Emergency Grants Help to Make Sheboygan Warm & Cozy Once Again

How Emergency Grants Are Supporting Sheboygan County Organizations

United Way of Sheboygan County is proud to provide "Emergency Grants", a timely support to local organizations, ensuring they can continue serving our community without interruption. Recently, two organizations — Sheboygan Hmong Mutual Assistance Association (HMAA) and Above & Beyond Children’s Museum — benefited from Emergency Grants that addressed urgent facility needs.

Restoring Warmth at Sheboygan's Hmong Mutual Assistance Association

In early November, the Hmong Mutual Assistance Association (HMAA) faced an unexpected challenge: the furnace in their community center and office broke down, leaving a large portion of their building without heat. As the colder months set in, staff and volunteers had to relocate their work to warmer areas within the building. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, United Way of Sheboygan County stepped in to connect with HMAA staff and board member CherPao Vang to discuss potential solutions.

Through an Emergency Grant from United Way, HMAA was able to replace the furnace and restore warmth to their space. This critical repair allowed the organization to continue its important work in a safe and comfortable environment.

“We would like to express our sincerest gratitude and appreciation to United Way of Sheboygan County for helping us acquire our new furnace. Our office is now warm and cozy again! Thank you, United Way of Sheboygan County, for jumping into action to help us out! We are so grateful,” HMAA shared on their Facebook Page. 

Supporting Renovations at Above & Beyond Children’s Museum

Above & Beyond Children’s Museum also faced significant facility challenges stemming from damage sustained in December 2022. As part of ongoing renovations to their historic building, the museum needed to replace its HVAC system to ensure the safety and comfort of its visitors and staff. Once again, United Way of Sheboygan County provided an Emergency Grant to support this vital upgrade.

The new HVAC system is a key step in helping the museum move forward with its renovations, allowing them to continue providing a comfortable space for enriching experiences for children and families in Sheboygan County and beyond.

"Above and Beyond Children's Museum is so grateful to have received support through the Emergency Grant funding from United Way. Our mission 'to foster exploration, imagination, and joy through immersive play' is reliant on our ability to serve families in a safe environment. United Way of Sheboygan County's funding allowed us the opportunity to move quickly to replace an aging HVAC system on the roof of our historic building. With a warm and welcoming museum, we are able to focus on energy on encouraging imaginative play among the children of Sheboygan County" said Cate Tinker, Executive Director of Above and Beyond. 

The Impact of Timely Support

These collaborations highlight the importance of timely community support. When unexpected challenges arise, United Way of Sheboygan County is here to provide resources that make a lasting difference. By addressing urgent needs, we help ensure that local organizations can focus on their missions and continue serving our community.

If you'd like to support future Emergency Grants from United Way of Sheboygan County, consider supporting our 2024-25 annual fundraising campaign.