Next to join us in the studio, we are here to talk about United Givers, Jeremiah Hassel, vice president of that organization, and a member of the board of directors, JB Muller is along with us today.
Well, Jay, here we go again, it's another season.
Yeah, and we're back to that season again.
So we're just winding up.
up our campaign to get money for people that are needing our county.
Is there a goal set this year you'd like to talk about?
Um, our goal is,
our goal is $60,000 this year.
Has it been around there in the past year?
No, it's been as low as in the twenties and we've been raising it and the need keeps getting.
There's just so much need in this county and we've
been fortunate that we've been getting what we've been asking for from the county, the people have been stepping up.
You're confident that that goal is going to be reached this year then?
Yes.
And what are some things you're doing in terms of getting the word out?
Well, a radio like this, uh, word of mouth, we've got pamphlets and, and, uh, and signs we put out at local businesses
has the,
uh,
the chance for people to apply for funds.
When does that open?
When does that close, Jay?
That normally opens in about, I think it's in May or June.
Then we open up the applications online and then you've got a certain amount of time to apply for them and then we shut down.
I think it's in July and then after that everything is set and ready to go.
So maybe you could talk about some of the benefactors, people that applied during your past campaign Jeremiah and those that received funds recently.
Well, some of the recipients have been the Aging and Disability Resource Center right here in Richland County.
They help with elderly and disabled people, Boy Scout Troop 81 and PAC 81, Bridge of Hope.
which he works with.
Epilepsy Foundation, which I have been a member of the board and currently supporting this past weekend actually goes up at the Wisconsin Lions Camp volunteering for their adult retreat.
It's very rewarding.
Hornet Football Summer Camps, it's been something we've recently been supporting.
The kinship of Richland County, we've had them for a while, I'm not sure how long.
Lydia's House.
Lydia's House helps people with homelessness in our county.
That's sort of a new organization and we just recently in the recent years started supporting them.
Misfit Homestead and Rescue, these go to help fund animal supplies for a pet prior to being adopted.
national night out, which you're aware of.
You're at that event every year, I believe.
The Okuch Mountain Human Society, they provide shelter and care for animals and goes towards spay and neutering and vaccinations for these animals.
Passages helps those for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
Pine Valley Foundation promotes and assists Pine Valley Community Village and we all know what the Pine Valley Community Village does and all the people it helps.
Richland Area Crime Stoppers, they help gather funds for tipsters.
Richland Area Rescue, they adopt
They offer adoptable animals.
Those animals are in dire needs of homes at this facility.
Funding goes towards the same with the humane society, immunizations, spaying and neutering.
Richland County Children and Family Advocacy Council promotes public awareness regarding child abuse, neglect, and substance abuse issues.
Richland Community Food Pantry, and they obviously provide food to those who are less fortunate and have food insecurities.
Richland County Children and Family Advocacy Council promotes public awareness regarding child abuse, neglect, and substance abuse issues.
The Richland County HHS Behavior Health Unit funds and
Those funds go to help for food, shelter, and transportation for those that are in emergency needs with mental health issues.
Richland County HHS, child and youth services funding goes to caregivers who are waiting for children who are waiting for formal services to become available.
Then the HHS Public Health provides assistance to residents in a severe hardship or needing cleanup from health hazards.
Then Richland Hospital Foundation, they offer, this specifically goes to healthcare career days, exposes area students to the possibilities of working in the medical field.
They need supplies for the demonstrations and a lot of hands-on.
A lot of area youth use that.
Salvation Army.
Funds are used to provide emergency assistance for people in unforeseen circumstances in our area.
Simon's Wreck Complex.
They're looking to purchase a pool side, a pool wheelchair to better serve those needing assistance.
Suicide Prevention Fund.
funds are for suicide prevention awareness and will display positive message and given these t-shirts actually are given to eighth graders in area schools then the Union Cater Learning Center it offers programs for youth four and fourth to twelfth grade and they
That's downtown and they purchased educational supplies for these youth.
And then of course we have all the first responders and ambulances, Ithaca first responders, Lone Rock Rescue and Muscatay EMS are some of those recipients this year.
that's amazing united givers uh giving to all of those organizations that Jeremiah just mentioned um when people apply Jay uh do they ask for a certain amount or how do you how do you
divvy it up there's certain amount you can ask for and one of the uh qualifications to get united givers is that you're a 501 3c corporation uh nonprofit and they'll go through a series of questions and they'll ask you just exactly what your organization does um
Who does it serve?
How much are you asking for?
And you can put in how much you asked for, and the United Givers will make that determination of how much you're actually going to receive.
And then let's take, for example, Salvation Army.
They work, they won't get their funds until January of next year, but they back it up so it's applied to the 2026.
So, and then they go through the whole thing, ask you just exactly what your mission statement is, what you're going to do with that money, and how it's going to be applied, and what kind of demographics are you using?
Who are you helping?
I'm going to take example, the one I know best was Bridget Hope.
Actually, that is a emergency stop gap for people that are caught between going to the food pantry, which
whose numbers are way up.
And we tell them that that's where the money is going and what's going to be used for.
Since Bridge of Hope has started, we're almost into 300 clients.
And they usually come in and it's a one-shot deal.
They usually, we don't want them to be dependent on any of these services.
So usually they come in, use the services until we can get them to another service that can help them a little bit more, which is the big help is ADRC, which is Rich and Sounder Health and Human Services, which is a very, very good source of directing people of what their benefits are.
And we found out that some people say, well, they just come to Richland County because their benefits are better here than anywhere else.
85 to 90% of the people that come to Richland Center is because they have family here.
So we've kind of dispersed that
myth.
Um, and in terms of, um, well, if people want to give, so you're, this is the 2026 campaign.
Does it go, uh, then in two, 2027 it's
applied then.
Is that how it works?
Um, well, no, but what we do is we back because it's like a salvation army.
We back it up.
So it's applied this year so that, uh, salvation army can use the funds this year.
Uh, but they can donate, uh, by mailing a check to richon county, united givers,
P.O.
Box 228 Richland Center, Wisconsin, 53581, of course, or else you can go to the website, Google it like everybody else does, and you can make a donation there.
Can you pledge and give it later?
Or how does that work?
You can do the pledge thing.
And actually that works pretty well.
You challenge people to say, I'm going to pledge a hundred bucks to United Givers.
Will you do the same?
Yes, that works very well.
used that in both the United Givers and Salvation Army before.
A
lot of positive, pure pressure there,
right?
Well, the thing about is, is that, um, Richland County is a very giving county.
They have always demonstrated that they are willing to give, they're willing to give to people that are in need.
And we recognize, they recognize that the people recognize that because they see it every day.
I see it every day.
So they're very giving.
And the money
stays right here too.
Doesn't money stays right here in the bulk of it stays right in Richland County.
So, uh, so if you write a check to United Givers just write Richland County on it and it'll get to where it needs to go.
Jeremiah, why are you proud to be a member of this organization?
Because the money that we all raise stays here and stays local.
Sure.
Some of these organizations don't have offices here, but the money that they.
They receive will end up coming back here.
That's what they they pledge when they receive this money like for instance the epilepsy foundation they Now have services all throughout the state, but there's About two or three hundred people here in this county that have that that have received services from the epilepsy foundation in one form or another and that's just
One one aspect of that and everybody else here most of this is all local and the money stays here one donation Everybody probably know everybody in this county probably has either received help from one of these organizations used one of these organizations or knows of somebody who has
And the front cover of your brochure is kinship of Richland County.
And that's an important one.
I know you guys have supported in the past.
Yes, they provide mentoring for local youth.
And that's important.
Some of these children need guidance and their parents are too busy working or whatever.
And that's, that is a huge asset.
to local area youth to use the kinship program when they have somebody who will spend some time with them and help them through their daily lives or issues that they're dealing with at that time.
And
Jay,
anything else you want to add?
Well, I want to just give a shout out to Sue Sharp, who's the head of kinship.
She's done a lot of wonderful work and I've heard firsthand some of the stuff that she does and
it's a good organization and stuff and the thing about united givers is that when you get to your tax deduction how whatever what you do and stuff it's like a supermarket of charities where else could you donate money and cover that many charities you're doing good and you're saving yourself some check money so but uh i just want to you know repeat the you can send your money to uh
PO Box 228, Richland Center, Wisconsin.
Just right on your check, Richland County, or else you can go on Google, which everybody does, and you can donate through there.
Wonderful.
And why do you stay involved, Jay?
It's a mission for me.
Ever since I retired in 2016, and I was voted out of office, but I don't want to talk about that now in 2016, but
I kind of thought, what are you going to do now?
And I found out what I'm going to do.
So I spent the last almost 10, 11 years supporting people that are in need.
Is there a dispersal night when you give out all the money?
It's usually in January.
And that's when we present the checks.
Right.
So those organizations will
be there?
The organizations we like to have.
the organizations come in so we can get a, a photo op and stuff.
And then, um, it's cause we want to, we promote, even though we're, we only meet every so often, we're working 12 months out of the year.
When's the deadline coming up for people to give money for this campaign, Jeremiah?
The end of the year, actually December 31st concludes our campaign and then we will have our check distribution in January.
Are you going to have the thermometer up somewhere in town this year again?
I believe we will at the courthouse.
All right.
Yeah.
At the courthouse.
That's kind of a tradition too.
This time
of year, right?
And it's stuck in somebody's garage and we dust it off and bring it out and get it out again.
Well, this year you got to put some more red on it.
If you're getting
up to 60,000 actually our, um,
our treasurer Debbie Wurz.
She's the one that keeps it in one of her sheds out there and have her get it dusted out and make her look nice and put her up there and let her go.
It won't be long.
It won't be long.
It is the season.
Anything else either you would like to add
this morning?
No, I'm pretty well touched base with everything.
Yeah, we appreciate you and WRCO due for the organization without that support.
We wouldn't
and be able to get as much exposure as we presently do.
Well, good luck with your lofty goals.
We hope it goes well.
And if you go above 60, that's a good problem to have too.
Oh, yeah.
Oh,
absolutely.
Don't worry, that rolls on to the next year.
So we're good to go.
Good.
Well, good luck, gentlemen.
Thanks for you.
Thank you, Phil.
You bet.
JB Muller joining us along with Jeremiah Hassel, representing United Givers.
And again, the campaign is underway until the end of the year.