United Way of Wayne and Holmes Counties Grant Funding Announcement

March 30, 2021

Wooster, Ohio (March 15, 2021) – United Way of Wayne and Holmes Counties is pleased to announce the results of the 2021 Grant Funding Process. The Board of Directors unanimously approved $810,000.00 toward renewal programs that keep with United Way’s mission of mobilizing community resources to help people measurably improve their lives.


2021 Allocations for United Way of Wayne and Holmes due to the COVID-19 pandemic were presented to volunteers and the board as renewal applications. “We wanted to take careful consideration of the programs we fund and the time investment that grant applications take.” said Katie Koglman, Executive Director. “We felt due to the pandemic that this was a fair and just way to allow agencies to receive funding for 2021. Knowing we hit goal and that we would have the ability to fund new programs too, using a different application process, starting at the beginning of April.”


2021 United Way Grant Awards grants were awarded to the following agencies for specific programs that they run: American Red Cross, Anazao Community Partners, Boys & Girls Club of Wooster, Catholic Charities of Wayne County, Goodwill Industries of Wayne and Holmes Counties, Holmes Center for the Arts, Learn N’ Play, NAMI, National Inventors Hall of Fame, OHUDDLE, OneEighty, Salvation Army of Wooster, The Counseling Center, Viola Startzman Clinic, Wayne Center for the Arts, Wayne County Schools Career Center, Wooster City Schools and YMCA of Wayne County.


H. Stewart Fitz Gibbon III, United Way Board President stated “The 31 programs we have chosen to fund this year through a renewal allocation process help address some of the communities most pressing issues. These programs are financially stable, results driven and a good investment in our community. We see now more than ever that these programs are necessary and integral to the success of the communities we serve.”


Hitting goal in 2020 has also allowed United Way to raise money for other programs/emergency needs which include:


$ 21,232 to area organizations in direct designations.

$ 9,814 to other local United Way organizations in direct designations

$166,911.00.00 to the Local Covid19 Relief Fund

$8,811 to the Severe Weather Shelter

$36,000 to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

$30,000 restricted for WHIRE

$75,000.00 to the Board Restricted Fund



Grants from the Board Restricted Fund will open for new program applications in April. The details for those grants will be available on our website. (uwwh.org)

Celebrating 30 Years of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

By Kayley Cox • July 1, 2025
Celebrating 30 Years of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library This year, I was honored to attend the virtual Homecoming Conference celebrating the 30th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library . As the Local Program Partner that fundraises for our program in Holmes and Wayne Counties, I was excited to participate—even if I was a little disappointed the event wasn’t held in person at Dollywood. Still, I committed to making the most of the experience by actively engaging in sessions and discussions throughout the event. The conference offered a wide range of sessions, from strategies to strengthen relationships with local public libraries to creative ways to boost enrollment. One of the highlights for me was connecting with fellow program partners not only from across the U.S. but also from the UK, Canada, Scotland, and Australia. It was both inspiring and energizing to share stories and best practices with peers from around the globe, all united by the same mission: to get books into the hands of children. One of the biggest takeaways from the three-day virtual event was the importance of celebrating how far we’ve come. When our United Way launched the Imagination Library in 2019, Holmes County had zero children enrolled. Today, we have 1,629 current participants and 1,362 graduates. Wayne County shows similar success, with 3,924 children currently enrolled and more than 4,100 graduates. That’s over 11,000 children who’ve been directly impacted by this program! Those numbers are impressive, but the real question is: what do they mean for our children and our community? Cincinnati Children’s Hospital reminds us that children aren’t born with a reading network—it must be built through exposure and practice. Reading aloud to young children strengthens their language development and cognitive growth. By age three, a child’s brain is already 80% developed. Imagination Library provides families with the tools to support this crucial development—at no cost to them. That’s nothing short of amazing. As the conference wrapped up, I felt refreshed, motivated, and more enthusiastic than ever about the work we’re doing. The connections I’ve made through the network of Local Program Partners have deepened my sense of support and community. This work matters. I see it in my own children who are enrolled in Imagination Library. I hear it from families across Holmes and Wayne Counties. And it’s reflected in the data for the young readers who participate in this program across the world. So, if you have a child under 5 in your life, check today that they are enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. And if they aren’t enrolled, sign them up today! Go to www.uwwh.org/get-books It’s free, fulfilling, and most importantly, it’s fun 😊.

From Grandma to Goal-Getter: My goal setting journey, part 2

By Katie Koglman • June 2, 2025
From Grandma to Goal-Getter: My goal setting journey, Part 2

Books and Balance: Cultivating Mental Well-being Through Reading

By Kayley Cox • May 12, 2025
Growing up, I had a complicated relationship with reading. I thoroughly enjoyed reading various chapter books or series, ranging from the Arthur to The Baby Sitter’s Club to A Child Called “It” series. But once I reached middle school, many of the English classes I attended had required reading for the course, and the requirement meant reading was no longer an option, but rather it was mandatory, and to take notes, and to be tested on the material! The required reading lists often burned me out, leaving me disinterested in picking up a book for pleasure. I would go through phases of wanting to read more, but the enthusiasm was often short-lived. As an adult I have really tried to be intentional with reading. As someone who has made a New Year’s Resolution to “read more” the last 6 years, I have really tried to focus on finding what genres interest me because when I do, I do in fact “read more,” and I like it! It also makes me happy. I feel like I have more to talk about in conversations and enjoy the dialogue reading a book brings, along with the mental break it provides me from daily life. As a parent of two young children, I have really tried to make it a priority to foster a love of reading in my kids. I encourage them to choose the books we read, and to take it a step further, I have also been intentional that my children also SEE me reading. Reading books for my own enjoyment. I want them to remember that reading isn't just something we do together, but also something we can do for ourselves. It’s a form of self-care and can really help our health-our MENTAL health. Literacy plays a critical role in children's mental well-being. Research from Scholastic and the Yale Child Study Center-Scholastic Collaborative for Child & Family Resilience highlights the powerful influence of books and literacy on mental health. It shows that a love of reading can boost self-esteem, increase empathy, and mitigate anxiety and depression. Reading can introduce children to different types of people from all walks of life, and not only that, introducing children to different points of view, perspectives, ideas and ways of life. This exploration can foster creativity and imagination and innovation – traits that are needed for our community to evolve and grow. And this exploration can provide an opportunity to show that no matter your thoughts, you are not alone in them. By modeling reading, I hope to instill in my children the understanding that books, while educational tools, are also powerful allies in maintaining mental health. Our brain, just like anything else in the body, needs exercise. And we have the power to put the book down or keep turning the page. Whether it’s going to library to pick out our selections, or borrowing books through the Libby app, I challenge you to give yourself a moment of escape with a side of perspective that a good book can bring. Then, track your progress through Wayne County Public Library’s Beanstack app to follow your book journey. This action has truly helped me prioritize reading for my mental well-being while also instilling the love of reading in my children so they too can create a balance for their own mental health.
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