Henderson County United Way Inc

Programs: United way of henderson county (uwhc) is in the fifth year of henderson county 2025, a ten year plan to 1) increase kindergarten readiness and support school success for children in poverty; 2) improve financial stability and increase access to affordable housing; 3) reduce obesity rates, and encourage healthy youth behaviors. The goal is to make steady advances by creating solutions that lead to lasting change. United way received two large bequests with revenue recorded in a prior fiscal year. The board determined to use these bequests toward expenses over a 3 year period. Therefore, in 2017-2018, 200,000 in expenses were paid from this prior year revenue. The full narrative of program accomplishments is continued on schedule o. Uwhc's total community investment during the 2017-2018 fiscal year is valued at almost 1. 67 million. It not only includes allocations to 41 community service programs, but also direct-pay designations from donors to community agencies, strategic initiatives, volunteer initiatives, and united way sponsored programs such as 2-1-1, women united, rising leaders, and charity tracker. United way celebrated a milestone at our spring campaign celebration by announcing that the total raised from our annual campaigns since uwhc's inception in 1953 is now over 50 million dollars. In addition to the 1. 67 million community investment, uwhc also provided high-impact services and savings to people in henderson county. Familywize prescription discount cards helped 1851 local residents with an average savings of 46% on prescriptions or 181,674 saved in prescription costs. Nc 2-1-1, united way's information and referral helpline, responded to over 5,407 requests from henderson county residents and directed them to resources where they could find food, shelter, or health care or help paying mortgage, rent or utility bills. Volunteers are also a tremendous non-cash asset. Uwhc had the help of almost 1200 volunteers during 2017-2018, who provided approximately 7,500 hours or over 175,000 worth of volunteer hour value to improve the community. Uwhc hosts two community-wide volunteer events - days of caring and day of action. Days of caring were held in the spring of 2018, with over 300 volunteers working on projects to assist area non-profits with direct client services as well as facility and grounds improvements. Activities included delivering meals to and building ramps and steps for the elderly; repackaging bulk foods for distribution through local food pantries; painting, organizing, cleaning and landscape projects at a number of agencies; and sewing comfort pillow for hospice patients. The national association of letter carriers food drive was an additional component of the days of caring, with over 78,000 pounds of non-perishable food items collected for henderson county residents in need, up 95% from the prior year. Our day of action in august of 2017 brought another 400 volunteers together in support of our local schools. These volunteers completed painting, landscaping, and cleaning projects at every public school campus in henderson county. Participants also donated 8,000 worth of school supplies for students in need, and 1034 pounds of non-perishable food to go home with hungry students over the weekends. In addition to the two volunteer events, uwhc's online volunteer matching program, volunteer hendo, has assisted many local nonprofit agencies in recruiting needed volunteers. This web-based program connects potential volunteers with one-time or ongoing volunteer needs at henderson county non-profits. During 2017-18, 604 volunteer opportunities from organizations throughout the community were posted, and 754 users registered for the site. Women united, a leadership giving affinity group, had a great second year. During the 2017-18 year, membership grew to 65. These women continued to support gem, an after-school opportunity for at-risk fifth grade girls at upward elementary, a high poverty school in henderson county, and provided 14 girls with sessions on career development and self-esteem, as well as backpacks and school supplies valued at 1,400. The group also collected emergency clothing items for school children valued at 1,240, toys and clothing for 50 families over the holidays valued at 5,000, and hosted a summer book drive for foster children books valued at 759. In addition, women united made donations to iam's working women's clothing closet for vouchers for specialty clothing items needed by working women (4,000), and to safelight's job training program for victims of domestic abuse (4,000). Uwhc has received donated office and meeting space from kimberly-clark which has been a tremendous benefit. In turn, uwhc, is able to provide low cost facilities to two other non-profit agencies at our former building at 722 5th avenue. During 2017-2018, believe child advocacy center and smart start rented space at the 722 5th avenue building. Uwhc received substantial gifts in-kind valued over 193,448 from various media resources such as cable, newspaper and radio, along with corporate sponsorships totaling over 67,298 which help cover the cost of campaign, events and operational items. This means that more dollars from donors go directly to programs and services to those in need. The rising leaders initiative is a uwhc program designed to develop the next generation of community leaders and board members for henderson county non-profit organizations. Participants attend an introductory teambuilding session and 6 informational sessions. They also enjoy a "speed-dating" opportunity with representatives from local non-profit organizations as part of their graduation. In 2017-2018, twenty-five rising leaders completed the program, and many have been recruited to serve on local boards. Born learning trail is an education activity program. It promotes learning in a fun and interactive way while boosting language, reading, problem solving and critical thinking skills. It offers families a place to be active, elevate awareness of early childhood education and be a visible symbol of the community's commitment to young children. Uwhc partnered with the city of hendersonville and park ridge health to install a second born learning trail which was opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony in july of 2017. This trail runs on the ochlawaha greenway, a popular walking and bicycling trail for local families. This second trail joins our original born learning trail at mills river park. Charity tracker is a community-wide, uwhc sponsored initiative to allow direct service non-profits to track and coordinate the services they deliver to individuals and families in henderson county. Agencies that use the charity tracker software are able to easily refer clients to other participating agencies and see what services clients have already used. In the 2017-2018 year, the agencies using charity tracker recorded a total assistance value of 195,324 to 3,156 henderson county households. Uwhc co-sponsors the henderson county youth council, a group of high school students selected from throughout henderson county who focus their efforts on community service and spreading awareness about opioid and prescription drug abuse. Uwhc also convenes community conversations on important issues or works with partners and area-wide collaborations such as the nonprofit forum, nonprofit ceo forum, henderson county partnership for health, emergency food and shelter program (efsp), henderson county homeless coalition, henderson county health department community health assessment action teams (obesity, substance abuse, affordable housing) and the behavioral health summit. Uwhc's executive director also serves on the board of united way of north carolina. These items are an overview of the various outreach and non-tangible items that henderson county united way offers to the community in conjunction with, and in addition to, the 1. 67 million in funds provided to programs, initiatives and agencies to improve the lives of henderson county residents.