A Vote for Land O' Lakes Could Earn Cash for the Community

Reader's Digest recently launched the second year of its We Hear You America campaign, a national, grassroots initiative that allows Americans to help their local communities by casting votes at ReadersDigest.com on behalf of their hometowns.

Winning communities receive up to $50,000 for community improvement projects.

To put Land O' Lakes in the running for a prize, all you have to do is log in to the website and vote. Community members also can post photos and stories about what makes Land O' Lakes special, and what types of improvements it would benefit from.

And there is no voting limit —cast as many votes as you'd like.

“There is a desire among people to take matters into our own hands and start working together to fix America,” said Dan Lagani, president of Reader’s Digest North America.

Last year’s program touched 50 percent of the cities, towns, and villages in the United States, 110 of which received funds and promotional support for needed community projects and civic initiatives, according to a press release.

The city of Tampa earned $1,000 from the initiative in 2010, "because they had a lot of enthusiasm for the campaign and what it stood for," program representative Kristin Yuzuik said.

The program has helped fund and promote quality-of-life projects ranging from building a new municipal pool in Genoa, Neb., to developing a skate and bike park in Armada, Mich., to bringing back 4th of July fireworks in Jackson, Ill. 

The campaign will provide support to the towns receiving the most votes. The towns also will be featured in the Reader’s Digest annual Best of America issue and on ReadersDigest.com, according to a press release.