The United Way of Mower County received a holiday gift from Quality Pork Processor, Inc. (QPP) as part of its 2018 campaign fundraiser.

QPP announced that it raised $121,732 for the United Way, which was part of the 2018 fundraising campaign for the nonprofit. With the money raised, the funds will help invest in local programs as part of the United Way’s mission to improve the quality of life for residents in Mower County.

The nonprofit’s focuses its resources on four areas fundamental to a well-balanced life, including: education, income, health and basic needs. The United Way funds 56 programs through 25 partner agencies.

For over four years, QPP had pledged more than $500,000 to the United Way of Mower County, according to John Berglund, QPP accounting manager, and campaign manager for the QPP. There are more than 1,250 employees at QPP, and about 1,000 employees had participated in the campaigning efforts to raise donations for the United Way.

“We got big support in the plant,” Berglund said. “This is just something we do, and (the employees) care. I’ve been here for four years, and it still amazes me. $500,000 is a lot, and the United Way covers many aspects of the Mower County community.”

Berglund noted that with the United Way’s programming, some of QPP’s donations came from employees who benefit from the organization’s programs, and that by giving a monetary donation, they are helping an entity that helps them. When mentioning this, Berglund showed that the hallways at QPP were adorned with hearts, which indicated donations that employees had made each week to help meet the company’s goal for the United Way.

“We have employees coming in and needing some help,” he said. “The United Way definitely helps them.”

Diane Baker, executive director of the United Way of Mower County, expressed gratitude for having community partnerships like QPP that help with promoting and advancing the group’s mission, and that the QPP was the first group to announce its fundraising contribution to the United Way.

“We’re grateful for QPP’s continued commitment to strengthening Mower County,” Baker said. “Each year, their effort shows employees truly understand the value United Way supported programs bring to our community.”