Author: Taylor Chapman

Volunteering. Making a Difference.

Posted on by Taylor Chapman

UWGG recently celebrated National Volunteer Week and is extremely thankful to the over 100 volunteers who took on a variety of needs, including cleaning up local parks, donating diapers and hygiene products to families in need, signing up to mentor local children, and more.

We wrapped up our week of service on Earth Day by planting 25 trees in partnership with Greensboro Housing Authority and Greensboro Beautiful, Inc. Children from The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club of Greensboro were excited to get their hands dirty and make the area around the Caldcleugh Center even more beautiful with every tree that was planted.

Later that evening, we gathered at the Center for Visual artists and recognized some special people with LIVE UNITED Centennial Volunteer Awards. We also honored the top 3 winners of our Student Art Contest with medals and Chik Fil A gift cards.

We are so grateful for all the wonderful people who make up our UWGG community!

Seven United Way Partners Honored with Spirit of NC Awards

Posted on by Taylor Chapman

Greensboro, NC (February 28, 2022) – Seven local United Way of Greater Greensboro partners will be honored with Spirit of North Carolina Awards at United Way of North Carolina’s annual award event on March 1, 2022.

Every year, United Way of North Carolina recognizes organizations that have succeeded in raising funds to support their community and have dedicated themselves to being part of the long-term solution to build stronger communities. Winners of this year’s awards went above and beyond the traditional scope of fundraising by deeply engaging their communities and volunteers, supporting COVID-19 relief efforts, and by creating opportunities to educate employees on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

“The Spirit of NC Award gives United Way of Greater Greensboro an opportunity to acknowledge organizations that have stepped up big ways to make a real impact in the local community. This year’s winners are fully committed to helping children, adults, and families leave poverty, and we are so proud and thankful for their partnerships,” says Nadine Malpass, Senior Vice President of Resource Development, United Way of Greater Greensboro.

Local Spirit of NC Award winners include:

Building a legacy of community engagement through volunteerism

  • Summit Rotary Club – The Summit Rotary Club of Greensboro has been a committed partner of United Way of Greater Greensboro for the last ten years. From taking on volunteer leadership positions, to hosting resource drives for families in need, to making significant financial contributions to support United Way Family Success Centers (FSC) and Integrated Service Delivery Network during the pandemic, Summit Rotary has dedicated itself to deep community engagement in the Greensboro community around efforts to end local poverty.
     
  • Xtern Software – Community engagement, volunteering, and a culture of care are core values for Xtern Software and its employees. To help Family Success Center (FSC) members gain workplace skills for employment, Xtern executives and software developers held COVID-safe interest sessions to meet with FSC members, assess their computer literacy skills, and build a curriculum to meet their needs. In response to the pandemic, Xtern gave financial support, held hygiene supply drives, and created care packages so that FSC families had critical supplies during the COVID-19 crisis.

    “We are very impressed with United Way and its efforts to end local poverty. We are especially impressed with its Family Success Centers (FSC) which provide bundled services in a way that is innovative and better serves families in our community. Xtern Software is proud to partner with the FSC to offer services that their members are seeking, like computer literacy courses for job readiness,” says Keir Davis, President, Xtern Software.

Building Campaign Momentum with Engaged Leadership & Employees

  • ITG Brands – ITG Brands stepped up their campaign engagement this year by thinking outside of the box. First, they assembled a campaign committee with representation from each of ITG Brands’ Business Units, allowing for increased participation from employees, more thorough communication about the campaign, and exposure to United Way of Greater Greensboro messaging about our new Bold Goal. Senior leadership also provided employees with incentives for those who participated which helped increase turnout not only in financial contributions made but for a drive-through Purse Party event that generated auction items for our Handbags to End Poverty event as well.

    “ITG Brands is committed to Greensboro and the families that make up this community. We value the long-term partnership we have enjoyed with United Way, and we support the mission to end poverty which aligns with our Diversity and Inclusion commitment to ensure all members of this community can live up to their greatest potential. Thank you for the recognition and we look forward to doing our part to continue to make Greensboro a great community for all to thrive,“ says Kim Reed, CEO of ITG Brands.

Campaign/engagement success or campaigns conducted amid COVID-19

  • Lincoln Financial Group – Lincoln Financial Group (LFG) has maintained their standing in the top 2 overall workplace campaigns in Greensboro. The success of Lincoln’s employee-driven campaign is attributed to their creative and agile approach to engage employees in a virtual environment. Amid COVID-19, employees reimagined traditional campaigns, offering new and innovative formats to encourage active participation. Virtual events included a senior leadership series focused on giving back, along with weekly “lunch and learn” opportunities. Lincoln employees are deeply engaged, uniquely connected and remain firmly committed to their Greensboro community, which helped to ensure a successful campaign.

    “At Lincoln Financial Group, we serve our communities with compassion. The United Way Spirit of North Carolina Award is a testament to that compassion and the continued generosity of Lincoln employees,” said Mike Burns, Senior Vice President of Life Solutions, Lincoln Financial Group. “We are honored to receive this award and we remain committed to a shared future where everyone in our Greensboro community thrives and reaches their full potential.”

Investment in long-term sustainable impact

  • The Fresh Market – As a guiding principle, The Fresh Market believes in bringing people together and giving back to the communities they serve. Their partnership has been instrumental in supporting United Way of Greater Greensboro’s year-round signature events. The Fresh Market has provided generous large in-kind contributions of flowers, food, gift cards, and more, along with financial contributions that have had a lasting impact in the Greensboro community. In addition to their support of United Way, they make food donations multiple times per week to Feeding America’s partner food banks and its agencies to fight hunger in their communities.
     

Leading through the DEI lens

  • Cone Health, Kontoor Brands –After hosting a series of community conversations on racial equity in the summer of 2020, United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) decided to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion by launching a 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge in the spring and fall of 2021. Thanks to support from Kontoor Brands and Cone Health, nearly 800 people accepted the challenge and received 21 daily emails with thought-provoking content and resources exploring topics like structural racism, segregation, privilege, gender, and LGBTQ rights. Both Kontoor Brands and Cone Health sponsored the challenge and promoted it to their employees as an internal diversity, equity, and inclusion educational and learning opportunity. Both organizations openly acknowledged that dismantling barriers to equity is key to creating a community where people can thrive, which is at the heart of UWGG’s efforts to end local poverty.

    “Diversity, equity and inclusion are woven into the culture of Cone Health. The 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge was an important resource allowing us to continue our leadership on these issues,” says Cone Health CEO Dr. Mary Jo Cagle. “We are honored for this recognition and thankful of the United Way of Greater Greensboro for keeping the conversation going in our community.”

For more information about the Spirit of North Carolina Award and to view a complete list of winners, visit unitedwaync.org/spirit-north-carolina-award-winners.

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We Work Better Together

Posted on by Taylor Chapman

The Institute of Emerging Issues and NC Better2Gether team housed at NC State University is officially calling today TwosDay, in honor of today’s date: 2/22/22. To commemorate this day, NC Better 2Gether is celebrating 22 people who work in communities to solve problems that hold us back and to build support for ideas that move us forward —making NC a more vibrant and prosperous state.  Among them is our very own Sarah Glover, manager of UWGG’s nationally recognized Family Success Centers.

Sarah says “Our United Way is building partnerships and models to improve economic mobility in our community. The program model I manage is “Family Success Centers” where we work with families to smooth the path for them to meet their educational, career, financial, and wellness goals and so break the cycle of poverty one household at a time.”

NC Better2Gether asked Sarah how we can make North Carolina a more vibrant and prosperous state, and she answered “I believe my home state will be more vibrant and prosperous when we figure out how to make child care affordable and available for all working families and pay early care and education teachers a family-sustaining wage.”

We couldn’t agree with her more.

Join us in congratulating Sarah for this wonderful accomplishment! 

ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE

Posted on by Taylor Chapman

“Mr. Sutton was the one who kept me going. I don’t think I would have graduated without his support.“ – Dominique Alexander

As a retired NC A&T State University basketball coach, Bill Sutton is no stranger to offering young men motivation, and as a young man navigating the ups and downs of life, Dominique Alexander is always looking to improve his game.

The two have formed a lasting relationship through United Way of Greater Greensboro’s African American Male Initiative (AAMI), which is a component of the organization’s Mentoring Matters program. With the support of Communities in Schools, AAMI is offered to students at Wiley Elementary, Jackson Middle, and Smith High Schools.

When AAMI began 11 years ago, Bill was among the first group of men to volunteer as a mentor. Over the years, he has mentored 10 youth, encouraging some along their paths from elementary school to college.

United Way supports mentoring as a pathway out of poverty because it’s proven to help youth make responsible choices, excel in school, and avoid risky behaviors.

Dominique was in elementary school when Bill became his mentor and the two have stayed connected ever since. Dominique, who lives with his grandmother, says Bill has been there for him through some pretty tough situations.

“Mentoring, like life, is a journey and things don’t always go the way you think they should. But throughout all of it, you have to accentuate the positive. Sometimes, just being positive and encouraging is all someone needs to make it through,” said Bill.

As Dominique made his way through high school, Bill was one of a few people invited to his graduation. “Mr. Sutton is always there when I need him. And I’ve needed his support a lot,” said Dominique. He adds, “Mr. Sutton was the one who kept me going. I don’t think I would have graduated without his support. After graduation, Mr. Sutton helped me get a job, and he helped me enroll in college.”

“Through it All” – Dominique and Bill have formed a relationship that has lasted nearly a decade, and shows no signs of stopping.

Local NFL Star, Emmanuel Moseley, Helping 57 Families During Holiday Season

Posted on by Taylor Chapman

MEDIA INVITED TO ATTEND – PLEASE RESPOND

Local NFL Star, Emmanuel Moseley Helping 57 Families During Holiday Season 

On December 8, two lucky families will go on a $1,000 shopping spree at Wal-Mart, additional families will be given $100 gift cards 

GREENSBORO, NC (December 6, 2021) – Local NFL star Emmanuel Moseley wants to spread a little holiday cheer, so The Moseley Legacy Foundation partnered with Wal-Mart, and United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) to give a total of $7,500 in gift cards to help 57 families do some holiday shopping. 

On December 8, at 6 p.m., two lucky families will join Emmanuel Moseley virtually, at Wal-Mart Supercenter, 121 West Elmsley Street, in Greensboro to go on a $1,000 holiday shopping spree. Moseley’s mother, Latoya, and father, Darrell, will represent his foundation in person and will also join the families while they shop.  

The additional 55 families will be given $100 Wal-Mart gift cards later this month. Families receiving the shopping spree and gift cards were chosen at random from UWGG’s Family Success Centers.  

UWGG operates two Family Success Centers, one at Guilford Child Development and one at Salvation Army Center of Hope. These centers offer members the ability to access multiple services like GED completion, career coaching, financial planning, and educational childcare all in one location.  

Moseley, a Greensboro native who graduated from James B. Dudley High School, is a cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers. The Moseley Legacy Foundation empowers youth and families in need through food security, educational advancement, and second chance opportunities. The foundation has helped serve over 1,500 families in need since its inception.  

“I’m blessed to be able to give back and help those in need. My foundation and I are excited about the opportunity to partner with United Way of Greater Greensboro and share the impact this holiday season,” said Moseley.  

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END POVERTY: United Way of Greater Greensboro is leading a local movement to END poverty. We create strategic partnerships and initiatives that are coordinated throughout the community that work together to help children, adults, and entire families leave poverty. More than 57,000 people are living in poverty in the greater Greensboro area. In the City of Greensboro, one out of every four children, lives in poverty. With the community’s support, we’re connecting people to supports and services like housing, jobs, education, and healthcare. The federal government defines poverty as a family of four earning $26,500 per year. According to local self-sufficiency standards many four-member households need to earn around $60,000 to meet basic needs without subsidized assistance. www.UnitedWayGSO.org Local impact for 99 years and counting.  

United Way of Greater Greensboro Seeking Requests for Proposals Supporting Bold Goal Efforts to End Poverty

Posted on by Taylor Chapman

GREENSBORO, NC (November 19, 2021) – United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) is pleased to announce it is seeking grant applications from human service organizations through an open and competitive process to support achieving its Bold Goal of 3,000 households leaving generational poverty by 2030. 

Proposals must be submitted by 5 p.m. on January 14, 2022, and interested organizations can visit www.UnitedWayGSO.org/Grants to access additional information and application documents.

After a year of listening to and collaborating with thousands of diverse community stakeholders, UWGG announced a new community-inspired and developed Bold Goal aimed at taking organizational efforts of ending poverty to the next level: As a community united in equity and lasting solutions, 3,000 households in greater Greensboro will leave generational poverty by 2030. 

Volunteer-led Impact Councils will select programs based on their abilities to produce defined outcomes that help UWGG achieve the Bold Goal. This “open funding” model allows UWGG to invest donor gifts into local programs with proven solutions that help to end poverty.

Proposals must support the following:

  • Employment and financial stability support to help adults get on the path and achieve the Bold Goal by moving over the poverty line through employment, educational attainment, safeguarding income, and asset building. 
  • Cradle-to-career supports to ensure that children and youth are hitting major milestones from the time they are born until they find a career, on the path to leaving generational poverty. 
  • Basic needs and access to healthcare services to address households’ foundational needs to keep them on the path out of poverty. 

UWGG plans to make 1 to 2-year investments beginning July 1, 2022. The current Requests for Proposal: Strategic Partner Grants 2022-2024, includes updated criteria to support Bold Goal efforts. A summarized overview of high-level changes includes but is not limited to:

  • Reconceived Impact Areas with distribution caps, directing the largest percentage of funding to Employment and Financial Stability
  • Prioritizing collaborative applications 
  • Increasing engagement with households in poverty by expanding access to our funding and prioritizing investment to support households at or below the Federal Poverty Level
  • Begin applying an equity framework to our grantmaking by requesting additional diversity, equity, and inclusion information.
  • Grants will be awarded for a minimum of $20,000 not to exceed 50% of the proposed total program budget.

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END POVERTY: United Way of Greater Greensboro is leading a local movement to END poverty. We create strategic partnerships and initiatives that are coordinated throughout the community that work together to help children, adults, and entire families leave poverty. More than 57,000 people are living in poverty in the greater Greensboro area. In the City of Greensboro, one out of every four children, lives in poverty. With the community’s support, we’re connecting people to supports and services like housing, jobs, education, and healthcare. The federal government defines poverty as a family of four earning $26,500 per year. According to local self-sufficiency standards many four-member households need to earn around $60,000 to meet basic needs without subsidized assistance. www.UnitedWayGSO.org Local impact for 99 years and counting. 

Public Invited to Attend United Way’s 14th Annual Conversations with Community Leaders hosted by African American Leadership, Dec. 14

Posted on by Taylor Chapman

Greensboro, NC (November 17, 2021) – The public is invited to attend United Way of Greater Greensboro’s 14th Annual Conversations with Community Leaders hosted by African American Leadership (AAL) on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 

Hosted on Zoom, this free event invites attendees to learn about and share solutions for local issues affecting the Greensboro community. This year’s event topic is “GSO Food Deserts: Pitfalls, Partnerships & Public Participation” and will include a panel discussion and Q&A. To RSVP, visit UnitedWayGSO.org/Conversation. 

Featured speakers include: 

Paula Sieber, the Executive Director of the Guilford Urban Farming Initiative (GUFI). The mission of GUFI is to grow local and urban agriculture, improve community health and wealth while reducing socioeconomic and health disparities, to explore concepts of food sovereignty within an urban setting while promoting food justice, environmental justice, and social justice.  

Jamilla Pinder, the Assistant Director of Healthy Communities at Cone Health. The Healthy Communities mission is to improve the health and well-being of underserved residents by offering supports and resources close to their homes and work. 

Paula and Jamilla will share their personal insights as local leaders who are working together to address food deserts and will participate in a panel discussion led by AAL Chair, Carla Banks, and answer attendee questions. 

Special thanks to the event sponsors: 

  • VF Corporation, GOLD Level 
  • American National Bank & Trust Company, SILVER Level 
  • Cone Health, BRONZE Level 
  • Greensboro Housing Authority, BRONZE Level 
  • Lincoln Financial Group, BRONZE Level 

END LOCAL POVERTY: United Way of Greater Greensboro is leading a local movement to END poverty through strategic partnerships and initiatives. More than 57,000 people are living in poverty in the greater Greensboro area. In Greensboro alone, one out of every four children live in poverty. With the community’s support, we’re connecting people to opportunities we all deserve like housing, jobs, education, and healthcare. Visit www.UnitedWayGSO.org to learn more.