LIVE UNITED 2024

Read the Transcript of the Event

• Good morning, on behalf of United Way of Central Iowa, welcome to LIVE UNITED! I am Alyx Sacks. I anchor KCCI 8 News This Morning and KCCI 8 News at Noon. I’m honored to be back again this year as your host for today’s event.
  
  
• Also returning this year is Timothy Perkins who will begin the LIVE UNITED celebration with a land acknowledgement.
  
  
• Tim is currently employed with the Veterans Benefit Administration as a Supervisory Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator. He is a veteran with over 32 years of military service. He deployed for Operation Noble Eagle in 2002 then to Afghanistan and Iraq in 2004. He retired from the military in August of 2018 as a Sergeant Major.
  
  
• He has worked as an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion for years as an EEO Manager, Diversity & Inclusion Officer, and Native American Special Emphasis Program manager. He currently serves on two (2) of the Iowa Governor’s commissions- the Commission on Native American Affairs (Chair) and the Iowa Department of Human Rights Board. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Des Moines Performing Arts, a committee member on the Greater Des Moines Partnership Inclusion Council, and as the Chair for a charity - Friends of the Commission on Native American Affairs.
  
  
• Welcome, Tim.
  
  

TIM PERKINS

[LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT VIDEO]

ALYX SACKS

• Thank you so much for that meaningful land acknowledgement and the commemoration of 100 years of U.S. Citizenship for Native Americans, Tim, and for helping us remember the history that brought us all here today.
  
  
• I would also like to note for any of our guests who might be hearing impaired, if you would like to follow along with the program today, please scan the QR code at your table for a transcript you can read as we move through the program.
  
  
• Now, you may have noticed that near your place setting this morning, there is a white bracelet that says LIVE UNITED. Please slip that on your wrist, as it will play an important role in our program today. And when it lights up, please raise it up as you are able so that we can all see it.
  
  
• As we get started this morning, the team at United Way wants to first acknowledge and appreciate the hundreds of organizations throughout central Iowa who provide vital services to those in our community who need support.
  
  
• Our community’s network of nonprofit organizations is exceptional, and we are fortunate to work closely with them to address our most critical challenges. So many of you are here today, and we cannot overstate how important your partnership is to our work and to our community.
  
  
• In fact approximately 56% of the attendees here this morning represent leaders, volunteers, guests, and staff of our community’s nonprofit organizations.
  
  
• 56% of the bracelets have just been lit up to demonstrate visually the proportion of nonprofit organizations here in our audience. It’s one thing to hear a number, and it’s another to see it with your own eyes, right?
  
  
• Please help me recognize and thank these and other members of our nonprofit community who are here with us today to celebrate our collective impact! Let’s give them a round of applause.
  
  
• Today we will share with you a glimpse of some of central Iowa’s critical issues, and we will recount some of the important work that is being done to address these challenges.
  
  
• We will also honor some of the individuals and organizations who have helped to make a positive impact over the past year.
  
  
• But first, we want to thank our long-time partner and sponsor of this event, Prairie Meadows. Please welcome Michele Wilkie, Executive Vice President of Prairie Meadows to share a few words.

PRAIRIE MEADOWS COMMENTS

ALYX SACKS

• Thank you, Michele. We will take a short break in a few minutes, and the Prairie Meadows team will serve lunch.
  
  
• Thanks to a lot of work, planning, and preparation by Prairie Meadows, any lunches that are not served today will be donated to Knock and Drop Iowa, one of our partners working to tackle the challenge of food insecurity in central Iowa. Thank you, Prairie Meadows and all of the staff here who planned, prepared, and are serving our meals.
  
  
• Please enjoy your lunch, and the program will continue shortly.

MARY SELLERS

• Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Mary Sellers, and I have the good fortune of being the President of United Way of Central Iowa.
  
  
• I have the great pleasure of welcoming you to celebrate the strong partnerships and connections that bring us all together today.
  
  
• As you all know, more than a dozen tornadoes impacted our friends and neighbors over the weekend. I’d like to commend all of our first responders who came to the aid of those hit by the storms. Special thanks to Sara Kurovski, mayor of Pleasant Hill, and her team for their immediate response to ensure the safety and well-being of their residents. The recovery from these storms is ongoing. If you need assistance or know of someone who does, or if you are in a position to offer assistance to others, please call our 2-1-1 help line, which has been coordinating volunteers and services throughout Iowa.
  
  
• Before going any further, I’d like to take a moment to honor the remarkable life and legacy of Teree Caldwell-Johnson, a woman whose impact on our community will be felt for generations.
  
  
• Teree was not merely a leading character in the story of our community; she was a protagonist, a driving force for progress and equity.
  
  
• Her passion, her courage, and her unwavering belief in the power of community will continue to inspire us all.
  
  
• I look around and see so many leaders in this room. First, I’d like to welcome and acknowledge the elected officials who have joined us today. Please stand so we can acknowledge you. Thank you for coming.
  
  
• United Way of Central Iowa is governed by an amazing group of volunteers in our community.
  
  
• I would like to take a moment to acknowledge a few of these dedicated leaders.
  
  
• Unfortunately, our board chair Maria Volante could not join us today, but we’d like to recognize her service and leadership to United Way. If you are a member of United Way’s executive committee, board of directors, or one of United Way’s cabinets, please stand.
  
  
• These individuals and others, about 300 volunteer leaders in total, commit their time and expertise to advise United Way in decisions regarding community investments and other important matters of governance, direction, and professional advice.
  
  
• I would also like to recognize the staff at United Way of Central Iowa. This group is amazing – they truly care about our community and helping those who need it most. United Way staff, please stand and let us thank you!
  
  
• I’d like to thank one staff member in particular. Today happens to be Sarah Roy’s 17-year work anniversary.
  
  
• After 17 years as United Way of Central Iowa’s Chief Operating Officer, Sarah will be retiring at the end of June.
• Sarah truly elevated the organization’s financial stewardship and integrity.
  
  
• There is no doubt we are in a better place to serve our community due to Sarah’s service and leadership.
  
  
• Please join me in wishing Sarah a wonderful and well-deserved retirement.
  
  
• In front of you on your table you’ll find a copy of United Way’s 2024 Community Report.
  
  
• This annual piece provides a glimpse into the current state of our community and the impact our donors, volunteers, advocates, and partners have helped create through their engagement with United Way.
  
  
• Three years ago, we announced UNITED to THRIVE, a strategic imperative and an evolution of our organization and the way we work.
  
  
• The five elements of a thriving community are how we organize our work. They represent how we strategize, how our volunteer leaders invest our resources, and how we transparently measure and report our results.
  
  
• UNITED to THRIVE helps us focus on equity in central Iowa, on making sure every central Iowan has an opportunity not just to survive, but to truly thrive. Our work MUST strive to eliminate the barriers and inequities that make thriving in our community, and in our society, more difficult for some than for others.
  
  
• We place equity at the center of our strategic imperative, because no community can thrive if every person in that community does not have access to the specific resources and opportunities they need.
  
• Today, UNITED to THRIVE is helping us to be more agile and responsive as critical issues arise. As you can see in our puzzle illustration, we focus on not only the five elements of a thriving community, but on how, like a puzzle, each piece is interconnected.
  
  
• Let’s examine each of the elements.
  
  
• Our first element is ESSENTIAL NEEDS.
  
  
• In order to thrive, central Iowans need not only to meet their most basic needs of food and shelter, but also access to quality, nutritious food and a safe place to call home.
  
  
• Housing in central Iowa continues to be one of our community’s most critical challenges. 41% of your bracelets are now glowing, and they represent the nearly 41% of central Iowans who rent their homes that are considered housing-burdened, because they spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
  
  
• When we talk about essential needs, food is usually one of the first needs that comes to mind. Did you know that 7% of central Iowans are not food secure? This includes 9% of children under age 18.
  
  
• That’s nearly 15,000 children. For comparison, that’s roughly the population of Indianola or Grimes.
  
  
• But what’s more is that 27% of these children are also not eligible for supplemental nutrition assistance, because their families make too much to qualify for SNAP, yet they are unable to afford the cost of housing, childcare, food, transportation, healthcare, and other essential needs.
  
  
• Let’s take a moment to dive deeper into the challenge of food security in central Iowa. But first, we want to emphasize how each of these challenges we’re discussing today reach across and connect all of the Elements of a Thriving Community.
  
  
• Consider the implications of students who are not food secure… they are of course burdened in their essential needs, but their chances of education success are also negatively impacted.
  
  
• Students who don’t have consistent access to essential needs are more likely to miss school and that means they will be challenged to access the economic opportunities they deserve, or to live healthy lives now and in the future.
  
  
• These critical issues do not happen in a silo, they send ripples across the community that impact every aspect of peoples’ lives.
  
  
• [FOOD INSECURITY VIDEO]
  
  
• As you just saw, there are many in this community who are working to address food insecurity… many are in this room today. And United Way works hard to ensure we are all working together to make a difference. It’s a massive challenge, but we are all aligned to partner and move forward.
  
  
• This leads us to our next element. Let’s look at Economic Opportunity.
  
  
• Central Iowans need not only to be able to survive, but to be financially stable and have the opportunity to build wealth for their family and future generations.
• For years United Way has worked to improve central Iowans’ access to financial stability, by focusing on increasing incomes, and creating opportunity through good quality jobs.
  
  
• Financial stability means to more than having food on the table and a roof over their head. Financial stability also means achieving long-term goals such as being able to invest in assets like a house, a retirement plan, and savings plans that help to provide long-term stability now and in the future.
  
  
• This is how you break the cycle of poverty and create an environment where you and your future generations can actually thrive.
  
  
• But in central Iowa attaining assets like these is challenging.
  
  
• Nearly half of central Iowans are not financially stable.
  
  
• United Way uses a concept we call ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and represents the growing number of working families who are unable to afford the essentials of housing, childcare, food, transportation, health care, and technology.
  
  
• As members of our essential workforce, ALICE earns above the Federal Poverty Level but less than what it costs to achieve financial stability..
  
  
• These workers often struggle to keep their own households from financial peril, while keeping our local communities running.
  
  
• Despite struggling to make ends meet even though they are working, ALICE households often do not qualify for public assistance.
• While such hardship is pervasive, households of color are disproportionately represented in the ALICE population.
  
  
• Iowa is highly dependent on childcare. In fact, Iowa ranks number 1 in the nation for the percentage of children under the age of 6 who have all parents or caregivers in the workforce.
  
• In fact, 75% of central Iowa children under the age of 6 have all parents or caregivers in the workforce.
  
  
• And that leads us to our next element, Early Childhood Success.
  
  
• Our youngest central Iowans need not only access to childcare, but access to safe, reliable, and affordable childcare to be healthy and ready to learn.
  
  
• Childcare is essential for a community to thrive. It is critical for a successful early childhood, it sets the stage for a child to be successful in school, and it gives parents the ability to work to achieve economic opportunity.
  
  
• And yet, we continue to struggle to meet that significant demand. In Polk County, there is only 1 licensed childcare slot for every 2 children.
  
  
• Why? Despite the rising costs of childcare for families – often one of the largest items in a typical household budget -- childcare providers face incredibly difficult business challenges as the costs to operate a childcare center continue to rise.
  
  
• One driving force behind the childcare shortage is the low pay rate for childcare workers.
  
  
• The wage for a childcare employee in central Iowa is about $4,500 below what is considered a livable wage.
  
  
• Childcare centers are not required to accept families that qualify for assistance, but many do to help alleviate the childcare shortage. Unfortunately, the state reimbursement rate is more than $3,500 less per child per year than standard market rates. So, childcare providers who accept families who need assistance do so at a significant financial disadvantage.
  
  
• Low income working parents or caregivers are the ones most likely to be impacted by the shortage and rising cost of childcare.
  
  
• And it is easy to see the impact of childcare shortages across all five elements. These children are not only impacted right now, today, but this also means they will enter school less prepared to learn.
  
  
• In fact, about 65% of Iowa children ages 3 and under do not receive developmental screenings, and kindergarten readiness has dropped 14% among central Iowa children over the past 6 years.
  
  
• Once again, let’s take a deeper look into this issue.
  
  

• And from Early Childhood Success, we step directly to our next Element of a Thriving Community, Education Success.
  
  
• Central Iowa students need not only to graduate from high school but should also have the opportunity to graduate with a plan for a successful future.
  
  
• Since launching UNITED to THRIVE, United Way has been focused on helping students reach graduation, and to think about what’s next. For some, college makes sense. And for others, there are many other excellent paths.
  
  
• But for far too many, what lies beyond high school is unclear. More than 25% of our central Iowa high school graduates say they do not have a plan for the future.
  
  
• And if they are from a household that is not financially stable, that number increases dramatically to nearly 40%.
  
  
• Helping students get to graduation has become increasingly difficult. 24% of central Iowa students are chronically absent from school.
  
  
• This number increases to 36% for students from lower-income backgrounds.
  
  
• Perhaps even more concerning, since 2014, the percentage of youth who report having a caring adult in their life has dropped from 90% to 75%.
  
  
• Recent instances of youth violence have drawn attention to the growing issue in central Iowa.
  
  
• Youth disengagement, such as when young people are not enrolled in school nor have a full-time job, can be a contributing factor for potential violence.
  
  
• Let’s take a closer look at this issue and how it spans the five Elements of a Thriving Community.
  
  
• [SAFE& THRIVING YOUTH VIDEO]
  
  
• United Way has been proud to partner with our school systems to help students learn about some of the options mentioned in this video. The United Wayfinders initiative offers middle and high school students in-person introductions to many employment options in skilled labor and other areas.
  
  
• And finally, this transitions directly to our final Element of a Thriving Community, Health and Well-Being.
• Central Iowans need not only access to medical care, but access to quality, culturally appropriate care promoting physical and emotional well-being and improving resilience.
  
  
• Access to appropriate healthcare continues to be incredibly challenging throughout central Iowa, more specifically mental healthcare.
  
  
• In fact, Iowa is ranked LAST in the nation for the percent of adults unable to receive the mental health treatment they need – and 57% of Iowa youth do not receive the mental health services they need.
  
  
• In Iowa, there are 570 individuals for every 1 mental health provider. The significant need for mental healthcare has been identified and healthcare providers and others are recognizing the very real impact mental health conditions can have on an individual and on our community as a whole.
  
  
• I mentioned culturally appropriate care. This is an issue many of us don’t hear mentioned enough. It really comes down to trust.
  
  
• For individuals of color, immigrants, refugees, or a member of any other underrepresented group in our community, it can be difficult to find healthcare providers who look like you, sound like you, or are otherwise culturally aligned with you.
  
  
• We know from our data and conversations, it matters.
  
  
• For families who are already hesitant to access healthcare because of cost, the lack of cultural alignment can create an additional hurdle in making the decision to go to the doctor, dentist, or mental health provider to get the care they need.
  
  
• We will work to find meaningful ways to make it easier, like building pathways to cultivate a diverse healthcare workforce and providing opportunities for individuals to see themselves in healthcare careers.
  
  
• United Way is focused on many initiatives associated with mental well-being, having a sense of purpose and hope, and being well-informed about the options that are available for help and support.
  
  
• It’s our hope that in reviewing this Community Report that you can see our collective work is important, now more than ever.
  
  
• United Way’s unique role in our community is to bring people together to solve problems. When critical issues emerge, as they often do, United Way is here to convene everyone involved…
  
  
  • the people who want to help,
  • the organizations who can provide services and resources,
  • the institutions that set policy,
  • and the people who are most impacted.
    
    
• We bring them all together, so we can plan together, strategize together, and work together, in a UNITED WAY, to have the best chance to solve the puzzle.
  
  
• And these are some of our community’s most critical challenges. We are here to help navigate issues like food insecurity, youth violence, childcare capacity, and many, many more. Complex, tough issues that require every bit of resolve, creativity, and determination this community can muster.
  
  
• We are honored to partner with leaders and visionaries from central Iowa’s business and nonprofit communities, with our lawmakers and policymakers, with our community’s most dedicated and passionate volunteers, those with lived experiences, and influential community organizers.
  
  
• Together, UNITED, we dig in and do the hard work to make a real and measurable impact.
  
  
• Because to grow, to prosper, to thrive as a community, we all must LIVE UNITED.

• Thank you, again, so much for being here with us today. We are so grateful to have you engaged in this important work.
  
  
• And now, I am excited to invite Alyx along with Emily Abbas, Chair of the Strategic Communications Cabinet and Executive Board Member of United Way of Central Iowa to the stage to help present our annual LIVE UNITED Awards.

ALYX SACKS

• Thank you, Mary.
  
  
• Each year at this event, United Way recognizes individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact over the past year with the annual LIVE UNITED Awards.
  
  
• We will be presenting three types of awards this afternoon… the LIVE UNITED Leaders, the LIVE UNITED Champions, and the Spirit of Central Iowa award.
  
  
• LIVE UNITED Leaders are individuals, and they are people who have distinguished themselves as donors, volunteers, and advocates for United Way’s work, and the UNITED to THRIVE priorities.
  
  
• LIVE UNITED Champions are organizations – employers, nonprofits, and others that have done exceptional work over the past year to make an impact in central Iowa through United Way and other organizations.
  
  
• The last award is called the Spirit of Central Iowa Award, and it honors one organization that has gone above and beyond to give, advocate, and volunteer in support of United Way and central Iowa.

• I am excited to present our first LIVE UNITED Champion award, recognizing an organization with more than 20 years of support for United Way: LCS.
  
  
• In addition to their annual “United Way Week,” LCS promotes many volunteer opportunities throughout the year. LCS offers paid volunteer time for employees to gather, advocate, and participate in United Way events.
  
  
• LCS employees participated in United Way’s Day of Action last September, volunteering at a local elementary school to read books and complete literacy activities with local third graders that focused on cultural awareness, diversity, gratitude, and community support.
  
  
• In 2023, their employee campaign exceeded expectations and raised 10% more than the previous year. Their executive team supports United Way each year and they increased their leadership-level giving with two additional Tocqueville Society members in 2023.
  
  
• Please join me in congratulating this amazing LIVE UNITED Champion, LCS!
  
  

EMILY ABBAS

• Our next honoree is a LIVE UNITED Leader, an individual who has worked to improve the lives of refugees and immigrants.
  
  
• As a volunteer for Oakridge Neighborhood Services, Carol Bodensteiner has served on key committees such as Marketing and Development, Housing and Services, and Governance and Nominating.
  
  
• Carol has taught English to a group of refugee and immigrant adult language learners as well as served as a Book Buddy for preschoolers.
  
  
• And she contributes financially to organizations such as Oakridge Neighborhood and crusades for others to join her in supporting local nonprofits.
  
  
• Please join me in congratulating 2024 LIVE UNITED Leader, Carol Bodensteiner!
  
  

ALYX SACKS

• This next LIVE UNITED Champion is an organization that has been an exceptional supporter of central Iowa and United Way.
  
  
• As a not-for-profit, Delta Dental of Iowa recognizes the great value of partnering with and investing in organizations like United Way that share a similar mission, commitment, and values with their own.
  
  
• In the 2023 company campaign, Delta Dental set a goal of 90% participation – and exceeded it, ending the campaign at a record-high 91% and increasing their campaign total by 20%.
  
  
• They encourage employees to learn about and participate in the Step-Up giving program, and the company has several employees who participate in affinity groups like Women United and Education Leadership Initiative.
  
  
• In 2023, Delta Dental supported the Read to Succeed program and engaged employees in building Literacy Kits and donating books for Stuff the Bus, which their employees look forward to collecting books for each year.
  
  
• Please show some love to LIVE UNITED Champion – DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA!
  
  

EMILY ABBAS

• Our next honoree is a LIVE UNITED Leader, an individual whose lifelong commitment to giving back started as a child volunteering with her family.
  
  
• For more than 16 years, Renee Raap has volunteered with Ronald McDonald House as a Relief Manager, running the desk, answering phones, checking in families, and cleaning the facility. She also serves on the Gala committee and assists with special events.
  
  
• Renee also volunteered her time with the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Children and Family Urban Movement’s Whyld Girls, and at her church.
  
  
• Renee actively recognizes and embraces differences, whether they be age, race, religion, ability, gender, or culture. She strives to diversify her volunteer experiences and she herself fosters an environment where everyone feels valued and respected. Her employer, Nationwide, encourages volunteering and community service, and Renee takes every opportunity to do so.
  
  
• Please join me in congratulating 2024 LIVE UNITED Leader, Renee Raap!
  
  
• ALYX SACKS
  
  
• Our next LIVE UNITED Champion is an organization that has made social responsibility one of its five pillars of company success.
  
  
• Farm Bureau Financial Services has been a partner with United Way of Central Iowa for decades. In its year-round approach to engagement, the company provides numerous opportunities for employees to support our community while incentivizing their good work.
  
  
• Farm Bureau’s United Way campaign has been on a continual upward trend, and their 2023 campaign resulted in their largest gift to United Way to date. Much of this is due in part to the company’s generous 100% match for donations given to United Way by both employees and retirees. There is also an additional match for gifts given by new donors.
  
  
• Farm Bureau provides all employees with one paid volunteer day off each year. In addition, any volunteer activity undertaken by a group of employees – such as a Habitat for Humanity build day, a morning spent packaging food at Knock and Drop Iowa or participating in United Way’s Day of Action – can be done without taking time off.
  
  
• With a core focus on hunger alleviation, a volunteer-operated Giving Garden on the Farm Bureau campus provided 1,966 pounds of fresh produce to our community in 2023. For the past two years, the social responsibility committee focused corporate efforts on food insecurity, providing volunteers for meal packing events and facilitating donation drives for the Families Forward and YMCA Supportive Housing Campus.
  
  
• Please help us congratulate LIVE UNITED Champion – Farm Bureau Financial Services!
  
  

EMILY ABBAS

• Our next honoree is truly a LIVE UNITED Leader, an individual who is passionate about supporting our community, devoting an incredible amount of time and effort toward causes that offer hope, help, and inspiration to people facing life’s changes and challenges.
  
  
• Kim Willis is committed to empowering young mothers, struggling families, and people new to our country so they can thrive in our community.
  
  
• Kim’s efforts help ensure central Iowans have access to vital health care and education. For more than a decade, she has shared her time, expertise, and leadership on the board of EveryStep. Her 20-plus years of banking industry expertise helped empower the successful merger that created EveryStep several years ago, ensuring the sustainability of more than 30 nonprofit health care programs and human services for central Iowans.
  
  
• Additional organizations that have benefitted from Kim’s leadership include the Food Bank of Iowa and ChildServe.
  
  
• Kim is an exceptional supporter of United Way. She is a member of Women United, a member of the Tocqueville Society, and a member of the Tocqueville Legacy Circle, having endowed her gift in perpetuity. In addition, Kim – alongside her husband, Rich – chaired the 2017 United Way Campaign.
  
  
• Please join me in congratulating and thanking 2024 LIVE UNITED Leader, Kim Willis!
  
  

ALYX SACKS

• For the first time, we are awarding a fourth LIVE UNITED Champion award, but this company is no afterthought. In its very first year as a nominee, this company was a unanimous choice by our judges for a Champion award.
  
  
• Holmes Murphy & Associates says it is a more educated and impactful organization because of its partnership with United Way.
  
  
• Throughout the year, Holmes Murphy supports United Way in many ways. For example, they purchased literacy kits, assembled, and donated them to Oakridge Neighborhood, a United Way partner. Additionally, volunteers read to students during United Way’s annual Day of Action.
  
  
• The company sponsored a Giving Tree benefiting Willkie House and donated $5,000, plus food for 60 children to have meals during the holiday break, warm weather gear, toys, and STEM programming kits for every student.
  
  
• The company has 41 members in United Way’s affinity groups and several hold positions on United Way boards and cabinets.
  
  
• And finally, this year’s United Way campaign broke their all-time records, including:
  • A 22% increase in total employee donations
  • A 16% increase in donations by United Way affinity group members
  • And a 20% increase in donations by their 19 Tocqueville members.
    
    
• Please help us congratulate LIVE UNITED Champion – Holmes Murphy & Associates!
  
  

EMILY ABBAS [SPIRIT OF CENTRAL IOWA]

• Thank you, Alyx.
  
  
• The Spirit of Central Iowa award is presented each year to one organization that has shown exceptional commitment to our community through United Way through their efforts in giving, advocating, and volunteering.
  
  
• It is an incredible honor to recognize this company for its outstanding efforts in our community.
  
  
• This year’s Spirit of Central Iowa Award winner shows their dedication to our community by engaging with United Way throughout the year.
  
  
• In 2023 their campaign giving increased 30% over what had been a massive record-breaking year in 2022, with an incredible 90% of employees participating.
  
  
• This organization makes giving back to central Iowa core to their culture. For instance, their team participated in Day of Action with 374 total volunteers providing 895 hours of community service.
  
  
• The list of their engagement in the community is long, and impressive, and you will hear more about that in a short video.
  
  
• Please join me in congratulating this year’s Spirit of Central Iowa award recipient, for the fourth year in a row... Athene
  
  
• [VIDEO]
• Please welcome Grant Kvalheim to accept this award.

[Comments from Grant Kvalheim]

ALYX SACKS

• Friends, colleagues, and fellow central Iowans, that concludes our program, but I have a few closing messages. Thank you for your great energy here today. We are so thankful you were able to join us, and thank you again to our sponsor, Prairie Meadows.
  
  
• Your bracelets won’t be able to light up again once they are away from the controller, so please leave them at your table or give them to the United Way staff in the lobby as you leave today.
  
  
• Members of the Athene team, please join me here on the stage for a celebratory photo.
  
  
• Now go forth, and LIVE UNITED!