United Way
United Way of Central Iowa is the reason WeLIFT Job Search Center can function as a high-power non-profit organization for South Central Iowa with a strategic plan to keep us moving in the correct direction. WeLIFT is funded through UWCI under their United to Thrive program that focuses on Economic Success and Education Opportunity. UWCI believes strongly in the importance of funding nonprofit's infrastructure so the non-profits like WeLIFT can focus efforts on their annual campaigns to fund programs that give directly back to the communities we serve.
UWCI has been WeLIFT's largest funded partner for over a decade and has provided the staff at WeLIFT the opportunity to participate in a number of task forces and the Agency Director's Council. These different councils and task forces provide a space for our staff to educate United Way and their investors on Warren County services and challenges.
WeLIFT staff participate on the following task forces:
Central Iowa Youth Employment Panel
Central Iowa Food Insecurity Planning Committee
Central Iowa Re-Entry Task Force
Central Iowa Housing Task Force
211 Information and Resources - UnitedWay of Central Iowa https://www.unitedwaydm.org/211
In March 2023, United Way hosted a Re-entry Simulation was held at The Lighthouse. Over 70 people from a variety of organizations and city offices attended the event at The Lighthouse Community Center in Indianola, Iowa. The interactive event will put us in the lives of those experiencing re entry and all the tasks that must be completed before deadlines of going back to jail or probation violations.
The more community leaders, businesses, law enforcement and employees who handle these populations and attend the event, the more effective the conversation about system changes and local improvements can be discussed.
Simulation in action. See below Police Officers and Former Representative Scott Ourth and other participants.
Two of the United Way staff that helped run the Re-entry Simulation.
United Way Representative and Senior Associate - Terie Taylor-Wolf in action attending our At-Risk Summer Youth Internship Grant Graduation.
