When we all work together – we can truly make a difference. Here’s how one local family built on its strengths and was empowered thanks to your support.

Mati Cachiguango learned firsthand the importance of community when she and her husband began raising their daughters in Madison over two decades ago.  Their family felt disconnected, but then Centro Hispano of Dane County, a United Way partner agency, gave Mati and her daughters a community of support and growth. 

There Mati’s daughters were introduced to two United Way programs, By Youth for Youth (BYFY) and HIRE.

BYFY is a unique volunteer opportunity for high school students in Dane County, where participants gain the skills, confidence and opportunity to effectively promote positive community change by awarding grants to youth-focused programs.

According to Mati’s daughter Nina, a sophomore in high school, “It’s been a good experience…it helped me talk a lot in front of groups… [I learned] leadership skills especially.”

Sarayana, another of Mati’s daughters, participated in the HIRE program, which links employers seeking talented individuals with job training programs at local agencies.  The Caminos program at Centro Hispano is one of these programs, and the Caminos program is how Sarayana obtained her nursing aide job.

This is just one family’s experience – one family amongst thousands.  United Way’s programs reach over 140,000 individuals across this community, forming a more connected and supportive Dane County thanks to your support.  When you add up the donors, volunteers, local organizations, partner agencies, program participants and advocates – that’s nearly 200,000 people working together. It’s not charity – it’s a movement.

Mati summed it up best when she said: “I believe that getting involved in the community makes one stronger. We only have one life, we need to take advantage of being alive, and if we can do something, we should.”

Thank you for being a part of this community – thank you for representing the very best of what this place has to offer by always striving to do better for all our residents. We hope you take Mati’s words to heart and join the local United Way movement.  Let’s do this together.