively address community needs. While that may seem like a large task, it could be accomplished immediately if everyone in the Greater Bismarck-Mandan area shared $1 or more to go toward the betterment of our community.
Missouri Slope Areawide United Way is closing in on the end of the annual campaign to meet the community needs in 2015. So far, over 150 volunteers have helped lead the effort amongst individuals and businesses. This has led to the Bismarck-Mandan community contributing 96% of the $2.5 million goal, leaving a mere $100,000 between United Way and its ability to address needs in the community in 2015.
MSA United Way works to identify the pressing needs in the Bismarck-Mandan area and support the most effective ways of meeting them. This includes supporting cost-effective and evidenced-based programs to stop the cycles of poverty. The cost of getting back on track is recouped by our community by decreasing, and at times eliminating, the need for expensive help down the road. For example, $2,000 places 22 caring tutors in school classrooms around Bismarck-Mandan for a week and $2,500 places tutors with 20 children not meeting the reading proficiency level by the fourth grade. Consider the cost for an extra year of school, $11,420, and the decision seems easy. When our neighbors succeed, we all win.
Whether you’re a long-trusted partner in this work, or have never been a part of the United Way movement, consider doing your part to help United Way serve Bismarck-Mandan in 2015. For more information, visit msaunitedway.org.
