Check out these great Heart of Illinois United Way events in central Illinois.

Heart of Illinois United Way Events

Check out these great Heart of Illinois United Way events in central Illinois.

2019 Power of the Purse - Thursday, May 9, 2019 at the Par-A-Dice Hotel, East Peoria.

Save the Date! 2019 Power of the Purse – Thursday, May 9 at Par-A-Dice Hotel, East Peoria

Gina Edwards
  • Thursday, May 9
  • Doors open at 5:00 p.m. Event 5:30-8:00 p.m.
  • Par-A-Dice Hotel, East Peoria
  • $50/person or $500 for Reserved Table of 10. Click Here to RSVP…

From silent auctions for designer purses to great raffle prizes, more than 600 guests will have the opportunity to enjoy fashion and a fun night out for a great cause!

Funds raised by previous Power of the Purse events have established endowed scholarships for low-income women in central Illinois and provided weekend snack packs for children in need.

Power of the Purse Mission

Inspire, enhance, and strengthen the lives of women and children by raising funds for education, financial stability and health.

2019 Title Sponsor:

2019 Power of the Purse Title Sponsor: Howard & Howard Law for Business AND Lenny the Lawyer

2019 Underwriters:

 

Thank You to Our 2019 Power of the Purse Underwriters! Illinois Mutual, Par-a-dice Hotel and Casino, and PNC Bank.

If you are interested in sponsoring or donating items to the 2019 Power of the Purse, click here to download a packet….

For more information about the 2019 Power of the Purse, please contact:

  • Mary Brown, Vice President of Finance, 309-674 -5181, ext. 1237 or 
  • Gina Edwards, Vice President of Marketing, 309-674-5181, ext. 1234 or 

Continue reading →

Create a memory this February ...we invite you to join one of our Success By 6 preschool classrooms for Read Across America Day. You’ll have a great time reading The Mitten and acting out the story! Read Across America Day 2019

We invite you to join our Success By 6 classrooms for Read Across America Day!

Gina Edwards


Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.

– Dr. Seuss

Create a memory this February …we invite you to join one of our Success By 6 preschool classrooms for Read Across America Day. You’ll have a great time reading The Mitten and acting out the story!

  • About The Mitten: One by one, woodland animals find a mitten and crawl in …  first a curious mole, then a rabbit, a badger and others, each one larger than the last. Several animals sleep snugly in the lost mitten until a bear sneezes!
  • Volunteers will be reading to 3-5 year-old preschool students, so be prepared to have fun and engage a young audience.
  • After reading the book, volunteers will help the teacher layout a large “mitten” (a large sheet) and help the children take turns as the book’s cast of characters. The grand finale … a large sneeze by the bear and everyone in the class!
  • Each Success By 6 classroom will have a kit with character masks and a large “mitten”.

Click Here to Volunteer…

The National Education Association’s annual Read Across America event calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on or around the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss.  In cities and towns across the nation, teachers, teenagers, librarians, politicians, actors, athletes, parents, grandparents, and others develop Read Across America activities to bring reading excitement to children of all ages.

Campaign Celebration on January 30 cancelled due to frigid weather!

Please Stay Safe and Warm … Community Campaign Celebration Cancelled for January 30, 2019

Gina Edwards

Heart of Illinois United Way Community Campaign Celebration Cancelled!

Due to the weather on Wednesday, January 30, 2019, the Heart of Illinois United Way is cancelling our Community Campaign Celebration so everyone can stay safe and warm.

We sincerely appreciate your generosity and support. Look for an announcement soon as we celebrate the accomplishments of 2018!

VIP: Volunteers Inspire Partnerships on November 6, 2018 at Bradley University

Gina Edwards

The Heart of Illinois United Way is partnering with NOVA (Network of Volunteer Administrators), SERVE Illinois and Bradley University to host a volunteer engagement seminar in Peoria on November 6, 2018. Shari Pash, President and Owner of Strategic Solutions for Growth, will provide a dynamic, fun and interactive seminar that is motivational and hands-on. An accomplished coach and trainer with over 30 years of experience, Pash’s work is changing the culture and way organizations approach volunteer recruitment and retention. She provides a customized, multi-step recruitment and retention program with proven success. Join us for a one-day, all access pass to recruiting volunteer talent and taking them beyond being one-hit wonders! Continue reading →

GENeration United Mad Dash – July 14th

Gina Edwards

If you’re looking for a chance to break out your old prom tuxes and dresses, compete against others in the community, and possibly win great prizes sign up for the Mad Dash today! Grab your friends, co-workers and peers and get ready for a day of exciting competition in pursuit of the $1,000 grand prize! All proceeds from the Mad Dash go to support the Heart of Illinois United Way.

  • Date/Time: Saturday, July 14 | 9:30 – 12:00 p.m.
  • Location: Bradley University
  • Registration: Teams of 2-4 people/$150/team.

For more information or to register, visit livegenu.org/maddash. Continue reading →

United Way Kickoff Breakfast and Day of Caring 2018

Gina Edwards

The Heart of Illinois United Way will officially kickoff our 2018 campaign with a breakfast featuring guest speaker Michele Sullivan, Caterpillar’s Director of Corporate Social Innovation and President of the Caterpillar Foundation.  Following the breakfast, volunteers are invited to participate in our Day of Caring featuring numerous community-wide volunteer opportunities and a food drive.

  • Date/Time: Friday, September 7 | 7:30 am -9:00 am breakfast
  • Location: Peoria Civic Center
  • Reservations:  Open July 30