Category: Organization

2016 United Way Campaign Highlights

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

Another Strong Year of Community Support Helps Local Residents Become Self-Sufficient

Greensboro, NC (May 23, 2017) – United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) is proud to announce a 2016 campaign total of $10,100,000. Over 17,000 caring people contributed a total of $9,620,000. In addition, United Way secured $480,000 in strategic grants during the campaign cycle.

“Thanks to caring individuals, dedicated corporations, and community partners, local children, adults and families are receiving the skills and help they need to prosper. We win as a community when we reduce poverty and our positive outcomes are attracting local and regional financial support and are gaining the attention of national audiences,” says Gregg Strader, 2016 Campaign Chair.

United Way utilizes gifts to support collaborative partnerships and local programs that work together to help children, adults and families replace poverty with self-sufficiency.

United, babies are born healthy and adults have access to care.
United, children learn to read and develop character skills.
United, Adults earn GEDs, land new jobs and build careers.
United, neighbors have the resources they need to be successful.

 

“There is no doubt that the greater Greensboro community supports United Way’s innovative and strategic model to reduce poverty. Thanks to this continued support, United Way is generating life-changing, and sustainable results that will positively impact our community for generations to come,” says Michelle Gethers-Clark, President and CEO of UWGG.

Jason Bohrer, Board of Directors Chair of UWGG, says, “I want to thank the community for its continued support. It has been an honor to serve on the Board of the United Way of Greater Greensboro the past four years, and this year as chair. We have focused our efforts on reducing generational poverty and I am proud of the progress our wonderful staff, volunteers, donors and community partners have made.”

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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. We bring together dynamic and caring professionals and volunteers who teach, coach and inspire the 57,000 people in our community, struggling to obtain basic needs. The federal government defines poverty as family of four earning $24,300 per year. With so many of our neighbors struggling to meet basic needs, United Way believes poverty must be addressed so that our community can thrive. www.unitedwaygso.org

Nationally Recognized Author, Sampson Davis, at United Way Community Speaker Series

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

United Way of Greater Greensboro is welcoming nationally recognized physician Sampson Davis M.D.

United Way of Greater Greensboro is welcoming nationally recognized physician and New York Times Best-selling author, Sampson Davis, M.D., as this year’s keynote for the 2017 Community Speakers Series at the Grandover Resort and Conference Center on May 3, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The media is invited to attend.

While in high school, Dr. Davis and two fellow students made a promise to one another to become doctors. All three childhood friends each successfully became doctors and later created The Three Doctors Foundation, which offers free programs focused on health, education, leadership and mentoring. He is a board certified Emergency Medicine Physician at St. Michaels Medical Center in Newark, NJ.
Oprah Winfrey named Dr. Davis one of the world’s most influential role models and he has co-authored three New York Times best-selling books, entitled The Pact, We Beat the Street, and The Bond.

Dr. Davis has appeared on a number of talk and radio shows, including, Oprah, The Today Show, The Michael Baisden Radio Show, Tavis Smiley, NPR, and has been a weekly correspondent on the Tom Joyner Morning Radio Show and CNN.

He is the youngest physician to receive the National Medical Association’s highest honor, The Scroll of Merit. He was also honored in 2000 with the Essence Life Achievement Award and named by the magazine as one of the forty most inspirational African Americans in the country.

Dr. Davis will share his personal story about the power of perseverance, dreaming big and how we all have the ability to transform the lives of others.

United Way of Greater Greensboro’s Community Speaker Series convenes people from across our community to learn together, connect with one another, and be inspired while supporting the work of United Way. United Way’s African American Leadership is hosting this year’s event and VF Corporation is this year’s presenting sponsor. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased at www.UnitedWayGSO.org.

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.

United Way of Greater Greensboro Celebrates 95 Years!

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

United Way of Greater Greensboro Celebrates 95 Years!

On March 1, 2017, United Way of Greater Greensboro officially celebrates 95 years of improving lives and building a stronger community.
The founding of United Way of Greater Greensboro is traced back to The Community Chest, which officially launched its first philanthropic fundraising campaign in Greensboro on March 1, 1922.

Preparing for the Future

United Way of Greater Greensboro’s mission to improve lives and create thriving communities by mobilizing and uniting the caring power of greater Greensboro is being accomplished in innovative ways.
United Way’s visionary work strategically brings local resources together to produce opportunity, prosperity and positive futures for every child, family and adult in our community.
To place people on pathways of success, United Way creates partnerships that work together to reduce poverty by replacing handouts with opportunities to become self-sufficient.

United Way of Greater Greensboro Origins

1922: The Community Chest is formed in Greensboro
1942: Name changes to Greensboro Community & War Chest
1956: Name changes to United Fund
1969: Name changes to United Community Services
1974: Name changes to United Way of Greater Greensboro

The First Campaign

On February 1, 1922, the Greensboro Daily News announced local business owner, J.D. Wilkins, would lead a charge to form a budget campaign committee that would design and champion a citywide fundraising effort to support nine local philanthropic organizations.

Organizations included Board of Public Welfare, North Carolina Children’s Home Society, District Nurse and Relief Association, Greensboro Camp and Playground Association, Boy Scouts, Red Cross, YMCA, YWCA, and Salvation Army.

After a month of planning and ongoing newspaper publicity, on March 1, 1922, The Community Chest officially launched a citywide canvass to raise $85,000 in three days to support nine organizations with the slogan “A Community Chest – A Community Blest.”

An ad appearing in the Greensboro Daily News proclaimed The Community Chest idea was endorsed by the “best minds because:

  • The money needed for benevolence effort is raised in ONE campaign instead of in eight or nine.
  • With the financial problem removed for them, executives of the various organizations can devote their WHOLE attention to the WORK.
  • With a central organization, absolute co-ordination of effort is brought about, with no overlapping and resultant lost motion.
  • The application of business efficiency brings about economies and thereby produces greater results for the money expended.”

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.

City of Greensboro and United Way Seek to Engage Volunteers During National Mentoring Month

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

January is National Mentoring Month, and this year the City of Greensboro and United Way of Greater Greensboro are celebrating 15 years of the mentoring movement and expanding quality mentoring opportunities in support of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) initiative.

This is an opportunity to connect more of our community’s young people with caring adults by identifying youth employment and mentoring programs throughout the City of Greensboro.

The City is partnering with United Way’s African-American Male Initiative to provide mentors for our African-American, Hispanic and other male students, under the MBK model. Mentoring starts in grades 2nd – 5th at Wiley Elementary, 6th – 8th at Jackson Middle and 9th grade at Smith High School. Approximately 140 boys are eligible to participate in the program between the three schools.

“Over the past 15 years, mentoring has gained tremendous momentum, in large part due to National Mentoring Month. Mentoring is a critical part of developing life changing relationships – mentoring is proven to have a positive effect on academic, social, and economic outcomes for our young people,” said Mayor Nancy Vaughan.

“Too many young people right here in Greensboro lack sufficient support to succeed in school and in life,” says Michelle Gethers-Clark, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Greensboro. “ Each of us has the power to truly impact the future for our youth by simply being a caring adult in their life as a friend and mentor.”

Research shows mentors can play a powerful role in providing youngsters with the tools to make responsible choices, attend and excel in school, and reduce or avoid risky behavior like gang activity or drug use.

In turn, young people who are mentored:

  • 55% more likely to be enrolled in college
  • 81% more likely to report participating regularly in sports or extracurricular activities
  • 78% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities
  • More than twice as likely to say they held a leadership position in a club or sports team

Yet, the same research shows that nine million young people in our country will grow up without a mentor. National Mentoring Month each January allows for unique engagement from community members interested in becoming a mentor. This year, with the support of the mentoring community, we are encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in making a real life impact.

Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through those real life decisions. Pledge to be a mentor today, by contacting the United Way of Greater Greensboro.

Other important dates for National Mentoring Month include:

January 12, 2017: “I Am a Mentor Day”
A day for volunteer mentors to celebrate their role and reflect on the ways mentees have enhanced their world and share their stories about being a mentor on social media using #MentorIRL.

January 16, 2017: Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
A day to share in the inspirational words of MLK, Jr., and elevate the spirit of service through volunteerism.

January 17, 2017: International Mentoring Day
A day of international conversations on social media where photos, video and messages to share powerful mentoring stories.

January 19, 2017: “Thank Your Mentor Day” 

A day for all who have real life mentoring experiences to thank those who helped them on their path to adulthood and beyond when we encourage anyone who has had a mentor to say thank you by sending a note, a card or sharing a story on social media using #MentorIRL.

To learn more about the role mentoring plays in our community and to find volunteer opportunities, click here.

About National Mentoring Month
National Mentoring Month is led by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with support from the Highland Street Foundation. Each year since its launch in 2002, National Mentoring Month has enjoyed the strong support of the President and the United States Congress.

Other prominent individuals who have participated in the campaign include: Maya Angelou, former President Bill Clinton, Clint Eastwood, Quincy Jones, Cal Ripken Jr., Bill Russell and Usher.

PRESS RELEASE: United Way Receives $25,000 Grant From North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) has been awarded a $25,000 North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Ribbon of Hope grant to support UWGG’s Family Success Center.

The NC GlaxoSmithKline Foundation grant will allow United Way to increase the capacity of the Family Success Center and expand the educational services provided to low-income families.

 

 

Funding will be used to:

  • increase the number of GED preparation classes provided by funding additional GED class instructor hours
  • provide  books and study materials for all Family Success Center students working to obtain their GED
  • subsidize the cost of the test for students
  • provide tutoring for students with English as a second language or who start the program with low literacy skills.

“We are so grateful for the generous support of the NC GlaxoSmithKline Foundation,” says Michelle Gethers-Clark, CEO UWGG. “The Ribbon of Hope grant will have a direct impact on local families and will help us provide them with the support and hope they need to be successful.”

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About the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation

The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation is an independent self-funding 501(c)3 nonprofit organization supporting activities that help meet the educational and health needs of today’s society and future generations. Since its creation in 1986, the foundation has granted $71.0 million to support North Carolina projects and programs that emphasize the understanding and application of science, health and education at all academic and professional levels. Visit us at NCGSKFoundation.org.

About Family Success Center

The Family Success Center is a community collaboration to empower families to achieve their goals through job skills training and education. The program is focused on helping individuals enter a pathway toward becoming self-sufficient and successful. The program offers families services they need to meet the needs of each family member. The program helps people achieve goals by connecting them with training, resources and supports in a single location, to reduce barriers and increase opportunity for success.

United Way of Greater Greensboro Receives $25,000 Women to Women Grant to Serve Family Success Center Members

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

United Way of Greater Greensboro has received a $25,000 grant from the Women to Women Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro. Grant funds will be used to increase GED program participants at United Way’s Family Success Center.

“The Women to Women Fund is innovative and solution oriented. We are honored and grateful to have been selected to receive the 2016 grant. The grant will be invested in a generational solution at the Family Success Center – parents getting GEDs while children are in quality childcare in the same location is a win/win. Together, parents and children will learn to value education as a pathway out of poverty,” says Michelle Gethers-Clark, President and CEO, United Way of Greater Greensboro.

The GED program at Family Success Center is the only effort in Guilford County that offers a two-generation approach for mothers of young children to complete high school requirements. This cornerstone initiative at Family Success Center has been identified as a main reason mothers have engaged in the model.

The unique attributes of the GED program includes:

  • 42 week GTCC instructor-led classes and child care in the same building located near the student’s residence
  • Enrollment in a five star child development program to nurture the brain development of the GED student’s child while the mother is in classes, tutoring, and testing
  • Mother and child are provided with high quality meals when mothers attend classes
  • Student books and testing fees
  • Bus passes and other transportation needs
  • Parent/child graduation ceremony

United Way Joins Drive to Help Kayser-Roth Employees Impacted by Hurricane Matthew

Posted on by Shelby Newsome

United Way of Greater Greensboro is supporting Kayser-Roth’s local efforts to supply food and relief items for the over 500 Kayser-Roth employees located in Lumberton who were impacted by hurricane Matthew. Kayser-Roth is headquartered in Greensboro and will deliver donated items to Lumberton employees later this week.

People can drop off food and relief items at one of two locations:

  • By 5 p.m. this Wednesday at United Way, 1500 Yanceyville St. in Greensboro
  • By 1 p.m. this Thursday at Kayser-Roth headquarters, 102 Corporate Center Blvd. in Greensboro

Needed supplies include:

  • Non-perishable food items
  • New clothing (especially underwear and undershirts/t-shirts)
  • Toiletries and personal hygiene items
  • New or gently used (and cleaned) blankets
  • New or gently used (and cleaned) coats/jackets