In Saint Francois County, needs often look similar to anywhere else in the country – an empty pantry, a past-due bill, a senior choosing between medicine and groceries. The United Way of St. Francois County exists to meet those basic human needs right here at home. Board president Mark Toti puts it simply: “Our goal is to help with the basic human needs of people in the Parkland. Families are hungry, some are without housing, and kids are going home to houses without food or medical care. That’s where we step in.”
What makes United Way unique is its hyper-local focus. Dollars raised here stay here, invested back into the lives of our community and neighbors. Each year, nonprofits across the county apply for grants, and the board carefully reviews applications to ensure funds go where they’ll make the most impact. Local food pantries, senior centers, CASA of the Parkland, and Caring Communities in our schools rely on this support. Other organizations like Rocky Creek Youth Ranch and Parkland Foster/Adopt have seen firsthand how United Way strengthens their mission.
That commitment is put on display every summer at United Way’s annual grant ceremony. It’s a day of celebration and impact, when the organization announces thousands of dollars in funding to local agencies. In 2022, more than $160,000 was distributed to 26 organizations. This past June, another six-figure sum was reinvested into critical services like food, shelter, healthcare, and youth programs. For agencies, it’s a lifeline; for donors, it’s a chance to see exactly how their contributions ripple through the community. The grant ceremony is a powerful reminder that when generosity is channeled locally, it multiplies.
Of course, those dollars don’t appear out of thin air. They come from hardworking volunteers and everyday people who choose to give back. United Way is powered by a board of directors made up entirely of volunteers—neighbors who dedicate their time and passion to serving others. Surrounding them is a community that rallies in creative and heartfelt ways.
Each Thursday in the fall, local restaurants turn meals into missions through Dine Out for United Way, donating a portion of their sales to support the cause. During the holiday season, bell-ringers bundled in scarves and gloves stand outside storefronts, turning pocket change into life-changing resources. Entire groups commit to helping—the Farmington Elks set aside Sunday slots for their members, school clubs and sports teams join in, and even churches and civic organizations take shifts. Friendly rivalries make it even more fun, with the “Battle of the Bells” pitting Farmington against North County to see which school can raise the most.
For Toti, the real joy comes in small, unscripted moments. He recalls one afternoon of bell-ringing when a child approached with a small donation. “I handed him the bell and let him ring it,” Totti says. “The smile on his face—that’s enough to keep me going.” It’s a simple snapshot that captures the heart of United Way’s work: everyone, no matter their age or means, has the power to contribute to something bigger than themselves.
Over the past thirty years, those contributions have added up in an extraordinary way. United Way estimates that roughly three million dollars have been reinvested into Saint Francois County. That figure represents full shelves at food pantries, safe spaces for youth, seniors who remain connected and cared for, and families who find support in moments of crisis. More than numbers, it’s a generational commitment—an organization built in the 1990s that has continued to grow because neighbors kept showing up.
As the needs of the county evolve, United Way is adapting too. The board is leaning into technology to expand its online presence and connect with younger donors. Plans are in motion for larger fundraisers to reach even more people, while longtime traditions like Dine Out Thursdays and the bell-ringing campaign remain cornerstones of support. Through it all, the mission never wavers. “We don’t do this for recognition,” Toti says. “We do it because there are needs, and we want to meet them. We can’t do it without the community. None of the money stays with us—every dollar goes right back to helping people here at home.”
In the Parkland, hope takes many forms. It’s the check presented at a grant ceremony, the family welcomed at a pantry, the senior who finds companionship at a center, or the smile of a child ringing a bell on a December afternoon. United Way of St. Francois County proves what’s possible when neighbors come together to lift one another up.
Now the invitation is extended to each of us. Eat at a Thursday Dine Out. Drop a dollar in a kettle. Volunteer an afternoon of your time. Set up a recurring gift. However you give, know that it matters—because here in the Parkland, every act of generosity becomes part of a larger story. It’s a story where food finds its way to an empty table, where a senior is cared for with dignity, and where a child knows they are not forgotten. United Way is not a luxury in our community—it is a lifeline. And together, through even the smallest acts of kindness, we can ensure that hope, compassion, and support remain within reach for every neighbor who calls the Parkland home.
Contact The United Way of Saint Francois County to get involved – you can reach them by phone at 573-760-8929, online at unitedwayofsfc.org, or on Facebook www.facebook.com/unitedwayofsfc
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