April is National Volunteer Month, a time to honor those who dedicate their time and energy to supporting their communities. At United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, we celebrate our volunteers year-round, but this month, we are especially excited to highlight the key partners and volunteers who play a vital role in furthering our mission to transform lives and enhance our community.
Meet our Volunteer Recognition Awardees:
Aurora Health care & Summerfest/Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.
Inspiring Collaboration award
In early September 2024, Aurora Health Care and Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. partnered with United Way to enhance the Pulse Health and Wellness Fest with a unique volunteer opportunity. The festival was held at the Summerfest grounds and featured over 40 fitness classes, live cooking demonstrations, youth sports activities, health-focused panel discussions, and local resource booths, all designed to promote health and wellness within the community. Over 85 volunteers came together to pack and distribute 1,500 youth mental health and personal hygiene kits on the iconic Summerfest grounds. These kits were provided to six local partners dedicated to supporting youth and families.
Marquette University & Carroll University
Inspiring Alignment with a United Way Key Initiative award
Marquette University and Carroll University have played pivotal roles in advancing United Way's Safe & Stable Homes Initiative by actively contributing to Project Homeless Connect in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties. These universities have not only energized their students, staff, and key service clubs to volunteer as guest advocates and provide essential event support, but they have also generously opened their facilities and mobilized support staff, ensuring the success of these events and connecting community members in need with vital resources.
Children's Wisconsin & Two men and a truck
Lifting Our Impact Behind the Scenes award
After Children's Wisconsin learned that the United Way had acquired a substantial donation of diapers from the National Diaper Bank network but lacked storage facilities, they quickly offered their large warehouse space for as long as needed. Throughout 2024, they housed nearly 80 pallets of diapers, demonstrating incredible teamwork. The warehouse staff not only facilitated the storage but also actively participated in diaper pick-ups and tailored efforts to prepare specific sizes for distribution. Staff also organized a packing event in the warehouse, successfully packing over 15,000 diapers to be distributed to Diaper Hubs.
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has ensured that these vital supplies reach those who need them. They transported the pallets of diapers, as well as over 20 pallets of winter care kits, boots, hygiene supplies, and much more, to various locations, including Project Homeless Connect events. Many of these transit services have been provided at no cost to United Way. Without the assistance of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, the volunteer impact achieved by United Way last year would not have been possible, underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts in serving the community.
Northwestern Mutual
Inspiring Corporate Event Partnership award
Each year, Northwestern Mutual engages thousands of employees in a heartwarming initiative to spread holiday cheer by fulfilling gift tags representing the wishes of families in need. Employee volunteers purchase and wrap gifts, make financial donations, or team up for group shopping outings to bring joy to those who would otherwise go without. Consistently exceeding local organizations in fulfilling gift tags, their contributions of toys, winter gear, and household items have made a meaningful impact during a time that can be very stressful for many.
Deloitte llp
Inspiring Year-Round Engagement award
Deloitte LLP has been a steadfast partner of United Way across the nation for decades. Each year, they dedicate an entire day, known as Impact Day, in early June collaborating with United Way on a variety of unique projects that directly benefit our local community. In the past year, their team packed pencil pouches in support of United Way's Backpack Coalition, refreshed the Born Learning Trail in Enderis Park, and actively participated in the annual Holiday Giving Tree Program. The Deloitte team consistently seeks strategic and creative ways to engage their employees while addressing the critical needs of our community.
women united
INSPIRING DONOR NETWORK award
Since 2023, Women United has been a strong advocate for United Way’s Teen Mental Wellness: Empowering Minds initiative, committing over $300,000 to this initiative. In 2024, they showcased their dedication by contributing $22 million to United Way’s campaign and promoting leadership giving within their corporate partnerships. Their signature events, Bruncheon and Spree, generated more than $250,000 to further support the Empowering Minds initiative. With NAMI, they established the “Mental Wellness Allies” Advocacy Group, which has quickly grown to over 60 members, highlighting their commitment to fostering community support and understanding around mental health.
Landmark credit union
Diaper Pin Award
In 2024, Landmark Credit Union hosted a community-wide diaper drive across six counties in Wisconsin, including all four served by United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County. Collection barrels were set up at all Landmark branch locations, encouraging members and the greater community to contribute, resulting in over $6,000 worth of diapers and wipes being collected. Additionally, they organized multiple diaper packing events, including the inaugural Connecting to Community: Family-Friendly Diaper Packing Event, which brought together more than 110 local individuals, workplace teams, and families to bundle diapers on a Saturday morning in June.
Komatsu
Growing Partnership Award
What began as a few Holiday Giving Tree tags for interested volunteers has grown into increased participation and support for several of United Way's key volunteer initiatives. In 2024, Komatsu took a major step by sponsoring a school through United Way's Backpack Coalition. Their generous financial support covered the costs for backpacks and all necessary supplies. Komatsu volunteers then came together to assemble these backpacks for every incoming freshman at Bradley Tech. As a result, each student was equipped with a fully stocked backpack, ensuring they had all the essential supplies needed to thrive in the classroom.
Reid Engstrom
Gwen T. Jackson Community Service Award
Over the last 15 years, Reid Engstrom has made significant contributions as a fundraising volunteer on the Campaign Cabinet since 2010, raising millions for those in need. He has served on the Technology United Council and the Public Policy Committee, and co-chaired the Retire United Committee from 2017 to 2022. Reid has actively participated in various United Way events, such as Backpack Coalition and Project Homeless Connect. During the pandemic, he volunteered for the Mask Up MKE initiative, creating hundreds of masks for healthcare workers from his home.
The Gwen T. Jackson Community Service Award was established in 1981 and is presented annually to the United Way volunteer who best exemplifies a spirit of volunteerism and dedication to our community.
Interested in volunteering as an individual or as group?
For more updates on United Way initiatives, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.