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Results exceed United Way of Greater Greensboro’s goal to help 50 households leave poverty by the end of 2023, and supports Bold Goal to help 3,000 households by 2030 

GREENSBORO, NC (February 28, 2023) – United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) announced today its community-supported strategy of creating, connecting, and leading community partnerships that equip and empower people to leave poverty has resulted in 121 local households leaving poverty. 

The results, which are made possible thanks to generous community investments and strategic partnerships, represent data collected between July 1, and December 30, 2022, and marks the first time UWGG has reported outcomes related to its community-inspired and developed Bold Goal that aims to help 3,000 households leave poverty by 2030. 

Since announcing the Bold Goal on September 1, 2021, UWGG added new data tracking elements to its annual strategic partnership requirements and set pacing goals to help 50 households leave poverty by the end of 2023, 350 households by the end of 2024, and 1,000 households by the end of 2025. 

UWGG has a single focus of ending local poverty. In addition to its nationally recognized Family Success Centers and innovative Guilford Success Network, UWGG’s strategy to end local poverty includes issuing annual Poverty Relieving and Poverty Ending Grants that fund an array of strategic partner programs across the community.

Poverty Relieving Grants support services that help people find and stay on pathways out of poverty through cradle-to-career supports and services for basic needs, access to healthcare, and financial stability. Poverty Ending Grants support services that offer clear ways for people to leave poverty by increasing their annual household income above the federal poverty threshold. 

According to UWGG leadership, Bold Goal results are well ahead of pacing goals thanks to generous community support and UWGG’s funded strategic partnerships.

“These Bold Goal results are a direct reflection of our community partnerships coming together to support a strategy rooted in the belief that local children, adults, and families shouldn’t have to face the ongoing struggles of poverty. We are tremendously grateful for the support and excited about the future of the greater Greensboro community,” said Traci McLemore, Chief Community Impact Officer, UWGG.

More about the results:

The latest Bold Goal results represent the combined efforts of UWGG’s Poverty Ending Grant focused partnerships and include:

• Households with someone who gained employment that raised their household income above the federal poverty threshold. 
• Households with someone who obtained permanent cash benefits that they were eligible for through the help of program services. These benefits are Social Security/Social Security Disability or Veterans benefits, allowing these individuals to have a regular source of income.

More about the Bold Goal:

How was it developed?

• For over a year UWGG worked with a diverse set of stakeholders representing multiple backgrounds, business, and community volunteer groups to develop the Bold Goal.
• Specifically, the goal incorporates the feedback gathered through:
• A communitywide survey completed by 1,200 people
• Community conversations about race and equity
• 70 Bold Goal committee volunteers
• Final focus group studies completed by 200 people.

Why 3,000 households?

• 3,000 was chosen as the target based on the number of households required to transition out of poverty to reduce greater Greensboro’s poverty rate of around 18.5% to match Guilford County’s overall poverty rate of around 16%.
• The metric of a household was chosen over the metric of a person (or people) so that progress can be measured using US Census and American Community Survey data.
• With an average household size of 2.37 people, achieving the goal would positively impact roughly 7,100 people living in poverty by 2030.

Why by the year 2030?

• Nine years from launch established a realistic timeframe for the Bold Goal to be achieved. It also complements UWGG’s strategic planning cycle, the 2030 Vision Plan for Downtown Greensboro and the City of Greensboro’s “GSO2040” plan.

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GREENSBORO, NC (February 22, 2023) – Residents are invited to celebrate LIVE UNITED Day with the City of Greensboro and the United Way of Greater Greensboro by helping create a unique piece of art that displays the phrase “LIVE UNITED.” Residents are invited to paint their fingertips on the artwork from 11 am to 2 pm on March 1, at the Greensboro Cultural Center, 200 N. Davie St.

Those who participate will be treated to free Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. After March 1, the artwork will travel to various municipal buildings where City employees will be encouraged to leave their own individual marks. The completed work will be presented to the Greensboro City Council and eventually placed on display at the Melvin Municipal Office Building.

Khari Garvin will leave United Way of Greater Greensboro March 3, Executive Team Member, Nadine Malpass Will Serve as Interim CEO 

GREENSBORO, NC (February 16, 2023) – United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) announced today that Khari Garvin is leaving as the organization’s President and CEO, effective, March 3, to take on a new government role in Washington D.C. A formal announcement about Garvin’s new role will be released by his future employer during the week of February 27. 

Nadine Malpass, UWGG’s current Chief Development Officer, will serve as Interim CEO upon Garvin’s departure. 

“I am eternally grateful to the community for its support during my time at United Way and count myself blessed to have been part of an organization that is without a doubt making a positive impact in the lives of local children, adults, and families. Thanks to the ongoing leadership of our board and extremely talented staff, the great work of United Way will continue,” said Garvin. “The new federal government role in Washington D.C. is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for which I am grateful and feel compelled to pursue.”  

Garvin, who joined UWGG in July 2021 with more than 20 years of national, state, and local experience designing and leading systems focused on anti-poverty, is leaving behind a lasting legacy of local impact including: 

• Launching the organization’s community-inspired and developed Bold Goal to help 3,000 households leave poverty by the year 2030 
• Launching the organization’s Guilford Success Network focused on connecting people to integrated services digitally and in person 
• Leading UWGG during its Centennial year, and 
• Committing that UWGG will publicly report its outcomes related to ending local poverty twice a year, which will be accomplished in a midyear update scheduled six days after his departure. 

“United Way of Greater Greensboro found a strong and thoughtful leader in Khari Garvin. He embraced our mission, accelerated our work and, with a committed staff, created a strategy to measure and achieve United Way’s bold goal of reducing poverty in greater Greensboro. Khari has inspired our community, investors, and strategic partners around this goal, and, while his departure to serve in Washington, D.C. will leave big shoes to fill, Khari has helped to build and motivate a strong team to continue the work,” said UWGG Board Chair, Davida Martin. 

Martin, and Michele Deuterman, who serves as both UWGG Board Vice Chair, and Chair of UWGG’s Human Resources Committee will soon announce plans to conduct a CEO search for Garvin’s successor.  

During the transitional leadership process, Malpass will assume the organization’s interim leadership role of CEO, until a new President and CEO is hired. 

Malpass will continue reporting to Garvin until his last day and will transition to reporting to Martin, until a new President and CEO is hired. 

As Interim CEO, Malpass will serve as the voice of the organization with the Board of Directors, staff, community members, and key volunteers and will ultimately support the transition of the new UWGG President and CEO. 

“Nadine has been selected with the full confidence of the board of directors to lead organizational operations,” said Martin.   

Since 2017, Malpass has managed UWGG’s Resource Development Department, creating and deploying strategies to grow new investor relationships, and annual giving including major gifts, corporate gifts, and foundation grants. 

Malpass has served on UWGG’s executive leadership team, reporting directly to the President and CEO, served as a member of the strategic planning committee, and leads the resource development committee. 

In 2020, Malpass’ leadership contributed to UWGG receiving a $10 million gift from national philanthropist, MacKenzie Scott, the largest gift in organizational history. 

Immediately prior to joining UWGG, Malpass spent 17 years rising through the ranks of the American Cancer Society, eventually serving as the Director of Community Engagement for North and South Carolina. 

As the Director of Community Engagement for the American Cancer Society, Malpass led the integration of community engagement, health systems, and corporate partner activities with a combined revenue portfolio of $18 million.  

Malpass is an inspirational leader with a proven ability to work collaboratively and strategically with boards, volunteers, and staff to drive revenue goals and productivity.   

Additionally, Malpass has served as an Adjunct Professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Hampton, Virginia where she created curriculum and instructed at both undergraduate and graduate levels for Human Resources Administration studies. 

Malpass is currently an executive board member for The Servant Center and Greensboro Housing Coalition and a former commissioner on the Greensboro Criminal Justice Advisory Commission. 

Malpass’ educational background includes graduating with a Bachelor of Science, Human Resource Management from Saint Leo’s College and graduating with a Master of Science, Human Resource Management from Troy State University. 

“I am honored to lead United Way during this transition and with the supportive talents of our board and staff, we will continue to deliver on our commitment to serve our community, partners, and the children, adults, and families who need our collaborative support,” said Malpass. 

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

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.

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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GREENSBORO, NC (March 16, 2021) – United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) announced today that Michelle Gethers-Clark is leaving as the organization’s President and CEO, effective, April 16, to become the Chief Diversity Officer and Head of Corporate Responsibility for Visa, Inc. 

In this newly created role, Gethers-Clark will be responsible for further elevating Visa’s approach to inclusion and diversity as a business imperative. Her role will include leading a team of more than 60 professionals worldwide who are responsible for social impact efforts to drive inclusive and equitable growth with a focus on small and micro businesses. 

In addition, Gethers-Clark and her team will lead initiatives to support Visa being a responsible, ethical and sustainable company. She will start her new role on May 3 and will report to Alfred F. Kelly, Jr., the CEO of Visa, Inc.   

Since joining UWGG in 2012 as a consultant, and then being named President and CEO in 2013, Gethers-Clark and her team have generated and distributed $90 million in financial revenue to social impact programs focused on producing positive life, health and economic outcomes for children and families in the Greensboro/Guilford County community.

In addition, under her leadership, UWGG transformed its 99-year-old regional business model from general grantmaking to a single-issue focus of solving generational and systemic poverty with significant results. To achieve this shift, the United Way team convened and galvanized stakeholders to address racial, income, wealth and social inequity through partnerships with corporations, donors, volunteers and community-based organizations. 

“I’ve been blessed to work with a tremendous team at United Way. The 26 extraordinary staff members and 34-member board of directors, were willing to boldly change the way we support our community. I thank each of them for this work on behalf of those we serve,” says Gethers-Clark. “I know the power and passion of this community will continue to push forward on the path to end poverty under the leadership of our board and in partnership with the entire United Way team.” 

UWGG Board Chair, Kim Gatling says, “Michelle’s inspiring and transformational leadership has created a lasting impact that will be carried forward in the greater Greensboro community for years to come. Thanks to her collaborative efforts, thousands of local children and families have received life-changing supports and the hope they deserve. Thanks to her solid strategies, existing and future United Way leadership will continue creating partnerships that produce meaningful, equitable and lasting impact. Speaking on behalf of the entire United Way board and team, we are excited for Michelle and wish her all the best in her new global-impact role.”

Gatling and Michele Deuterman, Chair of UWGG’s Human Resource Committee will soon announce plans to conduct a CEO search for Gethers-Clark’s successor. 

END POVERTY: United Way of Greater Greensboro is leading a movement to END 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 $25,750 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 Local impact for 99 years and counting.

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United Way is leveraging $1 million of recent $10 million MacKenzie Scott Gift to help households recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19

GREENSBORO, NC (March 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, by seeking grant applications for innovative solutions to address housing disparities as part of the organization’s focus on ending poverty.

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.

In the spirit of supporting collaborative impact and responding to the ongoing economic impacts of COVID-19, UWGG is seeking:

Requests for Proposal: Housing and Community Recovery Grants 2021-2022.

Interested organizations can visit www.UnitedWay.GSO/Our-Grants to access additional information and application documents.

Proposals must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on April 30, 2021 to support 300 households in Greater Greensboro to achieve one or more of the following:

• Secure permanent housing.
• Maintain permanent housing.
• Purchase home as first-time homebuyers.

Strategies to achieve these goals can address gaps in existing services and resources. The scope of services can include,but are not limited to, the following:

• Rental and utility assistance and eviction prevention
• Foreclosure prevention and mortgage assistance
• Case management and supportive services
• First time homebuyer assistance

Grants will be awarded for a minimum of $100,000 not to exceed the available pool of $1,000,0000.

“We are thrilled that through this investment, 300 households will be provided with extra support in helping them to recover from the impacts of COVID. An investment of $1,000,000 by UWGG will help our city build a future that leaves poverty behind through permanent, stable housing,” says Frank McCain, UWGG Vice President, Community Investment & Impact

“Stable housing is the foundation of well-being. The temporary and permanent housing industry in Greensboro is rocky at best. Research has solidified the housing industry as an economic engine and if history repeats itself, will 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.”

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

Eviction moratoriums will eventually end. And the housing disparities that existed before COVID-19 must still be addressed. UWGG wants to support 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.

Why is UWGG leveraging $1 Million of the grant money?
There is no better opportunity than now to strategically leverage the Mackenzie Scott gift. The funds allow UWGG to make larger, high-impact investments in innovative solutions that will accelerate the recovery of our community, post COVID-19. The UWGG investment will stimulate a longer-term impact.