We focus our giving on four strategic areas that align with our values.
1. Hunger and housing
In this category, we support programs in:
- Clothing and household needs: Clothing; baby essentials such as cribs, car seats and diapers; household necessities.
- Food and nutrition: Food pantry support, food delivery and meal outreach, school and backpack nutrition, refrigeration needs, emergency food, farm-to-table.
- Housing and shelter: Emergency shelter support, refrigeration needs (excluding heating equipment), transition and permanent housing, housing for people with disabilities, home ownership, homelessness prevention, case management assistance, independent living.
- Transportation: Bus passes, ride share.
2. Workforce readiness
In this category, we support programs in:
- Agriculture: Youth agriculture (FFA, 4-H), school gardens, farm education and innovation, county fairs.
- Literacy and education: Libraries and bookmobiles; after school and summer reading; adult literacy; financial and digital literacy; STEM programming, workshops and festivals; STEM grants for K-12 classrooms; interactive classroom programs/tools; after school and summer STEM programs.
- Workforce development and transportation: Career exploration and job training, employment skills for disadvantaged youth, employment for people with disabilities, school-to-career solutions, energy industry programs, work transportation assistance and ride share.
- Youth development: Leadership and mentoring, anti-bullying, after school programs, YMCA.
3. Environmental stewardship
In this category, we support programs in:
- Environmental conservation: Protecting wildlife spaces, planting trees and prairies, creating and protecting habitats, water cleanup.
- Environmental education: Public education, workshops, and school programs about environmental issues, endangered species and wildlife protection.
- Park updates: Improving city parks with benches, signs and picnic tables.
- Trail projects: Enhancing trails with benches, signs, picnic tables, garden beds and maintenance.
4. Community safety and engagement
In this category, we support programs in:
- First responders: Lifesaving equipment such as thermal cameras, gas monitors, fire gear and AEDs. (Standard funding: $1,000)
- Community events: Festivals, fairs, holiday lights and parades.
- Playground updates: New equipment for public parks. (Standard funding: $1,000)
- Disaster readiness and relief: Aid for natural disasters, fires and pandemics.