Jan. 18, 2024
BY JOHN BAILEY
From addressing issues like poverty, child literacy, hunger relief and healthcare, the Catawba County United Way is excited about the work it’ll accomplish in 2024 in partnership with this year’s funded partners.
At the end of the 2023 Request for Funding Proposal (RFP) grant cycle, the Catawba County United Way board approved $550,000 in grants to help support 18 programs from 14 local non-profit agencies in 2024. The CCUW also provided local grants through its Youth Council community outreach and the Small Businesses Love Big cycles.
Together, these United Way funded partners address the needs of individuals and families in the areas of health, income and education.
Collaborative efforts like these are the most effective, CCUW Executive Director Mark Bumgarner said.
"We can't solve problems without the help of each other. It truly takes a village, one that all of us belong to and one we all must take responsibility for improving," he said.
In the last month NC 211, the United Way of North Carolina’s health and human services resource help line, reported there were 29 calls in Catawba County requesting information about housing or shelter, 24 calls about help with a utility bill and 10 healthcare related calls.
Tim Lentz, CEO of Catawba Valley Healthcare (CVH), agreed a community needs multiple impact points to be successful in helping those in need.
“We have to understand that this is not something just the United Way can do or that CVH can do,” Lentz said. “Because, we can make sure that someone's healthcare is covered and then they can get food from another agency but if they don't have a place to prepare the food, a home, how are they going to eat. It takes all of us in the community to make a difference.”
2024 CCUW RFP Funded Partners
EDUCATION
The Salvation Army – Boys and Girls Club afterschool/summer programs; Council on Adolescents – Student mentoring and Healthy youth education; Partnership for Children – Parents as teachers; Patrick Beaver Learning Resources Center – Literacy tutoring; Sipe’s Orchard Home – Transitional housing for teens.
INCOME
Exodus Homes – Transitional housing for recently incarcerated; Greater Hickory CCM – Crisis financial assistance, rent/mortgage; The Salvation Army – Crisis Financial Assistance for families and the Shelter of Hope; Habitat for Humanity – Home repairs.
HEALTH
Adult Life Programs – Adult day care subsidies; American Red Cross – Emergency disaster services; DSS Senior Nutrition Services – Meals on wheels; Exodus Homes – Medically assisted recovery; Family Guidance Center – First Step Domestic Violence services and Sexual assault services; Children’s Advocacy & Protection Center - child medical exams; The Mental Health Fund – Catawba Valley Healthcare.
Find more details at - THIS LINK.
To learn more about the impact of the Catawba County United Way visit ccunitedway.com or call 828-327-6851.
Watch CCUW partners talk about the importance of collaboration.
Tim Lentz, CEO of Catawba Valley Healthcare – grant support for primary healthcare for adults with brain health issues.
Watch at THIS LINK.
Family Guidance Center – grant support for sexual assault services and the domestic violence shelter.
Watch at THIS LINK.
Mitzi Gellman, Executive Director for Catawba Valley Habitat for Humanity – grant support for homeownership home repair program.
Watch at THIS LINK.