Two Macon agencies and Great Rivers Council of Scouting America are among the partners funded through Truman State University's annual United Way campaign, which kicked off the week of Sept. 21, according to Truman Today.
The campaign supports the United Way of Northeast Missouri, which funds 10 agencies that serve the region. Truman Today said 99 percent of every dollar stays local. Local partners on the list include the Macon Community Child Development Center, Macon Diversified Industries, and Great Rivers Council of Scouting America.
Patrick Nolan, district commissioner for the Black Diamond District of Great Rivers Council, said the district covers Macon and Adair counties and that he represents the council in the area. We are working to grow Cub Scout Pack 85 in Macon and a Scout troop, he said, and local Scouts also camp and Scout with Troop 179 in Shelbina.
United Way support for Great Rivers Council has made a significant difference for youth in Scouting who want leadership and character development, camping, and STEM activities, Nolan said. That includes building and flying drones, working with technology, and attending the Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation, he said.
Nolan said he is proud of our local Scouts. "They are the best of us."
The Child Development Center provides care and early education for young children in Macon, according to the center's website. It lists capacity for up to 80 children and names Mary Linear as center director.
Macon Diversified Industries provides work opportunities for people with disabilities in the Macon County area, according to the United Way of Northeast Missouri. The organization operates a recycling collection center and a thrift store stocked with donated household goods and clothing, the United Way partner page says.
Other agencies on Truman Today's list include Adair County 4-H; the Adair County Family YMCA; Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri; Hospice of Northeast Missouri; NEMO Senior Citizens Services; Northeast Missouri Agency on Aging; and the Salvation Army.
Truman faculty and staff are to receive campaign materials through campus mail, with pledge forms and payroll-deduction options, Truman Today said. Campaign co-chairs are Brian Snyder, an associate professor of exercise sciences, and Dawn Howd, director of stewardship. Online gifts go through liveunitednemo.org.
Truman Today said more than one in three people in the United Way of Northeast Missouri service area are touched by United Way agencies and programs.
Disclosure: Patrick Nolan is founder of Chariton Media.