By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
Personal stories of loss, mentorship and even a potentially life-saving meal delivery put a human face on the work of the United Way of Ellis County during its annual campaign kickoff Friday in Hays.
The Chamber in Hays hosted the United Way Kickoff lunch, giving the organization an opportunity to launch its latest campaign while highlighting the network of local agencies it helps support with Sarah Wasinger, CEO of The Chamber in Hays being the host.
Janelle VanKooten, executive director of the United Way of Ellis County, said the organization works to understand changing needs throughout the community and connect residents with organizations equipped to meet them.
Rather than relying solely on statistics to show that impact, three community members shared what that network of support can mean when someone needs it most.
Neal Younger, Ellis County commissioner, shared perhaps the most emotional story of the afternoon.
Younger spoke about two periods of tremendous loss his family has experienced and how United Way-supported organizations were there to help his family through those difficult times.
It was then, Younger said, those organizations supported through United Way became more than names on a list.
Younger said when he became an Ellis County commissioner six years ago, he had no idea how many organizations were available to help people in the community. He also never imagined his own family would one day need their services.
“It was just a heart thing that I will not ever need those…baloney,” Younger said. “It's there. You're probably going to hear me say it a lot, but it's a matter of when you need them. They are there.”
Younger said his family received assistance from local organizations during the difficult period, describing those who worked with them as willing to help whenever the family had questions.
He encouraged those attending the lunch to support United Way, even if they believe they will never personally need the services it helps provide.
“Please, please, please support it,” Younger said. “You won't go wrong. Every dollar counts. If that's all you can do, that's fine. They will make good use of it.”
For Tammy Wellbrock, creative ad sales rep for Nex-Tech, the impact of United Way-supported organizations came through a relationship that has lasted for years.
Wellbrock became involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters after attending a Chamber event where she learned many boys were waiting to be matched with mentors.
She and her family eventually became a “Big Family” and were matched with a young boy named Kashawn, who was then a first-grader.
Today, Wellbrock said Kashawn is a freshman at Hays High.
During the years, her husband, Gerard, and their son have watched Kashawn grow up, attending his sporting events, playing board games, going out for meals and simply spending time together.
Wellbrock said one of her favorite moments still comes after his games, when Kashawn walks off the court or field and comes directly to her for a hug.
“That tells me that we've really made a difference in his life,” Wellbrock said.
As schedules have become busier, Wellbrock has found other ways to stay connected.
When traveling for her job, she sends Kashawn postcards. After he got a cellphone, she asked whether he would rather receive texts or postcards.
His answer was both.
“I feel like we're making a difference in his life,” Wellbrock said. “I know he's made a difference in mine, my husband's and my son's.”
Macey Pfeifer, First Call for Help director, showed another side of United Way's impact, one that is becoming increasingly busy.
United Way funding supports First Call for Help programs, including Backpacks for Kids, local assistance and Meals on Wheels.
Pfeifer said 643 backpacks were distributed through Backpacks for Kids in 2026, including 58 sent to Ellis County schools for students who enrolled late.
For a story on more about Backpack for Kids, click here.
The organization's local assistance program helps provide food, hygiene products, diapers and emergency financial assistance.
“More people every single day are needing help,” Pfeifer said.
Pfeifer said First Call for Help's Meals on Wheels program has delivered 7,250 hot meals so far in 2026 to elderly, homebound or disabled residents within Hays.
One of those deliveries may have done much more than provide a meal.
Pfeifer said a volunteer delivering a meal in March noticed something seemed wrong at a client's home. The volunteer was unable to make contact with the resident and contacted Pfeifer with concerns about a possible gas leak.
Pfeifer then contacted Midwest Energy.
The resident was found unconscious in the basement of the home, where Pfeifer said there was a significant gas leak. The resident survived.
“It just goes to show the services are vital,” Pfeifer said. “So if you can give, please give.”
The growing demand Pfeifer described is also reflected in data United Way is using to better understand financial pressures on Ellis County residents.
VanKooten discussed ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
ALICE households are those with people who are working but whose wages are not enough to cover the basic cost of living.
“When we say ALICE, we are talking about our community members that are working yet are still unable to meet their basic needs or afford basic needs because their wage is lower than the cost of living,” VanKooten said.
United Way has access to ALICE data at the county level and plans to use that information to help guide conversations about needs in Ellis County.
As part of that effort, United Way plans to conduct ALICE Data Walks, where community members will move between stations displaying local data, discuss what they see and provide feedback.
VanKooten said the goal is not simply to collect more numbers.
“Collecting data isn't the goal,” she said. “It's basically using what we learn from the community to have community-driven decisions.”
That approach will help United Way determine where needs exist, where gaps remain and how its network of partner agencies can respond.
VanKooten said those agencies should not be viewed as separate pieces because a person or family experiencing hardship may need assistance from several organizations.
“The network really is not a graphic on a screen or a list of programs that we do,” VanKooten said. “It's the actual people and the organizations that are doing the work day in and day out.”
Agencies underneath United Way are listed in the below.
As United Way begin its latest campaign, VanKooten encouraged businesses and residents to find ways to become part of that network, whether through financial contributions, time or other forms of support.
The stories shared during the lunch demonstrate why having that network in place matters.
“The United Way is a critical component to making sure that the needs of our community members are being met because we look at the community as a whole,” VanKooten said. “Without an organization like that in a community working to meet those needs, there would be a great void.”
