Nearly 400 United Way of the Midlands (UWM) volunteers will come together, July 28 – 31, to support local students by assembling nearly 5,000 Shine Bright kits at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs.
As the community gets ready to start a new school year, thousands of students lack access to essential hygiene items like soap, shampoo and dental products – impacting their health, academics and confidence. Each Shine Bright kit contains full-size personal care products that help students feel prepared, confident and ready to learn.
Shine Bright is a partnership between UWM, Omaha and Council Bluffs Public Schools, Papillion La Vista Schools, JAG Nebraska and other area organizations. School counselors identify kindergarten, sixth- and ninth-grade students who would benefit from additional support and distribute the kits directly to them. Kits will also be provided to JAG Nebraska students across the state.
“For many families, rising costs can make it difficult to afford even basic personal care items,” said Shawna Forsberg, president and CEO, UWM. “One of UWM’s strengths is connecting people who want to help with opportunities to serve. Shine Bright is a great example of how we make it easy for people to give back.”
Shine Bright 2026 is possible thanks to sponsors Election Systems & Software, Fiserv, Google, Google Fiber, Liberty Packaging, Mid-America Center, Pella, T-Mobile, Wellabe, Werner and WoodmenLife – along with community partners and volunteers who all come together to make a difference. If you’d like to become a sponsor or volunteer for this year’s event, go to UnitedWayMidlands.org/ShineBright.
To learn more, please visit UnitedWayMidlands.org.