United Way Day of Action is a day to show up, pitch in, and make a meaningful difference, together. It’s one powerful day where volunteers come together, turning compassion into action through hands-on projects that strengthen our community.
This year team members from Great States Construction volunteered their time around the Fargo-Moorhead area.
Great Plains Food Bank
Marketing team members Kayla Goebel, Hannah Savoy, and Dirk Monson volunteered with Great Plains Food Bank. Together with volunteers from other local businesses, they helped pack 538 boxes of food for families across North Dakota.
Each box, to be distributed at pop-up events, is meant to support a family of four.
“Food insecurity hides in plain sight,” noted Ashleigh Brown, Community Engagement Coordinator with Great Plains Food Bank.
In 2025, Great Plains Food Bank distributed 14,805,371 pounds of food through local partners and popup events, reaching every county in North Dakota. The need remains significant, with the food bank serving 1 in 5 North Dakota adults and 1 in 6 children.
“My arms are a bit sore from packing, but that’s okay,” said Dirk Monson, Marketing Content Specialist at Great States. “It’s impactful knowing that each one of these boxes is going to a family who needs it.”
Urban Pollinators Plots
Without food for wildlife, especially the pollinators who help crops grow, there likely wouldn’t be as much food for Great Plains Food Bank to distribute.
Kylie Kanwischer, a Digital Creative Strategist, and Maggie Nyquist, an Executive Assistant, volunteered to plant pollinator gardens in Urban Plains Park as part of the Urban Pollinators Plots Project.
The project is a collaborative effort between the Fargo Park District, Audubon Great Plains, North Dakota State University, United Prairie Foundation and the North Dakota Outdoor Heritage Fund to establish and restore native urban landscapes that are beneficial to pollinators across the Fargo metro.
Urban gardens like these are especially important food sources for bees. Notably, bees are responsible for pollinating up to 30% of the food that we eat.
“Spending time outside to plant a garden that is both beautiful and practical is incredibly satisfying,” remarked Kylie.
Giving Back
Giving back is part of who we are at Great States. Every team member is given dedicated time to volunteer, whether for causes close to their heart or community-wide events like United Way Day of Action.
A few hours can make a real difference. Whether at a food bank, on a trail, or in a neighborhood, days like today are a reminder of why we do what we do.