Posted 8:56 a.m. Monday, Nov. 24, 2025
From December 1-12, UWL is hosting an employee workplace campaign to benefit the Great Rivers United Way (GRUW) grants program, as well as a food drive for the GRUW and Rotary Lights annual non-perishable food collection, which helps benefit UWL’s Food Pantry.
Great Rivers United Way works to advance the common good to create opportunities for a better life for all individuals in our eight-county service region. When it comes to the mental wellbeing of our community, Great Rivers United Way is working to ensure all residents have access to the services they need to be mentally well.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five American adults experience some form of mental illness. In Wisconsin, this translates to approximately one million people. This year, Great Rivers United Way is investing in programs to improve the mental wellbeing of the communities it serves and issued its first-ever Community Mental Wellbeing grants totaling $1.5 million over three years thanks to community support!
When it comes to the next generation, the most recent Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed that 59% of high school students said they have experienced at least one mental health challenge over the last 12 months, and more than half reported anxiety. Thirty-five percent reported experiencing depression almost every day for two weeks in a row.
Whether you’ve utilized local mental wellbeing programs or know someone who has, Great Rivers United Way is in our community to ensure everyone has access to the resources they need to stay healthy and thrive.
Learn more about how your donation impacts community members at: www.gruw.org/adayinthelife. Watch for information on Campus Connection or via email on how you can make a payroll deduction that benefits GRUW. Food donations can be dropped off at the Information Desk in the Student Union beginning December 1.
You truly can help make a difference in the lives of many!