United Way of Kankakee & Iroquois Counties

06/19/2026

It's been a minute... But is back!

Today, we are spotlighting ALIVE Literacy, a recipient of your local United Way support. ALIVE provides free, specialized tutoring for adults, ages 17+, bridging the gap between educational barriers and personal self-sufficiency. Thank you, Julie and team!

🎓 Learn more about ALIVE, or share with a friend who might benefit from their support: www.kcc.edu/adulted/programs/community-literacy

06/18/2026

Curious where support for our local Emergency Response Fund is going? 👀 Here's what we've made possible so far!

Grants have now been awarded to Grace Christian Academy - Kankakee and Redeeming Life Church in Aroma Park, which served as donation drop-off zones, meal and shelter sites, and beyond. 🍽📦🛏

Our immediate assistance program, managed through KCCSI - Kankakee County Community Services, Inc has surpassed $150k distributed, and a second round of funds has been allocated to help with the waitlist of applications for help already received.

Funds will also be distributed directly to families who suffered the most severe damage from the March 10th storm, through an application process overseen by our community's COAD Long-Term Recovery Committee.

More is to come! Thank you to the companies and individuals who have empowered this impact so far. If you've not made a gift yet to support local recovery efforts, please do so today at: www.myunitedway.org/disaster

06/17/2026

Today's goes out to our friends at Urban Farmer! We were grateful to participate in their Employee Wellness Fair last month, sharing information about 211 and local food pantry resources.

We are also super grateful to Jonathan for allowing us to come back for a tour! Thanks for sharing a "slice" of your world with us. 🍕

If your workplace is hosting a resource fair OR has 10 minutes free at your next team meeting 📣, we'd love to come share! United Way is designed to help you connect with the fantastic array of services in our region. Message us, or email us at [email protected]!

06/16/2026

Nonprofits with strong financial health contribute to stronger communities—and we’re here to help make that happen. 💪

Mission: Possible is a a FREE workshop series designed for small, Kankakee County nonprofits to strengthen operations and grow grant writing success. Join us June 30th for a conversation on Finances!

Register today at: bit.ly/KCmissionpossible ((Missed the first session? No worries! Sign up an join us for session 2!))

This series is a collaborative effort between United Way, Kankakee Economic and Community Development Agency, and our friends at Kankakee Community College with the goal of equipping local nonprofits with the tools, knowledge, and confidence they need to make their missions possible. 💓

06/15/2026

After Thursday's storm, we continue to be reminded of the experience we had with the March 10th tornado.🌪️ Rebuilding continues, and we are grateful that efforts to assist with recovery haven't been forgotten.

Please join us in thanking our friends at Comcast for donating to our local Emergency Response Fund. Every gift matters, so thank you for committing to families in our community. 🫶 If you've not yet shown your support, please consider doing so today at: myunitedway.org/disaster

If you are looking to apply for assistance in recovering from the storm, visit our website: myunitedway.org/disasterhelp or dial 2-1-1.

06/12/2026

FREE lunch, professional development hours, and networking for early childhood professionals and teachers? 👇 See link in the post below to register!

Like and follow the Success By 6 page to stay tuned with great opportunities like this one!

Success By 6 is a join initiative of United Way and the Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley, created to help us better invest in healthy beginnings, supported families, and our strengthen our local early childhood network. Learn more, and sign up for monthly Sb6 coalition emails: https://myunitedway.org/successby6

𝙒𝙚'𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙄𝙂 𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙅𝙪𝙡𝙮...

Registration is now OPEN for this FREE Success By 6 early childhood educator training opportunity on Thursday, July 16th.

🆓Lunch and professional development hours will be FREE to all who register ahead: https://forms.gle/QPF1rBJ9qB4aCJj37

Unlocking Potential: Inclusive Classroom Strategies for All Kids is a hands-on professional development session for early childhood educators, led by Chrissy Nojd and Laura Bivona. Participants will explore practical strategies, including the use of task boxes and hands-on activities, to support children with diverse learning needs. The session will provide tools for promoting engagement, independence, and skill-building, while fostering an inclusive classroom that supports social-emotional, cognitive, and sensory development.

06/11/2026

THANK YOU, AHF Products - Kankakee, for your generous gift to our Emergency Response Fund, as well as for sharing this Family & Friends Discount for neighbors impacted by the March 10th storm.

If you are rebuilding and need to replace your flooring, consider this fantastic opportunity being offered by our friends at AHF. 🛠️

Along with AHF's monetary donation to the United Way's Kankakee Disaster Relief Fund and flooring donations to KVTA and impacted employees, we're extending our steep Friends and Family Discount Program.

Through December 31, 2026, AHF Products is extending our Family & Friends discounted pricing to residents of these communities. It's one small way we're helping families rebuild and move forward. 💙

06/10/2026

Today marks 3 months since the March 10th tornado🌪️, and we are grateful that efforts to assist with recovery haven't been forgotten.

We are especially grateful for the 61 families who made a gift through May's matching gift challenge offered by Thrivent. Combined with Thrivent's match, this effort helped raise $12,773 for our local Emergency Response Fund. THANK YOU!

If you are looking to apply for assistance in recovering from the storm, visit our website: myunitedway.org/disasterhelp or dial 2-1-1.

06/10/2026

Needing food pantry support? 🍅🍞🥫 Whether for yourself, a loved one, or a coworker, it's important to know where you can go for help.

We recently updated our Kankakee County food pantry list, which can be found at: myunitedway.org/food

Like, comment, & share to help us get this information out there for the people who need this support! 📲

06/08/2026

Join our friends at the MCA Senior Adult Day Center for a butterfly release ceremony at their Intergenerational Butterfly Garden, next Tuesday at Bird Park in Kankakee. This project was kickstarted as a part of United Way's Day of Action back in April, and we are excited to see it come to fruition! 🦋