United Way of Mower County
  • Home
  • Donate
  • COVID-19
    • Resources & Services
    • Information
    • Help Your Community
  • About
  • Campaign
    • Our Partners
    • FAQs
    • Make a Difference
    • Campaign Toolkit
  • Rainbow Route
  • Our Work
    • Initiatives
    • Community Investment
    • Impact Meetings
    • Impact Stories
  • Volunteer
  • The Latest
    • Their Stories >
      • LIFE Mower County
      • ServeMinnesota
      • Recovery Is Happening
      • Autism Camps
      • Senior Meals
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Donate
  • COVID-19
    • Resources & Services
    • Information
    • Help Your Community
  • About
  • Campaign
    • Our Partners
    • FAQs
    • Make a Difference
    • Campaign Toolkit
  • Rainbow Route
  • Our Work
    • Initiatives
    • Community Investment
    • Impact Meetings
    • Impact Stories
  • Volunteer
  • The Latest
    • Their Stories >
      • LIFE Mower County
      • ServeMinnesota
      • Recovery Is Happening
      • Autism Camps
      • Senior Meals
  • Contact

success by six.

At United Way we are committed to helping our children succeed in life through early learning initiatives.
Preschool Scholarships
​
In 2007 the United Way of Mower County began the Preschool Scholarship Program to ensure our children enter Kindergarten ready to succeed. The United Way Preschool Scholarship Program provides scholarships to 4 year-olds who will be attending Kindergarten and are planning to enroll or are currently enrolled in a Kindergarten Prep Program through Mower County preschools. We work closely with local preschools to determine who is eligible and will be awarded these scholarships. Please inquire at your preschool about the availability of this scholarship and how to apply.
Rainbow Route
Through a grant from The Hormel Foundation and in partnership with SMART and the Parenting Resource Center, United Way of Mower County provides a safe and efficient transportation service for preschool aged children in Austin, who otherwise may not be able to attend preschool due to a transportation barrier. This service is not only meant to be trusted and reliable but is meant to be an affordable option for parents.  Bus rides are $1 each way. There are many factors that go into bus placement such as pick up and drop off address, preschool location and time of class.  Therefore, we cannot guarantee spots on the Rainbow Route for any child. We do our very best to get as many children on the bus as possible. 

Click here for the 2020-2021 Rainbow Route application.

week of caring.

We would like to express our gratitude for participant efforts in this year's Week of Caring. Without your gifts of time, commitment, energy, and excitement, this event could not have been such a success! Because of the efforts of more than 140 participants:
  • 205 pounds of food were donated to the Salvation Army
  • 1,098 diapers and 886 feminine products have been donated to the Parenting Resource Center
  • 30+ bags of litter were removed from Mill Pond
  • 55 volunteer hours were logged
  • and many local residents were able to witness the warm heart of someone’s act of kindness during the week!  

community connect.

Community Connect 2020 was a success thanks to the many organizations, volunteers, and community members who participated in the third annual event. The Community Connect planning committee would like to thank all who made the event possible: Thank you to: •Austin Hy-Vee and Hormel Foods for their continued and generous support by providing the meal and grocery items •Riverland Community College for hosting •SMART Transit for assisting with transportation •Sow Reh for taking photos​

coat drive.

Picture
United Way coordinates an annual winter coat and outerwear drive to ensure children from families who do not have the financial capability to purchase winterwear items stay warm. During 2019-2020, 183 children from 11 different schools received winterwear items through this initiative. 

Donation Procedure
  • Donation boxes are located in the basement of the United Way office at 111 Main Street North.
  • The United Way building is open M-F from 8am – 4pm.
  • Place winterwear items in a sealed bag inside the donation box.
  • For a donation receipt, attach your name and contact information to your donation bag.

Host A Coat Drive
Hosting a Coat Drive is an easy way to make a great impact locally! Anyone can do it. For details, contact Karem at ksalasramirez@umower.org 

Request 
To request a coat or winter item, please contact your child's school. Visit UWMOWER.ORG or call 507-437-2313 for more details.​

2-1-1.

2-1-1 is a free, confidential, multi-lingual information line and website that connects people with the services and resources in their community. Residents of Mower County can dial 2-1-1 at any time day or night and speak with someone who will help them find the help they need whether it is food, shelter, child care, job resources, health care, family services and so much more.

Mower County is rich in services and resources but what we have found is that finding those resources, especially in a time of crisis, can be a challenge.  2-1-1 is the one call to make when you don’t know who to call. When you call 2-1-1 you will be connected with a real live person, who has been trained, to assist you. Our call centers are located in Minnesota and interpreter services are also available in over 70 languages.

​In addition to the phone line, you can access 2-1-1 information from the internet as well. www.211unitedway.org allows you to find the resources and services you need right from your computer.  Read the website tutorial for search tips and guidelines.
Picture
Picture

familywize prescription discounts.

​United Way is proud to support the FamilyWize program through the distribution of pharmacy savings cards that are provided free of charge to people with no or limited prescription drug coverage. There is no cost to you or your family for this discount card and there are no enrollment or eligibility requirements - just take your prescription card to  participating pharmacies for discounts on all FDA approved medicines! Learn more at www.familywize.org or by reading below:
Picture
Picture
By entering a prescription drug name and zip code below, you can see what different pharmacies charge for your medication.

Location

Picture

website navigation

Home
COVID-19
About
Our Work
Take Action
Volunteer
The Latest
Contact

make a difference

DONATE TODAY
Picture
Picture