United Way Of Coastal And Western Connecticut Inc

Programs: Community impact grants and other distributions: uwwc supports programs that make a clear difference in people's lives in the areas of education, financial stability and health. Both dollars and volunteer efforts are leveraged, and united way invests in programs that demonstrate strong outcomes, community partnerships, and focus on long term change. Volunteers make funding decisions, and those decisions are made on a local level in three communities that represent the western connecticut region. The process is competitive. 42 programs were funded for fiscal year 2016-2017. These grants help support approximately 75,000 residents in western connecticut. In addition to 42 programs being funded, one third of the contributions are designated by donors to specific 501c3 organizations.

community impact initiatives: uwwc funds several initiatives that focus on education, childhood obesity and financial stability for families. Education: uwwc has been the lead fiscal and backbone organization for two early childhood collaboratives (stamford cradle to career and danbury promise for children partnership) investing funds for infrastructure, and providing in-kind support and leadership. For the stamford cradle to career partnership, an initiative that convenes community stakeholders around the major transition areas for a child's life birth to career through the nationally recognized strivetogether framework. In this capacity, united way facilitates and manages the formation of a partnership with more than 60 community stakeholders including nonprofit organizations, business, public and charter schools, and local and state government. The overarching goal of stamford cradle to career is to collectively align resources to ensure that all youth succeed in education, career and life because successful children lead to a vibrant and thriving community. United way's back to school programs resulted in nearly 730 children in stamford, danbury and new milford having adequate supplies and clothing for the start of school in 2016. United way's strong start initiative focuses on a neighborhood elementary school in danbury. The program partners with and funds service providers in the areas of early literacy, parenting skills, early development screening and school orientation events to prepare children birth to five for kindergarten success. United way is measuring outcomes around family engagement, literacy skills and social, emotional, and self-regulation skills. United way also funds early childhood edcuation programs as well as afterschool programs that provide high-quality care to children and youth. Health: in 2017, uwwc funded programs that work toward reducing childhood obesity, with goals to increase physical activity and healthy eating, and educate families on how to raise healthy children. We have promoted the message of 5-2-1-0 across the western connecticut region: eat 5 fruits or vegetables a day, limit recreational screen time to 2 hours or less, get 1 hour of physical activity every day, and drink o surgary drinks and instead choose lowfat milk or water. Uwwc formed food collaboratives in danbury and stamford to address gaps in services in the community and responding to needs unique to each city. In 2016 uwwc partnered and funded the ct food bank to bring mobile food truck pantries to three communities (new milford, bethel and stamford) monthly to provide free healthy food to alice households. The monthy average attendance at each food pantry is 200 households. Additionally, uwwc supports the ct food bank's grow truck which provides groceries and education for families with young children. Uwwc also supports the funding of weekend food backpacks for 80 children in stamford and danbury. Financial stability: uwwc's financial opportunity center invests in agencies that provide budget coaching and financial education through trained volunteers and staff to reach more families and individuals struggling to make ends meet. It also helps to connect people, many who might never have accessed the support system before, to navigate the various agencies in the community who are able to help them through difficult financial situations. A matching savings program for low-income households is promoted throughout western ct constituents. In the spring of 2017 uwwc launched the alice enrichment fund to provide families living within the alice economic threshold and below access to extracurricular activities. This fund allows children access to sports and the arts and is intended to ignite a passion in children. Volunteerism: volunteer programs run through united way include the operation of a youth volunteer corps that in 2016-17 engaged 131 youth ages 11-18 in 132 volunteer projects at nonprofits across the communities we serve. In danbury uwwc operates the save program (seniors add valuable experience) which provides income eligible danbury residents over the age of 65 to volunteer 100 hours per year to receive a property tax credit. In 2016-17, 42 seniors volunteered at 21 sites across the city logging 7,020 hours of volunteer time. United way's boardserve program trains potential nonprofit board (corporate and community) members in board governance and places them on nonprofit boards. The program also trains nonprofit agencies in board governance and works with them on training and matching. Since its inception in 2013 the boardserve program has trained 150 individuals and 82 nonprofit agency representatives with a 69% matching rate for board members. Volunteer committees in stamford, danbury and new milford bring together corporate and community volunteers to address community needs and assist with projects around education, financial stability and health such as thanksgiving, clothing and book drives. Volunteers in each community are organized throughout the year to read to preschool and elementary school children, as well as children enrolled in community summer camps. Volunteers are used extensively in monthly mobile food pantry distribution.

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