Live United... What Does it Mean?

You may have seen the stark white shirt with the bold black letters proclaiming LIVE UNITED. Perhaps these shirts appear at the gym, on a group of children and adults at the corner raking the neighbor’s yard, or launched by the football coach off the stage into the crowd at the all-staff orientation meeting.  They’re cool enough, but what does it mean? Live United?

Live United encompasses the basic United Way premise that “underneath everything we are, underneath everything we do, we are all people connected, interdependent, united. And when we reach out a hand to one, we influence the condition of all.”

Let’s put the theory into practice.

Hudson School District employs about 800 people who each have a role in shaping the lives and futures of our children. They use their talents and training in their daily jobs, but they do more – they give to nonprofits – like , and they give of their time. They Live United. They touch lives and they help others.

Nonprofits don’t operate in a vacuum. We rely on each other to find the gaps in service and fill them, and to leverage strengths to further the organizational missions that focus on helping our community. United Way St. Croix Valley supports and partners with more than 70 local nonprofits!

For example, the Free Clinic of Pierce and St. Croix Counties shared with United Way that they have about 25 volunteers on any given Tuesday evening helping patients gain access to prescription medications and manage chronic conditions. They partner not only with United Way, but area clinics, hospitals and service providers to accomplish this.  

Sam is a man in his 50s who was laid off in the recent recession. His dire situation of no income and no health insurance was exacerbated by the fact that he has diabetes. With dangerously high blood sugar levels, he turned to the Free Clinic for help. With regular visits and medications from the Prescription Assistance Program, Sam manages his condition.

Having a voice and the power to change the world around you is one of the inherent joys of inclusion in a community like Hudson.

You can be a part of the change in whatever big or small way you choose. Buy the coach a coffee. Help the neighbor wheel their trash can back to the house. Stop your car politely to let the pedestrian cross the street. Volunteer your time.  Support the nonprofit community. You choose. The important part is to DO.

That’s what it means to Live United.

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Note: Hudson School District runs a United Way workplace campaign. The Free Clinic of Pierce and St. Croix Counties is a funded agency partner of United Way St. Croix Valley.