SHELDON—The leaves turning colors doesn’t just signify the start of fall. That also means the start of the annual Sheldon United Fund drive.
The drive started on Oct. 4 and ends on Dec. 31.
“We are a local nonprofit organization that supports 23 nonprofit organizations,” said Sheldon United Fund secretary and treasurer Cindy Runger. “It helps them to fulfill their needs and helping everyone in the community and the surrounding area.”
The goal in 2021 is to raise $30,000. The Sheldon United Fund raised about $38,000 last year.
“That’s the most we’ve made since we went off on our own,” Runger said. “By going on our own, we can help our own local, nonprofit organizations. It would be wonderful to raise that again, but with economic times, we are just grateful for every dollar that is raised so we can help the organizations.”
She added the goal has been met each year since the Sheldon United Fund started in 2001.
The Sheldon United Fund raised more than $9,000 in its first week already in October.
Pledge cards are available at the four Sheldon banks: Citizens State Bank, Iowa State Bank, Northwestern Bank and Peoples Bank.
Information on all 23 organizations the Sheldon United Fund benefits also is available with the pledge cards.
The organizations are:
- American Red Cross
- Boy Scouts
- Children’s World
- Dolly Parton Imagination Library
- Family Crisis Centers
- Foster Grandparent Program
- Girl Scouts
- His Little Ones Preschool
- Iowa Special Olympics
- Love In the Name of Christ
- Lutheran Services in Iowa
- Meals on Wheels
- Noah’s Ark Preschool
- Rise Ministries
- Sheldon Ministerial Association
- Sheldon Prairie Museum
- Sheldon Recreation Department
- Sheldon Recreational Trails
- Sheldon Sanford Home Health & Hospice
- Sheldon Shop with a Cop
- Summer Lunch Program
- Upper Des Moines Opportunity
- Village Northwest Unlimited
Contributors have the option to donate money to the Sheldon United Fund or they may designate the organizations they want the donation to go toward.
“We make sure that organization gets that designated money,” Runger said. “Whatever is left after that, we divide it up equally.”
Pledge cards may be dropped off at any of the four banks or the card can be mailed to P.O. Box 41, Sheldon, IA, 51201.