March 2025 Update
Dee Olsen, Executive Director
The recent hiring and announcement of the new Executive Director, Debbie Moellendorf has brought about very favorable comments in the community and on social media platforms. Moellendorf started with Merrill Area United Way on March 18th. The next six weeks will be time for training and transitioning the post, as Dee Olsen will step down on May 2, 2025. It is an ideal time, as the deadlines for the two largest reports for United Way Worldwide are impending. They are Membership Certification and Data Base II. Additionally, the Annual Board Planning and Goal Setting session is set for April 16th. Aside from this, there is a multitude of other areas Moellendorf will be focusing on. As we move forward with new leadership, be reminded that the success of United Way is a reflection on the community and the people that support the programs funded by United Way. Without the community, we could not be effective.
It is important that our donors know their funds are getting to the people who need help. March 3rd the first round of agency allocation checks were sent to United Way funded agencies and programs. The second round will be mailed September 2, 2025, once pledged dollars are received. The 2025 funds to agencies totaled $184,800. Some of the agencies receive donor designated funds specifically designated to their agency. Every year we get incredible stories of how these funds have helped people. The stories are at the heart of it all.
March is National Fatherhood Initiative Month with a clear message. While we recognize both parents are equally important in a child’s life, we also know statistics show that more fathers are inactive or not present in their child’s life. Fathers don’t have to be superheroes. Just be a dad who is present and supportive. Let’s all work together to support our children. United Way helps by supporting child-related programs for Family Resource Center, Parkside Preschool Center, Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, Big Brother-Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club, Food for Kids, the Bluejay Nests and several more.
The Annual Planning and Goal Setting meeting scheduled in April is a critical time for the Board to evaluate organizational progress, benchmark previous goals and discuss the future directions MAUW will take. The facilitator for this session is Laura Huggins, a marketing guru with Connexus Credit Union. From this meeting we expect to set goals that will heighten our community presence and continue to drive United Way forward in supporting our agencies, neighbors, and community.
During the year 2025 we will be supporting the United Way Worldwide Brand Refresh initiatives. Brand Refresh is expected to provide greater uniformity amongst all United Ways across the world. It will require several changes for anticipated full implementation by 2028. One change will be switching the well-known “Live United” slogan to the new slogan, “United is the Way”. To learn more about United Way, visit our website and look at our2024 Annual Report, at merrillareaunitedway.org or visit us on Face Book. Remember to help your community by helping others, volunteering, and giving financial support. Donations stay local and are always appreciated at Merrill Area United Way, P O Box 813, Merrill, WI 54452.
