United We Can Drive Delivers Major Support to Perry County

United Way released results today from the 2025 United We Can food drive and community sculpture competition, announcing broad community engagement and a substantial transfer of canned goods to Perry County food pantries and holiday meal programs. The campaign combined a classic food collection with a creative community event to draw participation from schools, businesses and nonprofit partners across the county.

According to United Way the drive quantified totals in terms of food pounds collected and the number of partner organizations involved, and the organization has already begun routing donations to local pantries and seasonal assistance programs. Participating schools and businesses contributed both goods and volunteer time, while nonprofit partners assisted with collection logistics and distribution planning. Local organizers publicly thanked volunteers and encouraged residents to maintain contributions and involvement throughout the winter season.

The immediate impact is an increase in physical stock for food assistance programs that serve residents facing food insecurity, particularly families and older adults who experience heightened need during the holiday and cold weather months. By routing collected goods to existing pantry networks and holiday programs the drive helps alleviate short term gaps in supply and supports meal services that many local families rely on.

The campaign also highlights broader governance and policy questions about food security and community resilience in Perry County. United Way acted as a coordinating institution, bringing together municipal partners, school systems and private sector actors to achieve scale. That collaborative model leverages volunteer energy but also underscores persistent reliance on charitable drives to meet needs that might require sustained public funding or policy interventions such as expanded emergency food assistance or targeted winter support programs.

For residents the takeaway is tangible. Donations raised through the drive are reaching distribution points within the county, and volunteers have signaled continued readiness to support operations. For local officials the event offers an evidence base for planning, showing which partners can mobilize quickly and where demand remains highest. Observers and organizers say maintaining transparent reporting on how collected goods are allocated will be important for public trust and for ensuring equitable reach to all communities in the county.

United Way and its partners urged ongoing contributions and volunteer engagement as the community moves into the colder months, noting that sustained community support will be essential to meet needs until longer term policy solutions can reduce the underlying causes of food insecurity.