Advocating Philanthropy

The following is an article that appeared in a United Way publication, highlighting the service and commitment of Bremer's Kathy Grochow of St. Cloud:

As Community/Nonprofit Resource Specialist at Bremer Bank, Kathy Grochow has been exposed to all that nonprofit work and community advocacy have to offer. Kathy "Lives United" by championing the cause of inspiring hope and creating opportunities for a better tomorrow.

The Otto Bremer Foundation and Bremer created Kathy's position eight years ago to gain awareness of and become a part of the charitable work being done in the community. Kathy reflects upon this, "after joining Bremer, I learned a lot about philanthropic work. This was because of Bremer's ownership structure and philosophies of giving back to the communities Bremer serves. I feel very fortunate to work for an organization that is committed to building healthy communities and for the leadership of Bremer that is committed to supporting and expanding my unique role within Bremer."

Kathy is a dedicated community advocate who is committed to making this community a better place by offering her positive input, leadership, and concern for the well-being of others. She currently serves on the Training Opportunities Team (TOT), the Strategic Impact Committee, is Chair of the Public Policy Committee, is a member of the United Way Results Team, is Co-Chair of the Bremer United Way at Work Committee, and also has participated in multiple Day of Caring events at Bremer. She has also worked toward increasing the capacity of nonprofit organizations by organizing and facilitating low-cost training sessions and networking opportunities.

In reflecting upon how her work has affected her personally, Kathy feels that, "the impact on me personally has been an increased awareness of what it takes to build healthy communities, the importance of capitalizing on the communities' assets, and a greater appreciation for the importance of strong, committed boards of directors that provide guidance to our nonprofit organizations." Kathy has done much to bring a greater awareness to the community about the importance of working together. How do you "Live United"?