Terri: “Can you share a little bit about your role with United Way?”

Holly: “I have the privilege of serving as president and CEO alongside my amazing staff. And more importantly, I get to work with an amazing group of nonprofit leaders around the community – we are an impact organization, and nothing we do is independent. It takes all of us working together.”

Terri: “I want to congratulate you on a successful 2025 United Way campaign! How important are the resources that come from bringing the community together for this campaign each year, in terms of making that impact that you mention?”

Holly: “That really gets to the heart of what United Way was formed around, which is bringing people together to create change. We call it a ‘community campaign’ because there are participants from every corner of the community. From small, mom-and-pop shops that make a corporate donation every year, to the numerous organizations that run employee campaigns, to the folks who donate volunteer hours to our nonprofits.

We partner with 25 different nonprofit agencies and 55 targeted programs to ensure that we have a response for every need that our community may face. Because at the end of the day, everything we do is about people. The beautiful thing is that every person who participates in the campaign becomes a part of the change. It helps all of us feel like we’re a part of where we work, live and play, and a part of that shared vision for community improvement.”

Terri: “And a rising tide lifts all boats, right? Something I found interesting, and that made me proud as part of the campaign cabinet for 2025, was that the nonprofit sector was the highest achieving group from a goals perspective. Nonprofits are on the receiving end of what United Way distributes from this campaign, but many nonprofit employees give to it as well, knowing that they can be part of the common good and that their support can potentially come back to the work that we do.”

Holly: “Yes, seeing our nonprofit partners do this work, day in and day out, is a humbling experience – and they gave even more this year! We don’t see that in every community. I also think it speaks to this notion of collective impact, that we see the value of how each of us plays a role in creating change, and we see the value in each other.”

Terri: “At Greater Midland, we achieved one of our highest levels of United Way giving during the 2025 campaign. We took a more ‘celebratory’ approach this time, focused on having fun, holding events and building a culture around this cause. We also have a long history with United Way, as the first agency of record for it in Midland County. Can you speak to that relationship and how you view the organization as part of the community?”

Holly: “Yes, the relationship goes back 105 years! I love Greater Midland’s culture, because it focuses on belonging, both from a staff perspective and a community perspective. I think the programs and services intentionally reach out and invite people in. It makes people feel a part of something, whether they’re coming in to exercise, or for childcare, or coming into the North or Coleman Family Centers for vital resources. To me, that shows the culture of the organization doesn’t just exist within the buildings – it goes outside, draws people in, meets people where they are, and says ‘we care about you and want to give you a place where you feel safe’.

I look at each of Greater Midland’s facilities as beacons in their respective areas, where people feel a sense of community. And that safety and connection ensures that people who are really struggling don’t struggle alone.”

Terri: “To your earlier point about how it’s not just about dollars, but also the partnerships: I think about what United Way and Greater Midland did together during the pandemic to open the Coleman Community Market, or how we collaborated in rebuilding Camp Neyati, and I see how our resources, expertise and networks enable so many of these types of projects.”

Holly: “Something I love about collaborating with Greater Midland is that we can sit together, look at a problem and find a solution. That’s not true of every organization – not everyone has the vision to think differently and try something new.

Coleman Community Market, for example, was born out of a problem, which was that Coleman was a ‘food desert’ without access to nutritious food nearby. And the solution we found was a low-cost market that could bring fresh produce and other healthy food to a population that needed it. And it didn’t have to be permanent. Once the area had a couple grocery stores open, we were able to pivot and go in a different direction.

We are both nimble organizations and aren’t afraid to try things when they can improve lives. Camp Neyati, which you also mentioned, was another great example. It needed a more sustainable business model, so we also turned to Greater Midland as experts in running camps! Questions like: What type of person should be a director? How do we look at waterfront safety? We were able to leverage that expertise, and each play our role in creating a sustainable camp for the next 100 years.

For many kids, going to Camp Neyati might be the only time they can experience something like that – swimming, boating, fishing, staying overnight. Both United Way and Greater Midland are committed to making sure kids today, and future generations, can have the same experiences and build memories.”

Terri: “Looking to the future, is there any advice you have for Greater Midland, or areas you’d want us to focus on?”

Holly: “I have loved the shift of Greater Midland out into the community, finding new ways to welcome people in, and I’d encourage that to continue. I remember when United Way was going door to door, talking to people in our community about the most important things they were experiencing, and staff from Greater Midland came with us. This seemed to inspire a pivotal shift toward connecting to even more of our neighbors. Now I hear from people all the time about these programs. Rock Steady Boxing, for example, the fitness program for people with Parkinson’s disease – I hear stories about how meaningful that is and how many friendships have been made in it.

These are places where people connect with each other. You only have to spend a few minutes with the seniors and active adults at the Community Center to see that sense of belonging and welcoming heart. I think that’s what our community is all about, it’s bigger than any one organization. I celebrate the fact that in Midland County we’ve been handed this legacy of people who care about other people, and it’s also now our responsibility to carry that forward and make people feel a part of something bigger than themselves.”

Terri: “This partnership between the organizations has had such impact! I think the combined United Way and Greater Midland force can continue to be foundational and live on beyond both of our careers.

In closing, is there anything else you’d like to share about your personal experiences with Greater Midland?”

Holly: “There’s so much I could say! Both of my grandsons attended childcare at the Community Center, and to this day, they walk in and feel like they own the place. It’s home for them. Even Jaxon, who is now in first grade, goes back and gets hugs from all his teachers – and of course, candy. Being in that program was their first childcare experience, and they feel like that is where they belong, and I know it was fostered through the whole team there. When I walk through the Community Center doors, I see the love that the staff has for the kids, and that means a lot to me.”