Muscatine High School Gray Matters Collective Club partners with United Way Muscatine County to raise money for the Kids First Fund
Muscatine, IA – Muscatine High School (MHS) Gray Matters Collective is partnering with United Way Muscatine County to raise money for United Way’s Kids First Fund during their Pancake Breakfast fundraiser on November 14th. The MHS 11th-grade Gray Matters Collective group approached United Way representatives a few months ago to see how they could help support this vital program in Muscatine County. Gray Matters Collective members will be providing delivery services for the November 14th Kids First Pancake Breakfast. This will mark the second time that delivery has been available for United Way’s quarterly pancake breakfast fundraiser. The pancake breakfast is on November 14th, 2025, from 7-9 am at Midwest One Bank’s Walnut Room, located at 300 East 2nd Street in Muscatine. Dine-in, pick-up, and delivery orders are available. Delivery and pickup orders are due by November 13th at 12:00 pm. Delivery orders can be placed online at https://forms.gle/
Camery Schaapveld, Belle Seaman, and Ivan Alvarado, three MHS Gray Matters Collective members, said, “As students at MHS, we feel it is very important to help the community as much as possible. It’s always nice to be able to give back and find ways to make our community a better place. We decided to help out with the Kids First Pancake Breakfast. The Kids First Fund gives back to students in the Muscatine Community School District. As representatives of MHS, we are honored to be able to help United Way Muscatine County with its mission to help local students in need. We picked this non-profit because it gives back to students and makes an impact in our schools every day.”
United Way Muscatine County’s Kids First Fund was created to eliminate barriers to success in school and to help kids stay connected by providing opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities. United Way Muscatine County partners with school employees throughout Muscatine County to identify students who have a need and provide what is needed to meet that need. In 2024, the Kids First Fund provided almost $20,000 to help 2,168 local students. Some of the things that the Kids First Fund covered last year include: testing fees, calculators, activity registration fees, band supplies, sports equipment, weather-appropriate clothing, shoes, alarm clocks, caps and gowns, school supplies, and so much more.
“United Way Muscatine County is extremely grateful for the Muscatine Gray Matters Collective club and their generous support for our Kids First Fund Pancake Breakfast on November 14th. Their support through volunteering and helping to advertise the breakfast shows their dedication to helping ensure more community members can enjoy a warm breakfast while supporting the Kids First Fund. We are proud to partner with such outstanding students who demonstrate leadership service to a cause that supports so many of their classmates as well as other students in the county,” said Mason Kopf, Program Manager at United Way Muscatine County.
For more information, please contact [email protected] or 563-223-8497
About United Way Muscatine County: United Way Muscatine County is a nonprofit organization with a mission to mobilize resources to empower the greater Muscatine community to improve the lives of people in need. Through partnerships with local organizations, United Way Muscatine County focuses on increasing household independence through education and housing. The organization mobilizes volunteers, donors, and advocates to make a lasting difference across the whole county.
About The Gray Matters Collective: The Gray Matters Collective is a mental health awareness and suicide prevention movement. With hope, compassion, and community, we aim to empower all people to take care of themselves and those around them.
