2026 Conference Philanthropy

This year, for our 2026 Annual Conference-Centered on Success: Developing Tomorrow's Workforce, we are proud to support Young Men United (YMU)! 

Young Men United (YMU) is an immersive character and workforce development initiative at United Way of the Midlands that is designed to create pathways for young men to discover, plan, and achieve their academic and career goals. Participants receive a continuum of wraparound support to ensure they graduate on time, complete postsecondary education or training, and successfully enter the workforce. Supports include one-on-one mentoring, college and workplace exploration, professional development workshops, paid internships, job shadowing, financial assistance for their families, and a supportive community of peers, mentors, professionals, and partner organizations. YMU currently operates within 5 local high schools in and has over 100 total high school and college students.