Neeraj Deshingkar IT

I believe the United Way has given us a great platform and an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life, and it’s our moral responsibility to help those people who can’t help themselves. I believe this campaign will have a significant impact on the St. Louis community. I am motivated by the idea that I can make a small difference and support this campaign and Bayer’s goal.

Merry Duan Credit

I have been actively donating to the United Way because of its mission to help those in need, especially during the pandemic. We will continue to support those in need through the United Way!

Paul Kirbach North America Commercial Corn Production

A partnership between the United Way and Olin Business School allowed me to join the board of directors for the Lemay Child and Family Center. LCFC is a United Way organization that is focused on serving the Lemay area with early childhood development and education. LCFC has worked to develop programs and partnerships that develop the whole child and support families of all kinds.

One of the programs I’m most proud to see is the Trauma Smart program. The teachers and staff have been able to focus on developing skills that allow them to help children work through trauma and give them the tools to continue to work through challenging situations even when they’re not in the classroom.

It was never more apparent that programs like this need support than when COVID-19 disrupted our “normal”. LCFC implemented programs to keep children engaged remotely and worked to safely open the center back up when county guidelines permitted. Equipped with their Trauma Smart training, the teachers and staff have been able to support the families of the center as many work to navigate a changing environment around them weekly.

Contributing to the United Way helps to directly fund organizations that provide critical support to individuals who need it within our community. I’m proud to support Lemay Child and Family Center and I’m proud that we are a United Way organization.

Please consider contributing this year, your dollars and support are felt throughout the community and make a big difference in the lives of our friends and neighbors.

Krystal Bagge US Corporate Reporting

I support the United Way because I have had the privilege of volunteering with a number of the organizations that fall under the United Way’s umbrella through United Young Leaders, the Young Professionals Group associated with the United Way.

Through the organization, I have been made aware of the great need in the St. Louis community. I now work to support the group whether it be through time or money. Volunteering with United Way Young Leaders encouraged me to join the group’s steering committee, so I can continue to give back and encourage other young adults in the region to do the same.

Angela Culler Regulatory Affairs Seeds & Traits

United Way helps 1 in 3 people in our community, and I was one of them. I often get the question “Where are you from?” and people are surprised to hear that I’m from Minnesota. That typically leads to a conversation about how I was born in South Korea and adopted as a young child by an American family. What we don’t typically talk about is how my adoptive family found me. My parents used an agency called Children’s Home Society, which is supported by the United Way, and helps match parents with children needing families. I thank the United Way for helping me find my forever family!

Sherri Tichenor

I have actively supported the United Way campaign for years, but this is my first year as campaign co-chair. I’m excited to play a larger role in this year’s campaign and see how the many fundraising events we have planned work to support our community. The United Way has always impressed me through the work it does to positively impact St. Louis, and I especially love seeing the work done by those agencies that support the education of children through the arts.

Charles Bergmann Campaign Co-Chair and Head of Global Customer Engagement for Environmental Science and Vegetable Seeds

This is my second year as co-chair of our annual campaign, but I’ve supported the United Way for years. I am especially passionate about programs that support education, health, and social opportunities for children. Seeing how United Way brings those to life in our community, and being able to support them through our campaign, is incredibly rewarding

Penny S Lab Submission

I support the United Way because the various times that I have called on them for many different organizations that I support, they never fail to come through for us in a great way!

Kelly Fleming Global Marketing & Commercial Excellence

I support the United Way because they fund Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, Southside Childhood Center, and other great organizations that directly benefit my local community.

Annemieke De Wilde HSE - Occupational Medicine and Health

Nearly 5 months ago, our 23-year-old niece, cousin, sister, daughter, etc, was approached by a serial rapist. She vehemently resisted and paid the price with her life. She is my inspiration to support United Way so all those who are victims of sexual abuse, now or in the distant past, can find the help they need to live with the injustice done to them. It can happen to any of us. Let’s make sure the help and support exists the need arises!

Sound Krishnamoorthy IT Digital Foundations

Much like everyone loves Christmas, since 2017 which was when I was introduced to United Way I look forward to the United Way season each year. I love the diversity of sports, events, collaboration, and planning that happens across the company and outside the company to make it such a great success.

Each year the bar is set higher and every single individual and many times the household is engaged in this event, rooting for the same cause in their own unique ways, be it by playing cricket or by walking the ramp, or working behind the scenes or being a cheerleader like my little one.

For the first time this year, I was an integral part of planning the Women’s Cricket league with my Colleagues Pradeep Bongula, Arun Sankarapillai, Suvandhya Rao, and Pujitha Bandi. Despite the short notice, it was a delight to have four Women’s teams signed up for the game and demonstrated the utmost commitment and sportsmanship. It was impeccable to bring my friends, fellow colleagues, wife’s of colleagues together and make history with yet another addition to the United Way season.

Taylor Kemp NA Trade and Compliance

I support the United Way because it is an organization that supports our local community and it is so great to be able to have a huge impact on such a wonderful organization with our campaign. It means a lot to be a part of a company that cares so much about our community and has people willing to support the United Way year after year in new and exciting ways. We have outstanding leadership support and they challenge us to continually raise the bar!

Jerry Huckins Lab Discovery and Synthesis

I appreciate the United Way for making me aware of the needs of my community. They have vetted numerous charities, giving me the confidence that my donations of time and money are going to a productive source. The volunteer events are fun, stress-free get-togethers where I can interact with my colleagues and meet others in my department.

Janet Anderson NA Material Hazard Communications / HSE

My Mom received support from a United Way agency, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association St. Louis Regional Chapter since 2008. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is better known as ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). My mother was diagnosed in October 2008 although looking back we believe that her symptoms may have started a couple of years earlier. The ALS Association assigned a social worker to Mom and followed up with her needs several times a year.

The ALS Association partners with the Saint Louis University Department of Neurology & Psychiatry to conduct a certified ALS clinic which patients attend quarterly. The clinic is multi-disciplinary which means that the patient will see the Neurologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, pulmonary therapist, chaplain, and dietician on each visit. This really cuts down on unnecessary travel which is important since ALS affects some patient’s ability to walk.

The ALS Association also maintains a loan closet for durable medical equipment and physical therapy aids. For example, my Mother was able to borrow a lift chair from the ALS Association which served her needs for a couple of years. Another very valuable loaned item was a power wheelchair; these highly customized chairs meet the needs of ALS patients and cost between $20 and $30,000 dollars – the ability to borrow this device was a life-enhancing experience.

The ALS Association connected us to volunteers who came and built a wheelchair ramp at my Mom’s home. This assistance from the ALS Association backed by the United Way enabled my Mom to live out her life in her home. Our family is grateful for the support and wonderful people that we met through the United Way and the ALS Association.

Jennifer Hutson Supply Chain

I have supported United Way because I was able to say that I wanted my contribution to go to my Daughter’s Private Catholic School.

Karen C Supply Chain

Supporting United Way is great because they create several programs that support our community. There are so many ways to donate by participating in fun events all month long!

Jeffrey Kaibel Crop Science Product Supply

I support the United Way because I have a daughter who is a direct recipient of their assistance. She was born 4 months premature, and one of the impacts of that is she is visually impaired. From a very early age, as we started researching the different agencies in St Louis that support the visually impaired, we found the Delta Gamma Center, which provides educational services for children who are visually impaired or blind. The services include education, orientation, and mobility, and a number of different therapy services including occupational, physical, and speech, as well as guidance and training for parents to help them learn how to best support their children for long-term success.

The Delta Gamma Center is a non-profit organization that accepts support from the United Way; in fact, through my support of United Way through the years, I have been able to specifically direct my donation to Delta Gamma, so I know exactly where and how my donation is being used. My daughter has benefited greatly from the support of Delta Gamma, and I would hate to think of where she may be today if she had not had access to those services.

Patricia T

I give to United Way because of the significant impact the dollars make in our local community. When you meet the clients and staff of funded agencies, it really hits home. Our donations – time, talents, and treasure – are critical investments where we live, work, and play. Giving back ensures others in our community have the equal opportunity to thrive and that our community stays healthy – for the long term.

Heather R

My family gives our time, talent, and treasure to the United Way … because we know that the funds stay right here, every cent. We can help our neighbors, whatever the problem may be. We contribute to helping children read on grade level and we help seniors get proper nutrition. We are all one instance of bad luck away from needing resources that are funded by the United Way … We feel like we ought to invest in our community. It’s that simple.

Judy M

I give to the United Way because it provides funding to a wide variety of programs in my local community. It is so easy to give by pledging through payroll deduction!