If education and youth opportunity, financial security, and healthy community are the pillars of a good quality of life, then basic needs and community resiliency are the foundation. Without basic needs, kids struggle to focus in school, adults aren't able to be at work consistently, and reaching everyone's full potential is impossible. Together we strive to stabilize lives. 
United Way of Mower County believes that every individual within Mower County deserves basic needs such as food, shelter, and safety. 
Examples of Impact in 2025...

48,600+

interactions with individuals receiving food support

3,800+

interactions with community members receiving advocacy support

success stories.

Immigrant Law center of minnesota - rural immigration project
Recently, a client came to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) seeking assistance with an N-600 application for a Certificate of Citizenship. The N-600 is used by individuals who automatically acquired or derived U.S. citizenship through their parents but must obtain official documentation to prove it. While these cases may appear straightforward, the passage of time often makes them legally and procedurally complex. Records may be decades old, held by agencies in other states, or difficult to access without legal advocacy, placing individuals at risk of living without proof of citizenship despite being legally entitled to it.
In this case, the client faced exactly those obstacles. Key documentation needed to establish citizenship was not readily available, and navigating federal systems alone would have been overwhelming. Without proof of citizenship, the client faced uncertainty related to employment eligibility, access to services, and long-term security, stressors that directly affect quality of life and family stability.

Through the Rural Immigration Project, the client received full legal representation from ILCM. Attorney Sara Karki worked to gather the necessary evidence, contacting multiple agencies in another state and advocating persistently to obtain records. This level of advocacy required legal expertise, time, and sustained follow-up, resources that are increasingly critical as federal agencies have become less responsive and procedural requirements more rigid.

As Sara explained, “It’s important to have legal representation even for a relatively straightforward case because as time goes on, it becomes much more complicated to get the evidence needed.” With ILCM’s support, the client did not have to navigate this process alone. Instead, they had an advocate who understood both the law and how to move cases forward when agencies stalled or failed to respond.

Funding from the United Way of Mower County makes this work possible. UWMC support allows ILCM attorneys to dedicate the time required to locate evidence, communicate with government agencies, and ensure that all federal requirements are met so eligible individuals can secure documentation that protects their rights.
- Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
SEmcac - Housing Payment Assisntance
Kevin called the Mower County Semcac Contact Center stating he was homeless, living outside. The case manager completed a coordinated entry screening with Kevin, to ensure placement on a housing priority list. In speaking with him, the case manager felt it would be beneficial for him to meet with a peer recovery specialist. Kevin was having a hard time staying clean and sober due to his living situation. Substance abuse is a very real side effect of being homeless and is how some people choose to deal with their situation. The Semcac case manager set up a time for later that morning for Kevin to meet with her and the recovery specialist.
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During that meeting, Kevin received help in applying for SNAP Food Support, Medical Assistance, and cash assistance. He was given contact information for potential landlords to call. The recovery specialist was going to make a few phone calls and the case manager emailed some landlords to ask about possible openings. The case manager also called the Salvation Army to ask about a motel voucher for Kevin since the next few nights were going to be quite cold. The recovery specialist took Kevin to the Salvation Army to pick up his motel voucher, and made sure that Kevin was aware of the times for group meetings to help him stay drug free and even offered him transportation if needed.

With the help of the case manager, an open apartment was found within a week. The case manager assisted Kevin with the application process and he was able to sign the lease in a matter of days.

Kevin still lives in the apartment, works part time, and is staying clean and sober, attending twice daily meetings with his peers.

Without the United Way funds used to assist Kevin, it is quite possible that his future would look very different. The Mower County Semcac Contact Center uses the United Way funds to assist numerous homeless individuals and families to obtain housing.
- Semcac

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