AUGUSTA – United Way of Kennebec Valley (UWKV) has concluded its landmark 70th anniversary year by achieving a historic milestone, announcing a total of $2,004,138  raised for its 2025 campaign. This achievement marks the second time in the organization’s history that it has surpassed the $2 million mark, representing a collective triumph during a season of unprecedented community need. The announcement was made Tuesday, Jan. 27, during a celebratory event at Kennebec Valley Community College, where Campaign Co-Chairs Jared and Vivian Mills shared the news with more than 150 supporters. 

Throughout the past year, the Mills family worked to strip away the anonymity of the ALICE acronym, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed—or people who are living paycheck to paycheck. Jared noted that while 40% of Kennebec County households live below the ALICE threshold, this year’s fundraising effort was a “reality check” that put local faces to the crisis, making the ALICE population more than numbers on spreadsheet. 

Vivian reflected on the community’s response, stating, “In the past, the ALICE population was often ignored, overshadowed in discussions about financial need. But because of this campaign, and because of you, we made their struggles Unignorable.” She noted that the community stopped talking about “them” and started talking about “us,” including neighbors, friends, the local workforce, and ourselves.

The success of the 2025 campaign was fueled by significant growth and new partnerships across the region. For the second year in a row, Conrad and Lois Ayotte offered a $10,000 new donor match, which welcomed 220 new supporters to the United Way family and contributed more than $45,000 to the total. The organization also secured four new employee giving campaigns: Hardy Girls, New England Arab American Organization, Town of Winthrop, and Waterville Area Soup Kitchen. In addition, across the county, 33 organizations stepped up to increase their contributions, raising $64,069 more than the previous year. 

The celebration featured perspectives from funded partner programs who shared ALICE success stories illustrating the power of community investment. Barbara Covey of the Waterville Community Dental Center shared the story of Emma, a three-year-old who received life-changing care because a United Way-funded Care Coordinator position removed logistical barriers. “It’s about more than just a dental cleaning. It’s about providing the coordination and the compassion that allows a family to stay stable while their child gets the care they deserve,” Covey said.  

Nathan MacDonald of the Family Violence Project expanded on this, noting that for domestic violence survivors, financial instability is often the biggest barrier to freedom. “Leaving is only the beginning. That is when the ALICE realities show up in full force—the car that breaks down just as you land a job, or the paycheck that doesn’t stretch,” MacDonald said. “Your investment ensures survivors do not have to choose between safety and survival. It ensures children can walk into school with what they need and that our life-saving work continues.”

UWKV’s President and CEO Courtney Yeager presented the Rob Gordon Community Builder Award to the Tardiff Family, including Rick and Patty along with their children Jon, Amy, Michael, and Matty, and their partners, for their extraordinary multi-generational legacy of giving. Yeager noted that the family has “quite literally embedded the spirit of generosity into their family’s values.”

Katelyn Pushard, UWKV’s director of community impact, presented the Impact2032 Partner of the Year award to Literacy Volunteers of Kennebec for its leadership in launching the Dolly Parton Imagination Library for all children birth to age 5 in Kennebec County. Pushard also honored Central Maine Power with the Norm Temple Community Volunteer Award for the company’s exceptional volunteerism and match of employee volunteer hours. 

Jared and Vivian presented several additional campaign honors, naming the Waterville Area Essentials Closet as the Public Service Partner of the Year. The co-chairs noted the program “exemplifies the mantra ‘no organization is too small’ to run a campaign and care about the community.” Maine Technology Group earned the Small Business Partner of the Year award for its growth from a Small Business Circle member to a powerhouse supporter. Team EJP was honored as the Large Business Partner of the Year for exceeding the company’s goals and increasing support by 12%. Nicholson, Michaud and Nadeau, CPAs received the New Campaign Partner of the Year award, and Trisha Watson was presented with the Chairpersons’ Recognition Award for having “single-handedly introduced more than $18,000 in new money to our campaign.” 

To conclude the evening, the co-chairs also reflected on the success of the “70 for 70th Legacy Challenge,” which was an effort to secure 70 one-time or planned giving commitments to support the Legacy Society. The Mills family announced that 47 commitments have been secured so far. These forward-thinking gifts ensure that United Way remains a powerhouse of support for the next 70 years. 

“Tonight, we aren’t just closing a campaign; we are celebrating the successful conclusion of United Way’s 70th year of service,” Jared said. “All of this success was built by you. You truly rose to the challenge of our 70th year, and because of you, the future of Kennebec County is brighter and more secure.”

United Way also conducted its annual business meeting to elect leadership for the upcoming year. The organization welcomed three new board members for an initial three-year term: Nathan Howell (MaineGeneral Health), Sara Fifield (KV Federal Credit Union), and Steven McDermott (Genesis Community Loan Fund). Current members Sam Burdick (Maine Education Association), Kerry Smart (Travis Mills Foundation), and Corey Vose (Performance Foodservice – NorthCenter) were re-elected to serve a second three-year term. The 2026 slate of officers will include Board Chair Corey Vose, Vice-Chair Rebecca Tibbetts, Treasurer Cheryl Flewelling, Community Investment Co-Chairs Matthew Newell and Amanda Cooley, and Human Resources Chair Mark O’Brien. The organization also bid farewell to retiring board members Nona Boyink, Nate Curtis, and Chris Voynik, honoring them for six years of steadfast leadership.