United Way of Southwest Virginia 2019 Annual Report

United Way of Southwest Virginia

Annual Report

2019 WAS A YEAR OF GROWTH AND CHANGE. One discovery I made during the year is that we have so much more work to do! But before I move forward, I want to stop and say thank you.

Thank you for supporting our children, youth, and families in Southwest Virginia to be healthy, well-educated, and financially stable.

Because of your support, two of our Virginia Quality child care centers achieved the highest quality rating in 2019, meaning 36 three- and four-year old children are getting the best early education possible in Virginia.

Because of your support, we hosted the Rural Summit for Childhood Success, drawing attention to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) for more than 500 childserving professionals in our region so that they are better equipped to help young children and their families.

Because of your support, our Ignite program helped 36 students complete Summer Internships with 18 companies in Southwest Virginia, putting these students on the path to a future career.

Because of your support, I come to work every day ready to continue the fight. Why am I fighting? Why is my team fighting? We fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in Southwest Virginia, because they are the foundation of long-term generational change for the workforce of tomorrow.

Thank you. We can’t do the work alone, because change doesn’t happen alone. In Southwest Virginia, we don’t fight alone.

WHERE ARE WE?

With a footprint that covers nearly 20% of the state of Virginia, United Way of Southwest Virginia programs and initiatives serve the counties of Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe, and the cities of Bristol, Galax, Norton, and Radford.

United Way of Southwest Virginia

Because of you.

HOW WE DO IT

United Way of Southwest Virginia fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in Southwest Virginia because they are the building blocks for a good quality of life. Through an initiativebased cradle-to-career approach, United Way of Southwest Virginia works to cultivate the workforce of tomorrow in order to create lasting positive impact in our communities.

This initiative-based cradle-to-career approach offers programs, initiatives and information for children starting from birth to post career. Through Childhood Success, Youth Success, Health, and Financial Stability initiatives, United Way of Southwest Virginia can not only customize its solutions to community issues, but focus on segmented groups for better quality outcomes.

2019 Annual Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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CHILDHOOD SUCCESS

YOUTH SUCCESS

HEALTH

United We Win by improving the quality of early experiences that equip children for success in school and life.

United We Win by helping youth find the resources to learn and develop new professional skills.

United We Win by building a more resilient community, and integrating health into childhood and youth success.

United Way of Southwest Virginia

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FINANCIAL STABILITY

UNAUDITED FINANCIALS

MAKING IT ALL POSSIBLE

United We Win by providing resources for families and individuals to become and stay financially stable.

United We Win by being transparent about where contributions are made, and how donations impact the region.

United We Win by collaborating with members of our community who make all of our achievements possible.

2019 Annual Report

Improving early reading proficiency

Childcare start-up assistance project

Professional Development for ECE Providers 1 United Way of Southwest Virginia

High quality early learning

Align early learning opportunities

In 2019. . . hours of coaching provided to each childcare provider through the Virginia Infant & Toddler Specialists Network

participating Virginia Quality educators in Southwest Virginia classrooms

3,194 Children were served by participating Virginia Quality providers

Classrooms observed using the Teachstone CLASS assessment tool

120 participating Virginia Quality centers in 2019

2019 Annual Report 2

“These educators work hard every day for their kids so it’s good to give them a chance to get creative too!”

Steven Cregger shows off some creative bubble wrap paintings with one of his workshop attendees at the 2019 Tender Loving Caregivers Conference and talks about a lesson these caregivers could take from his art workshop.

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In the spotlight: Reading to Learn 3rd grade reading

United Way of Southwest Virginia is a member of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading in efforts to improve reading proficiency, early learning, and early school success for low-income families. Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is a critical milestone, because it marks the transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.”

In 2019, Brandi Ferguson, a third grade teacher in Southwest Virginia, worked hard to bring grade-level reading proficiency into her classroom, which is why she began giving her students a new book each month.

Keynote Speaker, Derek Clark, aka ‘The Rapping Dad’, speaks to the Tender Loving Caregivers Conference attendees about trauma and how to connect with the kids they care for each day.

United Way of Southwest Virginia hosts the Tender Loving Caregivers Conference to celebrate the great work of early childhood professionals in Southwest Virginia. Each attendee glearns practices to use in their own classroom and childcare centers in Southwest Virginia.

Brandie R. Long M. Ed. conducts conversation in her workshop, CLASS Overview for Early Educators at the Early Childhood Summit.

“Reading provides children with the opportunity to form their own thoughts and opinions, and improve conversational skills.

It also helps students develop cognitive empathy and social skills. For my students, reading gives them a chance to go on the greatest adventures and escape from reality.”

The Early Childhood Summit is held each year in Southwest Virginia for early childhood professionals. Attendees are able to recharge and gain fresh ideas before returning to their classrooms to provide the best quality of care and education to children birth to five.

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7th Grade Career Exploration

Hands-on Learning Opportunities

8th Grade Financial Simulations

Connecting Teachers to Business

Internships

Online Career Exploration

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In 2019. . . students were served by the Ignite Program

103

Employers Partnered with the Ignite Program

4,270 Students attended Reality Stores

students attended the Careers Expo for Youth for career exploration

84

Educators went on the Educators in Industry tours

36

Internships were completed

93

Schools participated in the Ignite program

34

Businesses and organizations offered internships

2019 Annual Report6

“These internships gave me the chance to explore something I’m really interested in.”

Jordan Marshall and one of his mentors from West River Covneyors in Grundy, VA prepare to do a welding project as part of his summer Ignite internship.

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In the spotlight: Jordan Marshall Ignite Internships

Thirty-six interns successfully completed summer internships with 18 different companies in 2019.

Jules Lemmon and Renae Anderson share the stage at the 2019 Operation Tomorrow’s Workforce Breakfast.

The annual Operation Tomorrow’s Workforce Breakfast is a leadership event for business CEOs, legislators, city managers, county administrators, workforce investment boards, school superintendents, and other cross-sector leadership from throughout the region.

All students were paid and worked 90+ hours during the summer of 2019 at internships of their choice. Students had to apply and interview to be selected for the internship positions. While all interns did an excellent job and employers were pleased with the program, one student stands out to the United Way Youth Success staff who is following his educational path and working at the same time.

Jordan Marshall graduated from Grundy High School and completed his internship at West River Conveyors. West River Conveyors offered him a job before he completed his internship. He currently works and goes to school at SWCC. Jordan should graduate in May with a Certificate in Welding from SWCC.

Sarah Graham shows seventh graders a model used for veterinarians at a booth from the annual Careers Expo for Youth.

As one component of the United Way of Southwest Virginia Ignite Program, the Careers Expo for Youth is an annual event where students move through four zones filled with hands-on activities by regional employers in 16 different career paths.

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Helping kids make healthy choices

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Nutritious weekend meals for children

Building resiliency in children and families

In 2019. . . people attended the Rural Summit for Childhood Success to learn more about Trauma Informed Care in rural regions

children enrolled in the Al’s Pals program

children were served by the Backpacks Unite program

classrooms completed Al’s Pals lessons

2019 Annual Report 10

“It is always nice to know that on the outside, your company cares about the community.�

John Knight from the Food City Distribution Center talks about the positive effects of a company being involved in a program like Backpacks Unite.

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In the spotlight: Selfless Hunger Backpacks Unite

Rural Summit keynote speaker, Jeanette Walls, and First Lady of Virginia, Pamela Northam, share a spirited conversation with another attendee.

“He was 5. He was very little, his hands were always dirty, and he never had new clothes.

The class had just left the cafeteria. His teacher noticed he had something crammed into his pockets. She pulled him aside and asked him to remove whatever he had snuck into his pockets. It was crumbled up food. She told him he was not allowed to take food outside the cafeteria. He told her it was not for him-it was for his baby sister at home. She was hungry and there was no food there.

I realized then there is such a great need for (the Backpacks Unite) program. There are so many hungry children in our country, but we have hungry children here in our community that we must help. The students at CBES are very grateful for extra food and many ask weekly, ‘do we get food bags this week?’ I try to keep Pop Tarts, snack crackers, etc., because many come to school hungry. I’m certain when they leave on Friday some wouldn’t get anything or very little until they return for school lunch on Monday without Backpacks Unite.”

-Becky Roark on the impact of Backpacks Unite in schools Cedar Bluff Elementary School

The Rural Summit for Childhood Success convenes leaders from across the Commonwealth of Virginia to learn how systems to lead to childhood success have been adversely impacted by substance abuse and best practices for professionals in rural settings to address Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), trauma, resiliency in children, families and child-serving systems.

As part of a training program, educators walk through Al’s Pals lessons with a partner to practice before applying the lessons in their classrooms.

Al’s Pals is a comprehensive curriculum and teacher training program that develops social-emotional skills, self-control, problem-solving abilities, and healthy decision-making in children ages 3-8 years old.

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Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

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My Free Taxes

Prescription savings for families

In 2019. . .

VITA volunteers saved Southwest Virginia filers by preparing their taxes for free

people saved money on their prescriptions through our partnership with FamilyWize

$3,698,477 Saved by residents of Southwest Virginia on prescriptions through our FamilyWize partnership

returned to people who filed their taxes with VITA in Southwest Virginia through federal refund

3,179 federal returns prepared by VITA volunteers

2019 Annual Report 14

UNAUDITED FINANCIALS SOURCES OF FUNDRAISING

TOTAL: $2,542,176 23.9% Individuals

13.2%

$608,108

Special Events

$336,273

5.6%

Other Income

$142,014

9.2%

NET ASSETS

Corporate Gifts

$232,751

43.4%

TOTAL: $1,933,562

4.7%

Grants

95%

Other United Ways

$1,103,607

$119,423

Without Donor Restrictions

$1,836,884

.9%

Financial Stability

$22,942

5%

2.5%

With Donor Restrictions

Donor Specified Gifts Paid Out To other Organizations (Net)

17.1%

Health Programs

$452,072

$96,678

$66,000

14.7% Fundraising and Program Support Services

$388,956

INVESTMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY

TOTAL: $2,636,997 17.7% Youth Success

$466,351

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47% Childhood Success

$1,240,676

ASSETS

TOTAL: $2,764,645 Other Receivables and Prepayments

United Way of Southwest Virginia would like to recognize their media partners. Without media partnerships, many of our events and programs would not be as successful as they are. We couldn’t do it without you!

11.7%

Investments

8.7%

Cash

15.9%

Pledges Receivable

27.2%

Land, Buildings, and Equipment

36.5%

$-

$400,000

$800,000

$1,200,000

LIABILITIES

TOTAL: $831,089 0.0%

Allocations Donor Designated Allocations To Non-Member Agencies

8.0%

Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses

12.4%

Note Payable on Building

79.6%

$-

$200,000 $400,000 $600,000 $800,000

2019 Annual Report 16

TOP 5 GIVERS OF 2019 We are thankful for the unwavering support of companies and employees all across Southwest Virginia. In 2019, these companies stepped up a big way providing both corporate support and allowing their employees to support United Way through their payroll deduction donations. Each day, we work alongside of these partners to improve the health, education, and financial stability of every person in Southwest Virginia.

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Food City Universal Fibers Utility Trailer 2019 Annual Report 18

United Way of Southwest Virginia fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in Southwest Virginia because they are the building blocks for a good quality of life. Through an initiativebased cradle-to-career approach, United Way of Southwest Virginia is creating sustainable solutions to address the challenges facing tomorrow’s workforce. United Way convenes cross-sector partners to make an impact on the most complex problems in our region. Through collaboration with government, business, nonprofit and individuals, United Way innovates for positive, lasting social change.

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