Category: Events

United Way of Greater Greensboro Accepting Strategic Partnership Applications for Annual Grant Funds

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New process allows organizations to align their services with two poverty-combatting funding opportunities

GREENSBORO, NC (October 28, 2022) – United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) is pleased to announce it is accepting strategic partnership applications for annual grant funds to help local children, adults, and families leave poverty. This year the competitive application process has been updated to allow organizations the ability to apply for two distinct grants for program services that are Poverty Relieving or Poverty Ending.

Poverty Relieving grant funds are open to programs or collaboratives providing services that help people find and stay on pathways out of poverty. Poverty Relieving grants will be awarded to the following areas of impact:

  • 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.
  • Financial stability to help adults maintain their progress and build toward self-sufficiency by safeguarding income and building assets.

Poverty Ending grant funds are open to programs or collaboratives providing services that offer clear ways for people to leave poverty by increasing and maintaining their annual household income above the federal poverty threshold. These programs will support United Way’s Bold Goal efforts to help 3,000 households leave generational poverty by 2030. Poverty Ending program examples include but are not limited to:

  • Services and supports that connect adults to jobs that offer family-sustaining wages
  • Skills and career development programing

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

Strategic partner grant funding will begin July 1, 2023. Application deadlines vary by grant. Grant seeker information sessions for each funding stream will occur in early November.

Interested organizations can visit www.UnitedWayGSO.org/Grants to access all grant information and register for grant seeker information sessions.

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END LOCAL POVERTY: United Way of Greater Greensboro creates, connects, and leads community partnerships that equip and empower people to 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. Our strategy builds pathways out of poverty by: Helping youth transition from cradle to career, Helping adults land jobs and increase income, Providing access to basic needs and healthcare, and Bundling services that eliminate barriers at our nationally recognized Family Success Centers and innovative Guilford Success Network. With the community’s support, we will achieve our BOLD GOAL: As a community united in equity and lasting solutions, 3,000 households will leave generational poverty by 2030. The federal government defines poverty as a family of four earning $27,750 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

Community Support of MeaningFULL Meals Food Drive Especially Needed This Year

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Greensboro, NC (June 28, 2022) – United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) is mobilizing the community throughout July with its annual MeaningFULL Meals program in partnership with The Volunteer Center (TVC) of the Triad and BackPack Beginnings (BPB).

Nine years ago, UWGG and TVC started MeaningFULL Meals as nutrition project that seeks food donations to help feed school children in need during summer break – and this year, the need is greater than ever before.

According to the USDA, food prices have increased 10% during the past year. Many local food pantries in Guilford County, are reporting their use is up 24% over a year ago.

According to BPB, their overall food donations are down by a staggering 50% over this time last year, making this year’s MeaningFULL Meals drive especially needed.

BackPack Beginnings joined the partnership seven years ago and serves as the recipient of all food donations, dispersing them to children and families in the community.

Everyone in the community is invited to participate throughout the month of July.

Visit www.UnitedWayGSO.org/Volunteer to learn more and choose from two easy options:

  1. Simply host a drive in July and drop off your donations at BackPack Beginnings by August 5.
  2. Bring your own food donations to The Volunteer Center of the Triad on July 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – everyone dropping off donations will get FREE ICE CREAM!

“The Volunteer Center of the Triad is so excited to partner with BackPack Beginnings and United Way of Greater Greensboro again this year for MeaningFULL Meals. With the community’s help, we can fill the shelves and help feed students and their families over the summer months,” said Audrey Amos, Director of Community Engagement, TVC.

United Way of Greater Greensboro Launches Guilford Success Network to Help Households Leave Poverty

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Greensboro, NC (June 28, 2022) – Today United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) launched Guilford Success Network (GSN), a county-wide, mobile friendly network that will connect people to services and coordinators who help them identify, track, and achieve their personal goals of becoming financially stable.

Facebook Photo Album Here.

Since 2014, UWGG’s single focus has been to reduce the number of people living in generational poverty. GSN is one of UWGG’s strategies to achieve that goal.

During today’s launch event, attended by nearly 100 community members and partners, Greensboro Mayor, Nancy Vaughan, said, “For a lot of organizations, when they talk about ending poverty, it’s just a tagline and a way to raise money. But United Way has really put action behind those words for many, many years.”

GSN is initially launching as an 18-month pilot project with core partners serving the Greensboro area and will expand county-wide over time. GSN partners will learn to identify people who may benefit from joining the Network and people who wish to join will be connected to a coordinator. After the pilot phase, people will be able to access the Network through an online portal.

UWGG’s GSN launch falls within the organization’s yearlong centennial celebration, and during the kickoff event, Khari Garvin, UWGG President and CEO said, “As we continue to celebrate 100 years of transforming your compassion into community change, I am excited that in a year of celebrating our past, we are yet again making history. Today, we are officially launching a new pilot project that will give our community another tool to leverage in our collaborative efforts to help households leave poverty. Together, we can, and I know we will, continue to move families out of poverty.”

People who access the network will be connected to services and supports that are focused on three areas:

  • Work, Health & Income Supports – to stabilize people’s basic needs
  • Education & Career Advancement – to help people learn skills and land jobs
  • Financial Education & Coaching – to help people build upon their success.

GSN was developed based on community feedback listening sessions and workgroups comprised of residents with lived experience, nonprofit staff, and local government representatives.

GSN is rooted in a service delivery approach that is often referred to as an Integrated Service Delivery (ISD) model. ISD models connect people to multiple support services through sequencing and bundling so that people who need help can access what they need, when they need it. Research shows ISD strategies empower families to achieve better social, economic, and health outcomes.

UWGG and GSN partners are committed to tracking outcomes and providing annual updates. Data will be captured during intake at all partner locations and will be stored within GSN’s virtual platform.

GSN pilot partners include: GuilfordWorks, Housing Consultants Group, Triad Goodwill, Nehemiah Community Enrichment Center, The Servant Center, Welfare Reform Liaison Project, Guilford Community Care Network, and The Forge Greensboro.

During the pilot, the Network will measure household progress towards self-sufficiency. Metrics include:

  • Income
  • Educational Attainment
  • Housing 
  • Safety of Environment
  • Health Condition
  • Health Access
  • Employment
  • Work History
  • Money Management
  • Benefits

More information, including a Q&A document can be found at: www.unitedwaygso.org/guilford-success-network.

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!

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.  

Candy & COVID-19 Vaccines – Trunk-or-Treat Giving Out Both!

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Greensboro, NC (October 4, 2021) – United Way of Greater Greensboro’s Young Leaders (YL) Affinity Group will host their annual Trunk-or-Treat on Saturday, October 23, 2021, 2 to 4 p.m. in the United Way parking lot located at 1500 Yanceyville Street, Greensboro. This year’s event will require attendees to follow several safety precautions, offer candy and COVID-19 vaccinations.

United Way, in partnership with Starmount Healthcare, is offering a vaccination booth during the event for anyone age-appropriate who would like to receive a COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves and the community. Booster vaccines will be available as well.

After last year’s event was cancelled due to COVID, YL leadership was determined to bring back Trunk-or-Treat this year so that children and families could once again have a safe alternative to trick or treating. 

“We have several precautions in place this year to ensure everyone’s safety while still being able to provide the festivities they have come to expect over the years,” said Young Leaders Chair, Marcus Thomas. 

Some of those precautions include masks being required for attendees, hand sanitizing stations, reducing the number of trunks to allow for social distancing, and more.  

“Our community is a top priority. We want to ensure the wellbeing of everyone involved while raising awareness about United Way’s mission to end poverty in the Greater Greensboro community. This event allows us to do that,” Thomas said. Volunteers are still needed to donate candy, host and decorate trunks, and more. If you are interested in volunteering for this event, please visit www.UnitedWayGSO.org/Volunteer or reach out to United Way’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Taylor Chapman at TaylorChapman@UnitedWayGSO.org.

United Way Announces New President and CEO

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Khari Garvin Selected to Lead Organization Efforts to End Poverty, Public Invited to Meet Garvin at Virtual Lunch and Learn August 12

GREENSBORO, NC (July 20, 2021) – United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) announced today that Khari Garvin has been named President and CEO and will begin leading the organization’s strategy to end local poverty on July 26. The public is invited to meet Garvin during a virtual lunch and learn, August 12, noon to 1 p.m. by registering at www.UnitedWayGSO.org/CEO. 

Garvin, whose career in anti-poverty programs began with the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Head Start program, has more than 20 years national, state, and local experience designing and leading systems serving children and families in low-income communities.

Immediately prior to joining UWGG, Garvin served as Executive Director of Save the Children’s $30 million portfolio of regional Head Start programs where he managed over 400 staff serving children and families living in poverty in communities across six states.

Garvin led the implementation of Great Expectations, a $40 million, 10-year signature initiative of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, which helps children enter Kindergarten and emerge prepared for continued learning and success. 

His impressive experience also includes leading the state office of the North Carolina Head Start system, comprised of 55 affiliate grantee organizations including public school systems, community action agencies, county governments, and private non-profits that served over 28,000 children and families in all 100 counties. 

Garvin, who currently lives with his wife in High Point, also has experience working with Greensboro-based Guilford Child Development, where he served as Assistant Head Start/Early Head Start Program Director.

“I am excited to return to Greensboro and continue my life’s work and dedication to serving children and families. I look forward to maintaining and creating meaningful relationships and high-impact partnerships as we bear down with the greatest weight possible this community’s efforts of ending poverty,” said Garvin.

“I am a staunch advocate for people who may be discovering their voice, or who have been overlooked. Poverty should not be a final destination for anyone, and I am confident this community has what it takes to create a future where all community members have the ability to achieve their dreams.”

Garvin, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Emory University, and Master of Science in Education from Southern Illinois University, replaces Michelle Gethers-Clark who was hired in April by Visa, Inc. to serve as Chief Diversity Officer and Head of Corporate Responsibility. 

In April, UWGG formed a diverse eight-member search committee comprised of current and past board members, and announced it was working with Charles Aris Executive Search of Greensboro to conduct a national search for a new President and CEO.

Charles Aris received approximately 300 applications, had meaningful conversations with over 100 candidates, and ultimately provided the UWGG search committee with a shortened list of the most qualified candidates.

The UWGG search committee conducted two interviews with the shortened list of candidates and invited finalists to in-person meetings where each candidate was asked to conduct a presentation on relevant topics.

After meeting with additional community supporters, Garvin was selected and approved as President and CEO by the UWGG board of directors.

Garvin joins UWGG a short time before it is expected to announce a new community-developed, measurable Bold Goal aimed at helping a specific number of households leave poverty by certain date. The Bold Goal was developed over the past year with the input and collaboration of thousands of people.

Brian Pierce, Chair, UWGG Board of Directors, who served on the search committee said, “Khari is tremendously experienced in the work of addressing poverty. His drive and motivation for what he does is infectious and inspiring.”

“Khari is a strategist and a leader. He will help United Way and our community develop ways we can continue to reach for and measure our progress in this fight against poverty. Khari is uniquely equipped to help bring our community together to produce the outcomes we all want to achieve.”

END LOCAL POVERTY: United Way of Greater Greensboro is leading a movement to end local poverty. We create strategic partnerships and initiatives that are coordinated and work with children, adults, and families across the entire community. 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. 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.

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United Way of Greater Greensboro Awards $1 Million in Grants to Address Local Housing Disparities – Grants will help more than 300 households recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19

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GREENSBORO, NC (July 15, 2021) – United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) is pleased to announce it is leveraging the first $1 million of philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s recent $10 million gift, to award five grants to local organizations leading programs supporting innovative solutions addressing housing disparities.

As part of UWGG’s focus on ending local poverty, selected programs are anticipated to help more than 300 local households recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19. Grants were approved through a volunteer-led Request for Proposal process which began in April.


“Stable housing is the foundation of well-being. Research shows the housing industry is an economic engine and if history repeats itself, will help propel our post COVID-19 recovery. In the past, communities that made investments in housing its’ residents have experienced economic recovery after virtually every major downturn,” says Frank McCain, UWGG Vice President, Community Investment & Impact.

“We are thrilled that through this investment, 300 or more households will be provided with extra support to help them recover from the impacts of COVID-19. An investment of $1,000,000 will help local families build a future that leaves poverty behind through permanent, stable housing.”

Awarded Programs, impact descriptions, and amounts:

Agency and Program Impact Description Awarded 
Bridging the Gaps:  Partners Ending Homelessness (lead), Family Service of the Piedmont, Room at the Inn, The Servant Center, Youth Focus, YWCA Collaborative providing case management and financial assistance to clients who are precariously housed, homeless, or experiencing barriers to securing permanent housing and are not eligible for or have expenses not covered by public funding sources.   $330,000 
Emergency Assistance Program: Salvation Army of Greensboro Help individuals and families that are not eligible by federal guidelines with intensive case management, housing placement, and financial assistance for legal and court filings, tenant insurance violations, rental and utility assistance, and temporary hotel stays on the way to permanent housing.  $200,000 
Eviction Resolution Project: Legal Aid of NC (lead), Greensboro Housing Coalition, UNCG Center for Housing and Community Studies Collaborative providing supportive services in the areas of legal representation, financial assistance, tenant education, and case management to stabilize tenancies and to avoid immediate eviction.    $270,000 
Get Your HOUSE in Order: Housing Consultants Group Provides extra down payment assistance to homebuyers with lower incomes and higher housing debt through the City’s first-time homebuyer program. Also providing classes and coaching to prepare future homebuyers and to help current homeowners maintain ownership. $100,000 
Home Repair Program: Community Housing Solutions Preserves home ownership by completing critical home repairs to qualifying low-income homeowners who live in substandard housing conditions and elderly and/or disabled homeowners living in unsafe homes that cause falls or the inability to continue to live in their home.    $100,000 
TOTAL:   $1,000,000

 
Why is UWGG issuing grants specific to housing?
While significant and needed federal funds entered the community for rental and utility assistance, gaps in assistance remain. There is a need for unrestricted and flexible funding.

UWGG believes housing disparities that existed before COVID-19 must still be addressed. UWGG supports permanent housing along a continuum – from short-term crisis assistance all the way to home ownership, a critical strategy for building the wealth and assets needed for ending generational poverty.

What is the MacKenzie Scott $10 million gift?

In December 2020, Scott gifted over $4 billion to 384 nonprofits across the nation. UWGG was one of only two United Ways in North Carolina to receive funding. At the time, UWGG announced plans to utilize the funds to make innovative and transformational investments in solutions that work together to end poverty across the entire community.

END LOCAL POVERTY:United Way of Greater Greensborois leading a movement to end local poverty. We create strategic partnerships and initiatives that are coordinated and help children, adults, and families across the entire community. 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. 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.orgLocal impact for 99 years and counting.

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MeaningFULL Meals Helps Feed Children Over Summer Months, Public Encouraged to Get Involved

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Greensboro, NC (June 23, 2021) – United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) is mobilizing the community throughout July with its annual MeaningFULL meals program in partnership with BackPack Beginnings and The Volunteer Center of the Triad. 

Eight years ago, UWGG 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. BackPack Beginnings joined the partnership six years ago and serves as the recipient of all food donations, dispersing them to children and families in the community.

In the summer months, many local children do not have access to nutritious meals and go hungry. The community is invited to be part of the solution by supporting MeaningFULL Meals this July. 

“BackPack Beginnings is grateful for the United Way of Greater Greensboro’s and The Volunteer Center of the Triad’s continued support of our feeding programs through MeaningFULL Meals. Due to COVID, we have seen an unprecedented need for our food programs, and we look forward to meeting this need with the help of partners like these.  Food items donated will assist us in making sure local children are not going hungry when school is out,” said Parker White, Founder and Volunteer Executive Director, BackPack Beginnings.

Making a big difference is as easy as 1, 2, 3: 

1.      Get a box. 

2.      Fill your box with donated food items. 

3.      Drop off collected items at BackPack Beginnings 

A helpful toolkit with printable flyers can be found at UnitedWayGSO.org/volunteer. BackPack Beginnings office hours are listed at backpackbeginnings.org/contact. 

END LOCAL POVERTY: United Way of Greater Greensboro is leading a movement to END local poverty. We create strategic partnerships and initiatives that are coordinated and work with children adults, and families across the entire community. 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 community support, we’re connecting people to opportunities 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. 

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United Way Promotes Volunteerism on United Way Worldwide Day of Action, June 21

Posted on by Lauren Forbis

Greensboro, NC (June 3, 2021) – United Way of Greater Greensboro, in partnership with The Volunteer Center of the Triad, is promoting volunteerism on United Way’s Day of Action, June 21.

On and around June 21, tens of thousands of people across the globe will volunteer as part of United Way worldwide’s Day of Action. Locally in Greensboro, all members of the community are encouraged to make a difference. United Way’s Day of Action provides opportunities for volunteers, donors and advocates to be part of solutions that make a real difference in people’s lives.

Members of the community are invited to participate in a clean-up of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on June 21, 9 – 10:30 a.m. Visit www.UnitedWayGSO.org/Volunteer to sign up.

“As a community united, we must continue to learn and work together to create equity-focused systematic changes, which is why United Way of Greater Greensboro is using this year’s Day of Action as a volunteering and equity-focused learning opportunity. Participants will help clean up our community and learn about the history and impacts of environmental racism,” said Michael Cottingham, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, United Way of Greater Greensboro.

Community members who are unable to attend the June 21 clean-up are encouraged to host clean-ups of their own. Visit www.UnitedWayGSO.org/Volunteer to view the Greensboro litter hotspot map, choose a location, and organize their own volunteer clean-up.

United Way and the Volunteer Center encourage everyone to create their own safe and meaningful volunteer experience, share it on social media and tag United Way of Greater Greensboro.