A report released recently by the Swift Current United Way shed some light on their community impact in 2017.

The charitable organization helped nine different non-profit organizations last year to a tune $71,650 for a variety of programs.

Swift Current United Way Executive Director Stacey Schwartz said one of the biggest takeaways for her in their 2017 community impact report was how many people in the southwest they were able to help.

"If you look at the communities that were impacted out of those nine [organations that received funding], it's actually pretty encouraging and remarkable to see how many communities end up on that list," she said. "And to just see the reach these nine organizations have in the southwest area."   

At least 26 communities in the southwest were reached by the United Ways donations and 1,327 people.

"At the end of the day one thing that I have to remind myself and for people, in general, to remind themselves that a lot of times we don't see the full extent of the impact," Schwartz said. "And just know that even if it's one person that's reached, it matters."

The social issue for the Swift Current United Way in 2017 was to raise awareness around domestic violence. 

"So we had done a documentary on Ang's story," she said. "I think just seeing the impact that had on different individuals as far as awareness and education."

The 2018 social issue they will be focusing on is addictions and will be showing a documentary on that to try and change the stigma.

Southwest non-profit organizations will have to wait a couple more weeks to apply for money as the United Way's grants don't come out until the end of May.