United Way of Hill County reaches goal

The United Way of Hill County has reached its $80,000 goal.

This is the first time in eight years the nonprofit has met its annual goal.

The money will be used to provide food, shelter, protection and health care to Hill County residents who need it most, said Jessica Nebel, the local United Way's executive director.

Nebel said the organization is grateful for the generosity of Hill County businesses and community members, whose donations made it possible for United Way to fully meet their funded partners' requests for support in 2016.

"It would be impossible to help the thousands of Hill County residents our funded partners work with without the financial support of our community members," said Nebel, who was hired as UWHC's executive director in January 2015. "Thank you for believing in us and helping us create a brighter future for Hill County."

United Way serves as a fundraising agency for nine local agencies. This year's funded agencies are:

• CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)

• The Domestic Abuse Program

• Hill County Family Planning

• Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen

• Havre Food Bank

• Havre Senior Center

• HRDC Adult Basic Literacy Program

• Meals on Wheels

• Salvation Army.

Jon Von Stein, who served as the board president in 2015, said "thankful" was the theme of last fall's United Way campaign.

"It proved to be a fitting theme for our campaign," he said. "We are so thankful that with so many worthwhile causes to support, our local community believed in our vision and chose to support us. The UWHC board is truly thankful to be a part of such a giving community."

After several years falling short of its campaign fundraising goal, UWHC took a step back in 2015 and reassessed its priorities. It cut expenses and narrowed its focus so it could stretch each donated dollar a little further.

United Way kicked off its campaign in Oct. 2015 with a hugely successful crab boil fundraiser. Tickets for the first annual crab fest sold out and the event raised more than $20,000.