Category: Community Partners

United Way Receives $210,000 Grant to Help Local Women Earn GEDs and Increase Financial Stability

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

United Way of Greater Greensboro has received a $210,000 grant from the Women to Women Fund of The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro to help local women earn GEDs and increase their financial stability.

 

United Way will receive $70,000 a year over the next three years to support programming at its Family Success Center (FSC) which connects families with education, work and income supports, employment and career advancement, access to health and wellness services, and financial education and asset building.

United Way serves as the strategic leader of the FSC and leverages relationships with 30 human services experts, business leaders, governmental agencies and philanthropists to develop solutions. The FSC is located at Guilford Child Development and its integrated service delivery approach connects families with resources and services that reduce the impact of poverty.

Grant funds will be used to:

  • Support local women at the FSC who are on the path to earning GEDs and skills training to prepare them for employment and job advancement.
  • Ensure that children of mothers in the GED program obtain on-site, high-quality childcare and afterschool care.

The FSC’s GED program is the only high school equivalency degree completion program in Guilford County that offers on-site high-quality childcare. This cornerstone two-generation approach to learning has been identified as a main reason mothers participate.

National statistics indicate that 80% of the 12 million children living with a single parent live with their single mother. In most cities, including Greensboro, female headed households with pre-school aged children are experiencing 40% poverty rates. United Way of Greater Greensboro is creating partnerships to reduce generational poverty by increasing household income to the point of self-sufficiency and financial stability.

Vanessa Ferguson to Perform at United Way’s 95th Campaign Kick off and Community Celebration

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

The community is invited to join United Way of Greater Greensboro on August 31, 5:30 to 7 p.m., at Revolution Mill in Greensboro for a celebration 95 years in the making.

The entirely free event, which kicks off United Way’s 2017 campaign also celebrates United Way’s 95th year in the community and will feature a performance by Vanessa Ferguson. Ferguson was a finalist on NBC’s The Voice and tours the U.S.

Attendees will also be treated to Natty Greene’s beer, Cugino Forno pizza and gelato, Wow What a Drink juice, water, a DJ and more. People are encouraged to RSVP at www.UnitedWayGSO.org.

Participants should enter Revolution Mill at Textile Drive and walk across the bridge. United Way volunteers will be on hand to offer directions to the event location.

Additionally during the celebration, results from this year’s Pacesetter Campaign, which began in July, will be announced. The Pacesetter Campaign includes 18 companies that decided to conduct their United Way campaigns early to set the pace for a successful community-wide campaign.

2017 Pacesetter Campaigns:

  • Allen Tate Realtors
  • American National Bank & Trust
  • BB&T
  • Carruthers & Roth, P.A.
  • Center for Creative Leadership
  • Children’s Home Society
  • City of Greensboro
  • Duke Energy Corporation
  • First Citizens Bank & Trust
  • Guilford County
  • Mylan Pharmaceuticals
  • Norfolk Southern Corporation
  • Piedmont Natural Gas
  • Sharrard, McGee & Co., P.A.
  • Target Corporation
  • United Way of Greater Greensboro
  • UPS
  • Volunteer Center of Greensboro

 

 

MeaningFULL Meals Helping Feed Children Over Summer Months

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

MeaningFULL Meals Helping Feed Children Over Summer Months

Greensboro, NC (June 17, 2017) – United Way of Greater Greensboro is mobilizing the community throughout July with its annual MeaningFULL meals program in partnership with BackPack Beginnings and The Volunteer Center of Greensboro.

Four years ago, United Way and The Volunteer Center started MeaningFULL Meals, a nutrition project that seeks food donations to help feed school children in need while school is out for summer.

More than 65% of Guilford County School’s students qualify for free or reduced lunch. In the summer months, many of these children do not have the same access to a nutritious meal and go hungry.

Through the month of July, community members are encouraged to host food drives to supply the food pantry at Wiley Elementary, that also supports students of Jackson Middle and Smith High School.

For the second year in a row, BackPack Beginnings has joined the partnership by managing the food pantry during the summer months, preparing bags of food for pick up and being a drop off location for food donations.

Food drive donations supporting MeaningFULL Meals can be dropped off at Wiley Elementary, BackPack Beginnings and United Way of Greater Greensboro.

A full list of needed items can be found at UnitedWayGSO.org/Volunteer

 

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United Way of Greater Greensboro is celebrating 95 years: 1922 – 2017. We fight for the opportunity, prosperity and future of every person in greater Greensboro by creating partnerships that reduce poverty. We bring together dynamic and caring professionals and volunteers who teach, coach and inspire the 57,000 people in our community living in poverty. With so many of our neighbors struggling to become self-sufficient, United Way believes poverty must be replaced with sustainable solutions that meet the unique needs of children, adults and ENTIRE families. www.unitedwaygso.org

The Volunteer Center of Greensboro strengthens our community by creating meaningful volunteer connections. We connect people, promote volunteerism, support nonprofits and build partnerships. www.volunteergso.org

BackPack Beginnings, founded in 2010 by Parker White, a native of Greensboro and mother of 2 children, is a 100 percent volunteer-run and donor-driven organization. What started out as a feeding program in one school feeding 50 children has grown to a multi-program organization serving over 4,000 children a year. BackPack Beginnings’ mission is to deliver child-centric services to feed, comfort and clothe children in need.  By ensuring food and basic necessities are given directly to children in need, we make a positive and lasting impact on their health and well-being. Find out more or support BackPack Beginnings through in-kind donations, funds or volunteering, visit www.backpackbeginnings.org. 

United Way of Greater Greensboro Opens Funding Process, Asks for Letters of Interest

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

 United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) is opening its funding process and accepting Letters of Interest (LOI) from current and unaffiliated non-profit partners with programs that focus on increasing income and financial stability or addressing basic needs. The shared outcome will be to reduce the number of children, adults and families experiencing the impact of generational poverty.

Non-profit organizations with programs that meet LOI requirements will be invited to submit full grant applications. Programs selected through a volunteer-led award process are eligible to receive two-year funding for 2018-2020.

Applicants can access a detailed list of funding objectives, strategies and indicators at: www.UnitedWayGSO.org/Our-Grants

This historic move to an open funding model for increasing income and financial stability and addressing basic needs is the first of two steps in UWGG’s implementation plan. In fiscal year 2019, new and existing community partners whose services focus on increasing educational achievement and improving health outcomes will be invited to submit a LOI.

NOTE: See UWGG Open Funding Model Timeline below for additional information.

United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) Open Funding Model Timeline
Date Action
Summer – Fall, 2013 To determine greater Greensboro’s most urgent needs, UWGG sought public input and opinions and researched local, regional and national best practices. Poverty was identified as greater Greensboro’s most urgent need.
March 2014 UWGG Board of Directors voted to adopt the goal of “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty” to reduce the number of children, adults and families experiencing the impact of generational poverty.
Summer 2014 Meetings and group presentations were held with community partners to discuss the shift to a focus on poverty.
2015 – 2016 UWGG updated funding strategies and goals to align with Breaking the Cycle of Poverty.
June 2017 UWGG Board voted to approve an open funding model, allowing new and existing partners equal opportunity to apply for funding.
July 2017 Call for Letters of Interest (LOI) shared in multiple ways

  • Press Release
  • UWGG Website
  • UWGG Social Media
  • Guilford Nonprofit Consortium
July – August, 2017 Grant Seeker Meetings

  • 2-3 meetings open to all grant seekers
  • Opportunity for Q&A with UWGG
  • Opportunity to review UWGG’s grant process
September 1, 2017 LOI due
September –

October, 2017
  • LOI reviewed by staff and volunteers for eligibility and alignment.
  • Volunteer-led councils select programs to submit full applications.
November 2017 Notification is sent to programs that are selected to submit full applications.
November 2017 –

January 2018

 Application training and technical assistance offered by UWGG staff for program applicants.
January 27, 2018 Full applications due from qualified programs.
February – April 2018 Application review
May 2018
  • Volunteer-led councils recommend funding
  • UWGG Board of Directors approve funding
  • Award letters mailed to grantees
July 1, 2018 Funding period begins for increasing income and financial stability and addressing basic needs impact areas.
TBD dates in 2018 LOI process for Education and Health impact areas begins.
July 1, 2019 Funding period begins for Education and Health impact areas.

 

P&G Greensboro Plant Lends a Hand to United Way

Posted on by Katie Glaser

“It’s the technician base that really drives that community involvement and [wants] to better the community that they live in.”

Terri Rouleau grew up in Michigan but has since found a home in Greensboro, North Carolina. When she moved here, she described Greensboro’s “welcoming environment” as an opportunity to get involved and be active. She embraced this call to action through her work at Procter & Gamble (P&G) and at United Way.

When Terri first joined P&G in Greensboro, she was thrilled to learn of the company’s partnership with United Way. The plant she works at, located twenty minutes from the downtown area, is not only a generous donor to United Way, but it also arms the organization with nearly one thousand volunteers for various projects annually.

As a Senior Human Resources Manager, Terri helps facilitate this relationship. However, she gives credit to the employees for the company’s support of United Way. “Managers at P&G usually relocate as part of our internal development program,” she explains, “So it’s the technician base that really drives that community involvement and [wants] to better the community that they live in.”

Terri calls the company’s relationship with United Way a “win, win, win” for the employees, the community, and the company. “P&G really does stand for community involvement,” she says, “Because at the heart of what we do is the consumer, and every consumer is a member of the community.”

When asked what her ideal vision of “Greater Greensboro” would look like, she said she hoped that the current ‘End the Cycle of Poverty’ initiative at United Way would become “the norm.”  “It is a success story in the infancy stages, but I see the collaboration much bigger than that and the pilot program working.” With the support of generous companies like P&G, United Way’s mission could indeed be the success story that she describes and implement solutions to permanently end poverty in Greensboro.

Proehl Family’s P.O.W.E.R. of Play Foundation Collaborates with United Way

Posted on by Katie Glaser

“My whole philosophy is that if I’m going to do something for the rest of my life, I’m going to do something that matters or that is for a cause.”

Julia Eger has always been interested in sports and nonprofit work. “I’ve just always had a heart for giving back,” she says. “My whole philosophy is that if I’m going to do something for the rest of my life, I’m going to do something that matters or that is for a cause.” The P.O.W.E.R. of Play Foundation, started by former NFL player and coach, Ricky Proehl, was the just the right combination of sports and philanthropy that Julia was looking for.

Located at Proehlific Park, the P.O.W.E.R. of Play Foundation gives scholarships to kids from low income families to attend sports camps after school or during the summer. Julia, now the executive director of the Foundation, explains that most kids from these families are left at home alone after school. “That leads to a lot of bigger problems, especially down the road,” she says. Sending kids to Proehlific Park through the Foundation helps solve this problem. “It kind of gets them out and active, but it also is a safe place where they can come and have mentors, because a lot of them don’t have that,” Julia says.

The Foundation has recently partnered with United Way to identify more families who could benefit from it. “By partnering together, you help reach more people,” Julia notes. “They have families who have never heard about us, and we’ve never heard about them,” she says, in reference to United Way. This partnership has indeed been successful. Approximately 250 students are attending summer camp at Proehlific Park this year, 66 of whom are on scholarships.

“We want to be able to reach as many families and children as we can,” Julia says, highlighting her ultimate goal at Proehlific. Since the Foundation is now collaborating with United Way, both organizations can work together to achieve this goal and empower hundreds of children along the way.

 

United Way and The Volunteer Center Partner for National Volunteer Week

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

United Way of Greater Greensboro and The Volunteer Center of Greensboro have partnered to provide the community with over 20 volunteer opportunities during National Volunteer Week, April, 23 – 29.

Volunteer opportunities throughout the week include sorting food items to be delivered to those in need, a beautification project in Barber Park, a roadside clean up on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and more.

Volunteer opportunities offered through National Volunteer Week can be found at: UnitedWayGSO.org/volunteer.

“United Way and The Volunteer Center are excited to get people engaged in acts of service. We’ve collaborated with a variety of nonprofit organizations to provide meaningful, hands-on experiences to make local impact,” says Radiah Pinckney, Manager of Volunteer and Community at United Way of Greater Greensboro.

National Volunteer Week is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities.

“Through volunteerism, we have the power to bring real and positive change to our communities. Our acts of service don’t have to be huge to be important- a simple act of kindness can change everything. It’s through volunteering that we can truly come to understand and serve the needs of the community,” says Hope Tyler, Director of Volunteers and Community Engagement at The Volunteer Center.

Ben & Jerry’s Partners with United Way for Free Cone Day April 4

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

Ben & Jerry’s Friendly Center is partnering with United Way of Greater Greensboro for the second year in a row to celebrate “Free Cone Day” on Tuesday, April 4, 12 to 8 p.m.

Free Cone Day offers every visitor to Ben & Jerry’s a free ice cream scoop of their choice.

Free Cone Day will take over the central plaza of Friendly Center and will feature outdoor games, a DJ, and special appearances by the Greensboro Swarm mascot and the North Carolina A&T State University drum line, pep band, and cheerleaders.

Ben & Jerry’s celebrates Free Cone Day every year as a thank you to their customers. The celebration has grown over the years into a global event at Ben & Jerry’s locations around the world.

Participants will have the opportunity to make a donation to United Way during the event, and 100% of donations received will be given to support United Way’s efforts to reduce poverty in the greater Greensboro community.

Five United Way of Greater Greensboro Partners Receive Statewide Spirit Awards

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

Five local United Way of Greater Greensboro partners were honored with Spirit of North Carolina Awards at United Way of North Carolina’s annual award luncheon on February 16.

Local Spirit Award winners include:

  • City of Greensboro and Guilford County – City/County Municipality 5001+ Employees
  • Guilford County Schools – School Campaigns 5001+ Employees
  • SunTrust Bank – Financial/Banking Institutions 51-100 Employees
  • E.P. Pearce Elementary School – School Campaigns 51-100 Employees
  • Northwest Middle School – School Campaigns 51-100 Employees
Each year, the United Way of North Carolina recognizes and awards companies and organizations that demonstrate strong community support through local United Way involvement. The Spirit of North Carolina Award celebrates the partnership of people working together to develop and implement innovative solutions for long-term community change.
 
“The Spirit of North Carolina Award celebrates the collaborative, hands-on partnerships United Way of Greater Greensboro builds with its corporate supporters,” says Gavin Stevens, Senior Director of Resource Development, United Way of Greater Greensboro.
 
Stevens adds, “This year’s winners led the way with campaigns that communicated the important message of our work while creating a spirit of healthy competition and engagement. In addition to bringing new energy, these companies also achieved growth in employee giving this year. We are grateful to this year’s Spirit of North Carolina Award recipients and all of the community partners who are on a path with us to break the cycle of poverty in greater Greensboro.”​

 

LIVE UNITED: United Way of Greater Greensboro is celebrating 95 years of improving lives and building a stronger community: 1922 – 2017. We create partnerships that reduce poverty by leading long-term solutions that meet the unique needs of ENTIRE families.

Family Economic Success Day Offers Free Tax Prep

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

United Way of Greater Greensboro knows the importance of a family’s financial health and has teamed up with BB&T Bank to host its fourth annual Family Economic Success Day, Tuesday, February 28, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at a new location this year – Guilford Child Development, 1200 Arlington St, Greensboro, NC 27406.

Family Economic Success Day offers free state and federal income tax preparation and filing by IRS-certified volunteers, workshops on financial topics, and BB&T will utilize their mobile Bank Bus to provide free credit reports and reviews to those who qualify for tax prep.

  • Free tax preparation is available to: 

People whose households earned $54,000 or less in 2016.

  • Appointments are required: 

Contact Zandra Cuff at United Way at Zandra.Cuff@unitedwaygso.org or 336-378-5029.

  • What people need to bring: 

To receive free tax preparation services, people must bring a photo ID for themselves and spouse (if applicable), all W2s and tax documents, and actual social security cards or proof of ITIN numbers for every person in the household. A copy of last year’s tax return will save a lot of time.

“Many people don’t know that they can get their both state and federal taxes done for free through VITA. People living on a low or moderate income could really use that few hundred dollars out of their refund instead of paying for tax prep,” says Sarah Glover, Community Impact Manager, United Way of Greater Greensboro.

“BB&T’s CRA Department is committed to enriching our neighborhoods through community development, leadership and innovation. Dedicating our Bank Bus as a mobile VITA site is an innovative approach that brings money-saving services directly to our neighbors in need. We are proud to partner with the United Way and Guilford Child Development to provide this service to the community”, John Stokes, VP / Community Development Specialist.

For people who cannot attend Family Economic Success Day, United Way also coordinate additional free income tax preparation across Greensboro at times and locations. Taxpayers can call 2-1-1 to find a site near them. Additionally, for people who want to prepare their own taxes, MyFreeTaxes.com is available to those whose households earned up to $64,000.

Family Economic Success Day is made possible by United Way of Greater Greensboro, BB&T Bank, Guilford Child Development, the IRS VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program, Senior Resources of Guilford, and local VITA volunteers.