Greater Mankato Area United Way launches “Tour of Giving” program

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - The Greater Mankato Area United Way held its first “Tour of Giving” on Tuesday, March 10, so that donors and community members could see first-hand how the funding distributed by the United Way helps local nonprofits.

Jill Cusick, director of donor and resource development, says that the United Way hopes to hold a tour on a quarterly basis themed around the nonprofit’s three pillars of basic needs, health and education.

Cusick says this first tour was themed around basic needs, with guest speakers from programs like the Five Sparrows Foster Closet, Lutheran Social Services’ Crisis Clinic and Partners for Housing.

Attendees also got to tour local housing shelters like the Welcome Inn and the Theresa House.

Hayden Ziegler, one of the attendees and the chairman of Mankato’s Engaged Leaders, says the tour was a great way to see what these community organizations do.

“It’s an awesome opportunity to see some of these partner agencies and see how the funds we raised as a community get distributed back into the community to help impact things for the better,” Ziegler said.

Cusick says this first tour comes after the United Way raised a record $2.45 million back in February to support local nonprofits.

“I think it’s important for people to know about the different agencies that Greater Mankato Area United Way works with, so they can really see the full impact and the full breadth of the work that we’re doing to secure those funds and secure those resources and invest back into the community,” Cusick said.

She says the next tour is scheduled for June.

Mental health will be the theme and the tour is hoping to start at a local school with the United Way’s Hope Squad and local mental health navigators.

Click here to download the KEYC News Now app or our KEYC First Alert weather app.