Columbus NE - Columbus Area United Way received a $4,000 grant to support senior food access in Platte, Colfax, Boone, and Nance counties. The grant is provided through FCSAmerica’s Working Here Fund.
The Columbus Area United Way is putting this funding to good use, using the funds to help provide food assistance to a large gap in our community, seniors. According to 2023 data from feedingamerica.org, over 20,000 individuals over the age of sixty in Nebraska were food insecure with a 4.2% food insecurity rate. To help assist with this gap, Columbus Area United Way provided almost 1,100 bags of food for seniors from November 2025 to February 2026, assisting 2,800 individuals with food access. Hope Freshour, Executive Director, Columbus Area United Way said, “Thanks to this funding, we can make a meaningful impact in the lives of seniors in our community who face food insecurity. By providing access to nutritious food, we are not only meeting an immediate need but also supporting the health and well-being of our senior population.”
Columbus Area United Way is one of 151 organizations to receive a Working Here Fund grant in the fourth quarter of 2025. FCSAmerica awarded more than $1,200,000 during the latest grant cycle ending December 31, 2025.
“As a cooperative owned by farmers and ranchers, we understand the importance of putting food on our neighbor’s table,” said Tami Campbell, regional vice president of customer experience in FCSAmerica’s Columbus office.