Dear Friends and Supporters,
As we reflect on the past year, I am filled with immense gratitude and pride for what we have accomplished together at United Way of the Piedmont. The impact we’ve made is a testament to our collective commitment and the power of connection.
With your support, we have reached new milestones and continued to improve the lives of families across Cherokee, Spartanburg, and Union counties. No matter the challenge, United Way’s connectedness and community roots mean we can find a way forward. We’re here to strengthen our community every day, advancing economic mobility, educational opportunity, and health for all.
I hope this 2023-2024 Update provides you with more insight into the heart of our shared impact. The numbers and data are key to effectively carrying out our mission, but the connections are what bring our work to life. And as a supporter, you are an important part of our connective community web.
Thank you for being an integral part of this journey. Together, we can continue to make a difference right here and now, while building a future where everyone can thrive.
Sincerely,
Paige Stephenson President & CEO United Way of the Piedmont
Connect to Each Other
Chunsta Miller has been connected to United Way her entire career, starting with a workplace giving campaign that opened her eyes to United Way’s resources and community impact
“Through United Way, I saw a means for people to become more self-sufficient, more educated, and more supported. I wanted to be a part of that change,” Chunsta reflected.
For over 25 years, Chunsta has lived United Way's values, working across Upstate South Carolina and now with United Way of the Piedmont in her hometown of Spartanburg. Her volunteerism and activism embody what it means to "Live United."
Through the African American Leadership Society (AALS), one of United Way of the Piedmont’s donor networks, Chunsta continues to make an impact by empowering both those in need and African American leaders. Chunsta received the Tomeka Pierce African American Leadership Award in 2022 and served as the AALS Advisory Board Chair in 2023
“By bringing community leaders together, we understand how we can collaborate for a greater collective impact,” she shared.
Chunsta believes that changing the world starts with helping one person at a time, a principle that has guided her unwavering commitment to United Way and our community.
Follow Chunsta’s lead and plug in to one of our donor networks: uwpiedmont.org/donornetworks.
Connect to Your Community
“Serving on the United Way Board matters to me because I strongly believe in the organization’s mission of connecting, engaging, and inspiring people to create a positive transformation in the community. I care about creating positive change and see this role as an opportunity to make meaningful impact, support the community, and improve the lives of families and individuals who call this area home ”
Greyson Furnas, Colliers International Board Member, United Way of the Piedmont
At United Way, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to live in an affordable, safe, and stable home.
With housing costs on the rise across the state, access to housing is becoming even more difficult for families
already facing financial challenges. In 2023, housing-related needs made up 71% of the 2-1-1 resource line requests in our tri-county footprint.
We’ve been proud to help lead the housing and homelessness effort through A Place to Call Home in Spartanburg County and the Housing Stability Task Force in Cherokee County. Both of these groups bring local partners from across different sectors to share ideas and resources, develop local solutions, and ultimately, ensure more people have a safe, secure place to call home.
Housing for All Funding Powerful Programs
With your support, we funded 75 local Economic Mobility, Education, and Health programs. Our investment in Project R.E.S.T, part of our Basic Needs funding area, helps operate their Emergency Domestic Violence Shelter for people experiencing domestic violence in Cherokee, Spartanburg, and Union counties.
In 2023, Project R.E.S.T.’s shelter served over 300 women, children, and men who were able to access housing, services, and other community resources to help them regain independence and transform their lives. When you invest in our work, you help ensure more people can achieve environmental safety and financial security.
View all our current Community Investments: www.uwpiedmont.org/fundedprograms
Your investment provides students and their families support on their way to economic mobility and career opportunities through our Higher Education Community Resource Coordinator (CRC) program. In 2023, we gained our first two Higher Ed CRCs who now serve at four post-secondary institutions: Converse University, Spartanburg Community College, Spartanburg Methodist College, and USC Upstate.
Our Higher Ed CRCs, Erika and Sommer, conduct in-depth case management, assessing strengths and needs, providing services, making referrals, developing goals, and regularly following up to help students stay on track and graduate.
Last year, Erika and Sommer served 54 students–all who persisted to graduation or the following semester–including one student we’ll call Tanya:
Tanya faced many obstacles growing up that led to her dropping out of high school. As an adult, she was determined to finish her GED, so she enrolled in USC Upstate’s ACHIEVE program for un- or under-employed young adults. Through the program, she was referred to a United Way CRC to help reach her financial goals, like saving up for a down payment for a car and maintaining a monthly budget. Tanya graduated from the ACHIEVE program by finishing her GED and finding meaningful employment. She met all her original goals through her work with the CRC, and they continued to work together toward future goals With financial coaching and case management support, Tanya was able to gain economic mobility and build a future where she can thrive
91% of students advanced to next grade level
3,808 with increased access to healthcare
$2.9 million in tax refunds to families
101,855 individuals served 90% maintained employment
4,816 prevented from experiencing homelessness
1,103 assisted by CRCs
When people come together for good, we are greater. That’s why we connect with people like you and nonprofits across the community to address issues at every level. This update is just a glimpse of the impact of our community’s support this past year.
Behind these amazing numbers and stories are our incredible staff, board members, partners, donors, volunteers, and others who make it all possible. Their connections to our community and each other ensure that our work is transformative
As we look to the future, we have much work left to do. Our Bold Goal to decrease the number of families living below self-sufficiency continues to drive us, but we won’t take for granted who and what has brought us this far.
Connect with us for the good of our community by scanning the QR code or visiting the URL below. Already connected? Share with someone you know:
www.uwpiedmont.org/getinvolved
