Waunakee Neighborhood Connection has exciting news in 2023 and, with your help, will be writing Our Next Chapter:

First, we have welcomed two new staff members: Kristina Maher, Executive Director, and Nicki Van Abel, Manager of Client Services. Helyn Luisi-Mills has been with us since February 2022 and transitioned to a part-time role in 2023. She serves as our Bilingual Client Services Specialist, which is very important when 62 percent of our clients are Spanish-speaking. You can read more about our staff, their backgrounds, and interests here.

Second, we are very excited for our upcoming move to the former Waunakee library building at 710 South Street!  We will share the building with the Waunakee Food Pantry which creates an exciting opportunity to collaborate. To combine our Community Store and other services with the resources the Waunakee Food Pantry provides so that families and individuals can pick up what they need at one place, increases accessibility.  We hope to see the remodeling finished and move in early fall. Here’s a sneak peek at the design plans that Creative Business Interiors has developed in partnership with our organization and the Village of Waunakee. 

As we continue to grow, both in the number of households that we serve, and also in the volunteer opportunities that are available, we rely on a neighbors helping neighbors approach to continue to deliver our programs and resources.  Watch this video for perspective into the growing needs in our community and the impact our services and programs provide.

The plot line for this year continues to build in complexity and excitement as we 

kick off Our Next Chapter campaign, with our goal of raising $200,000 by October 1st!

This campaign will fund vital operational needs as we write this next chapter which includes:

·       Additional staffing to better meet needs in the community, as we have had the same number of staff members over the past five years while we’ve grown from serving 77 to over 370 families.

·        Funds to provide monthly household necessities for clients such as paper products, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene items when community collection drives are not able to keep up with need.

·         Support for client-focused programs such as English Group, and social groups.

·         The creation of new volunteer opportunities for adults, students, and families.

·         The development of more robust resource partnerships.

There are a variety of ways in which you can support Our Next Chapter campaign:

·         Make a donation to our PULSE Fund today

·         Enhance it by adding a multi-year pledge

·         Commit to monthly giving and become one of our Neighborhood Champions

·         Make a gift of stock or give through a distribution from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA)

·         Sign up for giving through a workplace campaign

·         Take advantage of your employer’s donation matching program

·         If you are a business owner or are able to work with your employer on community giving, explore company sponsorships and/or program underwriting

·         Become a volunteer at Neighborhood Connection

We invite you to help us write this next exciting chapter in our community 

and organization’s rich history!