Mission: Mobilizing the power of our community to break the cycle of poverty.
A Letter from our Executive Director
Dear Charlotte County Mobilizers,
United Way of Charlotte County hopes you and your loved ones are staying healthy during this uncertain time. I was trying to explain to my middle school daughter that this was a defining moment for literally everyone and she was not really grasping it. Surely this is the case. The hardships are piling up and we don’t know how things will look a week from now and beyond. What we do know though is that while we are forced into six feet of separation, we are united more than ever. Examples are everywhere. Read more here.
EDUCATION
As the Charlotte County lead for the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and COAD partner, UWCC is the point of contact for the COAD Youth/Education Task Force. We are working closely with Charlotte County Public Schools and all partners who have a vested interested in supporting our children, their parents and teachers to ensure student success and support during this very difficult time.
These Partner Agencies continue to operate to support our most vulnerable clients. This makes it all the more important that these partners have the resources they need to take care of the complex needs. Stay tuned for ways to help.
EXCEPTIONAL VITA VOLUNTEERS
Every volunteer is of value to our organization and plays an important role in our mission to reduce poverty in Charlotte County. Our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Volunteers are no exception. Click here to read more at "Still Powered by Grace".
HEALTH & WELLNESS
UWCC Women United selected our Kids Thrive collaborative this year to support with the focus on “Empowering Mothers to Raise Healthy Children”. With the COVID crisis, the moms in our Circle of Parents group are all with new babies and are feeling especially scared and vulnerable. The funded Navigator Advocate holds daily virtual meetings with the moms to support and encourage them. An immediate need identified is diapers and wipes. If you would like to help, Click here to email Sue, the Navigator Advocate. Or call her at (941) 769-4529.
Support COVID – 19 through Season of Sharing
This past year, Season of Sharing funds totaling $246,960 helped 292 Charlotte County families stay in their homes with help for rent, mortgage and utilities. Your United Way has been the fiscal agent in Charlotte County for almost all of the 20 years this fund has been in place and we are so grateful to all the donors who have contributed over the years.
According to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, “…..as an initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are relying on the time-tested and trusted Season of Sharing partnership with the Herald-Tribune Media Group and the multiple nonprofit partners to help the most vulnerable individuals and families with rent, mortgage or utilities.” As a response to this crisis, The Patterson Foundation has committed to a dollar for dollar match up to $500,000. To learn more about Season of Sharing and their response to COVID-19, click here.
COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster) is a group of Charlotte County community organizations working together. The goal of COAD is to expedite information and assistance between the partner agencies and those in need of assistance.
