Monadnock United Way Shares Campaign Progress, Coat Drive Success on WKBK

KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Monadnock United Way leaders joined Dan Mitchell on WKBK’s Good Morning with Dan Mitchell on Wednesday to share updates on the organization’s annual “Our Monadnock, Our Impact” campaign and other community initiatives.

Katie Gardella, Director of Resource Development and Community Engagement, and General Campaign Co-Chair Tom Julius, who also chairs the Monadnock Interfaith Project board, highlighted the nonprofit’s progress toward its fundraising goal and the success of a statewide coat drive.

Gardella said the campaign has raised more than $707,000, or about 46 percent of its $1.5 million goal, with many campaigns still underway. “We’re extremely thankful to everyone who’s given, volunteered, and advocated,” she said. “This community never lets me down.”

The pair also celebrated the results of a recent New Hampshire United Way Coat Drive, which ran from Sept. 29 through Oct. 31. With drop-off sites in Keene, Hinsdale, Jaffrey, Peterborough, Swanzey and Walpole, the effort collected more than 330 coats. Granite United Way will handle cleaning and distribution.

Looking ahead, Gardella encouraged listeners to mark Tuesday, Dec. 2—GivingTuesday—on their calendars. “It’s a global day to give back,” she said, noting that Monadnock United Way hopes to raise $30,000 in one day, with $15,000 in matching donations pledged by John and Jean Hoffman and Guyer and Son Roofing.

Julius, who has lived in the Monadnock Region for four decades, spoke about why he’s involved in the campaign and shared a story of how local support helped a family find stable housing. Isabella, an 11-year-old girl whose family lost their home when their landlord died, spent months living in motels before connecting with Southwestern Community Services and eventually securing permanent housing.

“This story isn’t just about housing,” Julius said. “It’s about kindness—and what can happen when someone takes the time to care.”

He also discussed the Monadnock Housing Collaborative, a new partnership between the Monadnock Interfaith Project and Monadnock United Way that aims to expand affordable housing across the region.

Donations to the Monadnock United Way can be made online at muw.org, by texting MUW to 41444, or by mailing a check to 23 Center St., Keene, NH. The campaign runs through Dec. 31.

Listen to the full interview: