LABELLE — Employees of Bayer in Felda recommended the United Way of Hendry and Glades receive a $10,000 grant from the Bayer Fund. Funds from the grant will be used for the Empowering Children & Youth Initiative for Hendry County.

Submitted photo
Laura Wilkes Reed (left) and Lynnette Tindall (right) present Lisa Sands, United Way of Hendry and Glades manager, a check for $10,000 for the Monsanto Grant.

Empowering Children and Youth is an ongoing program that strives to make a positive impact on the lives of young people in Hendry County. The Bayer grant will feed children and support after-school programs including United Way’s ReadingPals, an early literacy program. The program is critical for removing barriers to learning and helping children meet educational goals.

Lynnette Tindall, volunteer outreach coordinator for Bayer in Felda, said, “I am proud to partner with the United Way, and we have been partnering with them for the last eight years. It is our mission here at Felda Florida Bayer’s site to feed hungry children in our community and all over the world.

“Bayer is an active supporter of our United Way, and we sincerely appreciate this grant to assist children in Hendry County. Bayer employees nominated United Way of Hendry and Glades to receive this grant, and have demonstrated their desire to make this community a better place to live and work,” said Jeannine Joy, president and CEO of the United Way.

In 2019, the Bayer Fund awarded more than $1.4 million through this program to nonprofit organizations in rural communities to help address essential needs in Food & Nutrition, STEM Education and Community Development. Nonprofit organizations across the U.S. have received more than $7 million through this program over the last five years.

About United Way of Hendry and Glades
A local network of 28 agencies received funds from the 2018-2019 United Way of Hendry & Glades fundraising campaign. These agencies include: Abuse Counseling and Treatment (ACT), The Salvation Army, Harry Chapin Food Bank, RCMA, Children’s Advocacy Center, Child Care of Southwest Florida, Healthy Families, and many others.

Over the last 18 years United Way of Hendry and Glades has raised and distributed over $3.6 million to the United Way Partner Agencies that change the lives of people in our community. In addition to raising funds for human service organizations in our community, the United Way promotes partnerships and collaborations among agencies, helping them to work together focusing on issues and solutions that continue to improve lives.