Letter to the Editor - Making a Difference

To the Editor:

As board member of United Way of Southwest Minnesota, I’ve had the privilege of seeing firsthand how our work—and the generous support from our community—positively impacts families across the region. This year, I experienced that impact not only as a board member, but also as a mom.

September marks the start of a new school year, and my two youngest children began kindergarten. Over the summer, we participated in the Wild About Kindergarten program, which provides School Readiness Kits to families in our service area. These kits are filled with engaging tools like books, crayons, glue sticks, whiteboards, modeling clay, and even toothbrushes—all designed to help children build essential skills in literacy, math, motor development, and oral hygiene.

Thanks to these hands-on activities, we spent the summer practicing reading, counting, cutting with scissors, and strengthening hand muscles with clay. It was fun, meaningful, and helped my kids feel confident and excited to start kindergarten.

United Way of Southwest Minnesota invests in programs like Wild About Kindergarten to ensure children enter school developmentally on track and that students from kindergarten through 12th grade have the tools they need to succeed. These efforts are made possible through donations to our annual campaign, partnerships, and grant funding. I’m proud to be part of an organization that not only supports our community but also supports families like mine. Thank you to everyone who contributes—you’re helping build a stronger future for all of us.

Melissa Maranell
Board Member, United Way of Southwest Minnesota