2026 May Volunteer of the Month - Janelle Bierle

Mentorship has the power to change lives, not always through grand gestures, but through consistency, compassion, and simply showing up. At United Way & Volunteer Services of Greater Yankton, we believe strong communities are built when people invest in one another, especially in the lives of young people. Research from MENTOR shows that one in three young people will grow up without a mentor outside of their family, despite the lasting impact those relationships can have. This month, we are proud to recognize someone who embodies the true meaning of mentorship through her involvement with the Big Friend Little Friend program, Janelle Bierle!

Nominated by Desiree Johnson, Janelle was recognized for the remarkable impact she has made in the life of her Little Friend. Desiree shared that while many people could see Janelle cared deeply for the student she mentors, she did not fully understand the depth of that impact until the child entered her classroom, and she witnessed their relationship firsthand throughout the school year.

Week after week, Janelle showed up with patience, kindness, and consistency. Rather than trying to change the child she mentored, she focused on understanding him, encouraging him, and helping him recognize the strengths already within himself. In a world where many children experience disappointment or inconsistency, Janelle became someone he could rely on.

Amanda Hanson, United Way’s Program Coordinator for Big Friend Little Friend, shared that, "Janelle has mentored the same Little Friend since he began first grade in 2022. That long-term commitment has helped shape his confidence, emotional growth, sense of belonging, and understanding of kindness toward others. Through simple but meaningful moments, like baking cookies together for him to share with classmates, Janelle demonstrated the thoughtful care and encouragement that define exceptional mentorship."

We asked Janelle to share more about her volunteer journey and what service means to her:

I have lived here in the Greater Yankton area since:

We moved to Yankton in 2020 from Aberdeen.

I began volunteering:

A friend told me about an opportunity to be a mentor within Yankton School District, so I applied. This turned out to be Big Friend Little Friend, a program facilitated by United Way & Volunteer Services of Greater Yankton.

I volunteer at:

In addition to being a mentor through Big Friend-Little Friend, I volunteer with St. Ben’s Catholic Church by helping with the annual rummage sale by unloading trailers and putting items on shelves. I also mow grass in the summer at St. Ben’s. I volunteer with the Cinco de Mayo event in Sioux Falls, where I provide transportation from the parking lot to the venue and sell beverage tickets.

Approximate hours per year that I volunteer:

I don’t really keep track.

Volunteer work is enjoyable because:

You meet so many great people and it’s just fun!

My best volunteer experience was:

Mentoring at Stewart Elementary School. The staff at that school are so wonderful and caring. They are a great group of individuals.

The advice I would give to those thinking about getting out there and volunteering in their communities is:

Don’t wait to be asked. Just do it, because you’ll get way more out of it than you put into it.

Thank you, Janelle, for your compassion, consistency, and dedication to helping young people feel seen, valued, and supported. Because of volunteers like you, Greater Yankton continues to be a stronger and more connected community!

To learn more about local volunteer opportunities or to nominate someone for United Way’s Volunteer of the Month Award, please visit United Way Volunteer Page, email volunteer@yanktonunitedway.org, or call the United Way team at (605) 665-6766.