Sioux Empire United Way - Your Gift in Action

August 2007
Health & Healing Impact Area

Your Gift in Action is a monthly update from the Sioux Empire United Way. The newsletter demonstrates how donor contributions work throughout the year. Each month focuses on a different community need/issue addressed by United Way and our volunteers.

Every dollar truly matters and makes a difference in a life. Here's how your contribution has been working...

From September of 2006 to June 2007, the American Cancer Society has provided assistance to 238 individuals in the Sioux Empire. This includes over 130 individuals that had been newly diagnosed with cancer. The Navigator program provides free, confidential information, resources and support to cancer patients and their families, survivors and caregivers.

June is always a busy time at the YWCA. We hold swimming lessons at many different times to accommodate everyone’s busy schedule. In the month of June, 217 students participated in our American Red Cross swimming lessons. We also offer open swim and have many outside groups come and enjoy our facility, which totaled approximately 719 participants. We contribute our services to surrounding areas, including Hartford and Colton by offering our American Red Cross Swimming Lessons in the month of July.

*To learn more about the impact Sioux Empire United Way Partner Programs are having, please click here.

Need for Health & Healing Programs

According to HealthySD.gov 62.8% of adults are overweight.

16.4% of 5-19 year olds are overweight and an additional 16.6% are at risk of being overweight (2004-2005 SD School Height and Weight Report).

The American Cancer Society estimates there will be over 3000 new cases of cancer in South Dakota in 2007.

Impact Programs Have

Swimming instruction can provide the opportunity for exercise for our youth while simultaneously teaching them how to be safe in the water, thus reducing the incidence of drowning.

The Navigator Program provides a personal resource to assist cancer patients in finding resources, information, and providing support. Cancer
patients receive the assistance they need to fight the disease and find the support needed to
make their journey less frightening.

Physical activity helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints, control weight, build lean muscle and reduce fat. It also prevents or delays the development of high blood pressure and helps reduce blood pressure in some adolescents with hypertension.

Agencies & Programs

American Cancer Society

Sioux Falls Family YMCA
Aquatics
Child Fitness
Adult Fitness

YWCA Sioux Falls
Aquatics
Adult Fitness

For more information about emergency services programs or to volunteer call the HELP!Line Center at 211 (or 605-339-4357) or visit http://www.helplinecenter.org/

The Decision Makers

There are currently eight volunteers on the Health & Healing Impact Team. These individuals provide stewardship to United Way contributors while planning, setting priorities, distributing funds and developing collaborative community solutions.

Sioux Empire Receives Generous Clothing Donation

The Sioux Empire has received over 18,000 articles of new children’s clothing to
help children in need through local charities. The clothing is a donation of the Kids in Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.), Inc. organization. K.I.D.S., Inc. is a program based in New York that donates merchandise for children and youth to more than 1,000 non-profit agencies.

Lutheran Social Services, in cooperation with the Sioux Empire United Way and the Boy Scouts, distributed the clothing to agencies last week. The agencies will now be able to distribute the clothing this fall to individuals in need in the Sioux Empire. Matt Burkard, age 16, will coordinate the donation as part of his Eagle Scout project.

Volunteers help to unload the pallets of clothing off of the semi-truck.

“I am excited to be a part of this,” said Burkard. “It is great to work on a project that is going to benefit so many kids. I have been fortunate in my life to have clothing. However not all kids are so lucky, and in fact, many of them never have the opportunity to own brand new clothes.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2004, 17.9% of children under the age of 18 in South Dakota were living in poverty. With approximately 18,000 articles of clothing, more than 5,000 children will be able to receive free, brand new, never-been-worn clothing. The clothing came in a variety of styles and in sizes newborn to size 18. All of the clothing is brand new, quality clothing featuring professional athletic team logos. Agencies were able to choose which sizes and styles they need.

An example of an infant outfit from the clothing donation.

“This is so wonderful and so timely to get items out as school begins,” said Carolyn Downs, The Banquet Director. “The parents that we serve struggle to find clothing for their children for school. This clothing is a blessing.”

Over 20 area agencies and programs received clothing, including local schools, a program who will provide clothing to flood victims near Aberdeen, and other area health and human services agencies. Agencies receiving clothing include: Lutheran Social Services Refugee & Immigration, Lutheran Social Services Aberdeen County, Lutheran Social Services of SD Mentor Program, Garfield Elementary School, Hawthorne Elementary School, Hayward Elementary School, Laura B. Anderson Elementary School, The Banquet, Lowell Elementary School, Axtell Park Middle School, Terry Redlin Elementary School, Volunteers of America Dakotas, McCrossan Boys Ranch, New Horizon Adoption Agency, Children's Inn, Teddy Bear Den, Southeastern Behavioral Healthcare Counseling & Children's Services, Anne Sullivan Elementary School, Inter-lakes Community Action-Heartland House, Longfellow Elementary School, and Salvation Army.