UWRV October Newsletter 2018

United Way of Roanoke Valley

OCTOBER 2018

2018 CAMPAIGN NOW UNDERWAY 460 Roanoke Valley residents received financial assistance for self-sustaining housing and utilities.

1,600+ Roanoke Valley children entered kindergarten ready to learn with support from UWRV’s early education initiatives. $500,000+ saved on necessary, costly prescriptions by thousands of local families.

United Way addresses our community’s most urgent needs by finding new solutions to age-old problems.

We unite social service agencies, local businesses and governments, and individuals to support the under-served and those facing crisis in our region.

Together, we solve the problems that no single organization could solve alone.

United Way donations are an investment in the future of our region, ensuring that children achieve and surpass school readiness benchmarks, leading to high school graduation and opportunities for higher education and training. United Way collaborations create a community of adults that are healthy, both physically and financially.

With the campaign now underway, generous employees have already pledged $600,000 toward our goal of $3.5 million raised in our community giving campaign.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

1,789 individuals accessed medical, dental and mental health services.

971 tax forms filed, returning $1.3 million to low-to-moderate income families.

648 youth connected with caring adults at out-of-school programs to stay on the path towards graduation.

The Value of a Dollar.

And Change. *Data from end-of-year reporting from UW-funded programs, 2017-2018

facebook.com/UnitedWayofRoanokeValley twitter.com/UWRoanokeValley youtube.com/UWRV

325 Campbell Ave, SW Roanoke, VA 24016 Phone: (540) 777-4200

525 South Main Stree Rocky Mount, VA 24151 Phone: (540) 483-4949

www.uwrv.org

TOP 50 MOST GENEROUS WORKPLACES Through corporate and employee giving, sponsorships in-kind and initiative support, the most generous companies are investing in a better future for the Roanoke Valley and its residents.

TOP 5

L - R: Betsy Whitney with Carilion Clinic; Pam O’Neal of Wells Fargo, Altec’s John Herric, Corey Slusher from Kroger; Brian Spencer with UPS.

1. Wells Fargo 2. Carilion Clinic 3. Altec Industries, Inc. 4. UPS 5. Kroger Mid-Atlantic 6. Boxley 7. Norfolk Southern Corp.

8. TMEIC 9. Appalachian Power 10. Carter Machinery Company, Inc. 11. Yokohama Tire Manufacturing - VA, LLC 12. City of Roanoke 13. SunTrust 14. Gentry Locke Attorneys

15. Anthem (Wellpoint) 16. Plastics One, Inc. 17. First Team Auto Mall 18. Steel Dynamics Roanoke Bar Division 19. Harris 20. Trane 21. Roanoke County 22. GE Drives & Controls 23. Total Action for Progress 24. LewisGale Regional Health System 25. Eaton, Crouse-Hinds Division 26. Roanoke County Public Schools

27. RGC Resources, Inc. 28. Associated Asphalt, Inc. 29. Marsh & McLennan Agency (locally Rutherfoord) 30. Davis H. Elliot Company, Inc. 31. First Citizens Bank 32. Western Virginia Water Authority 33. Roanoke City Public Schools 34. The Roanoke Times 35. New Millennium Building Systems 36. Wabtec Corporation 37. HomeTown Bank

38. Union Bank & Trust 39. Hollins University 40. Readerlink 41. KelTech, Inc. 42. Vistar Eye Center 43. The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center 44. Brown Edwards & Company, L.L.P. 45. United Way of Roanoke Valley 46. Friendship 47. Woods Rogers 48. American National Bank & Trust Company 49. Allstate Insurance Co 50. Advance Auto Parts

United, we will elevate 10,000 families in our region to self-sufficiency by 2030.

THE TROOPS RALLY AT KICKOFF GAMES They battled it out for the winning title in the jousiting ring. They also survived Tug-of-War, a challenging Escape Room, adult tricycle races, a spirited Jenga game and a recyclables-only fashion show.

Congratulations to New Horizons Healthcare for the pulling down the #1 trophy, and to Roanoke City and Roanoke County who tied for the #2 position.

No matter what the scorecard says, in the fundraising arena, where their work helps make significant change in our community, they are all winners.

UNITED WAY OF ROANOKE VALLEY

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By participating, entrants agree to comply with the 2018 Sweepstakes Official Rules, available at http://www.uwrv.org/sweepstakes or during regular business hours at UWRV’s principal office located at 325 Campbell Avenue, S.W., Roanoke, Virginia 24016.

United Way of Roanoke Valley

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: FAITH NETWORK

Just 15 months since its inception, Faith Network is already solving a crucial piece of the social services puzzle in Franklin County.

This grassroots, non-profit agency uses volunteer mentors to address poverty and homelessness in the region by fostering personal relationships.

Faith Network also relies on community collaborations, such as their partnership with RYSE, the United Way of Roanoke Valley’s Rehousing Youth for Success initiative.

“Housing is the biggest need we see, and getting a job that will pay you a living wage. Housing can be hard to find if you have a felony or bad credit and sometimes we just have to find a landlord that will give someone a second chance,” said Sheila Andrews, Faith Network Program Manager.

waiting list for help. “We don’t have all the money in the world, but we could absolutely serve more people if we had more mentors,” said Andrews.

The primary requirement to become a mentor is to simply have a caring heart and a listening ear. Mentors must have weekly contact with their mentees, and be able to commit to at least 3 months of service.

“Without a mentor, it would just be impossible to get some of this done. The mentor listens, makes calls and advocates for you.”

While every circumstance is different, volunteers often help with job applications and forms, provide budget assistance and occasional transportation, and offer housing advice.

Andrews cites the recent case of a pregnant young woman who turned to Faith Network. She was jobless, living in a trailer without running water, and didn’t have any supplies for her baby.

“We have come such a long way in a year and a half. It will be amazing to look back in five years, to see all that we have accomplished together,” said Andrews.

“With the help of her mentor, she was able to get everything she needed for the baby. She’s now working and getting into her own apartment. She has a car now, and is becoming more and more self-sufficient.

Her mentor just didn’t want to let her go until she was stable,” said Andrews.

Faith Network currently has 15 individuals and families matched with mentors, but there are many more on a

Volunteer Mentor Training November 3 Mentors work with clients by providing a positive support system, helping them access community services, providing friendship and general guidance, and seeing that service plans are completed. Call 540.420.2560 or fcfaithnetwork@gmail.com for registration details.

SMART BEGININNGS SCORES STATE INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP GRANT Smart Beginnings Greater Roanoke has

From their backyards to the world at large, Student United Way members are already hard at work examining society’s most pressing problems.

These young adults, the helping hands of the future, are working with UW’s nonprofit, corporate and government From their backyards to the world at large, Student partners explore to United Wayto members areinnovative already hard solutions at work age old issues. examining society’s most pressing problems.

These young adults, the helping hands of the future, To help with their mission, Student United are working with UW’s nonprofit, corporate and Way has been awarded a $1,000 grant government partners to explore innovative solutions from (Youth Empowered Solutions) to age YES! old issues. to fund youth stipends this summer that To withyoung their mission, willhelp help peopleStudent hone United their Way has been awarded a $1,000 grant from YES!2019leaderships skills and plan for the (Youth Empowered Solutions) to fund youth 2020 school year.

Smart Beginnings been awarded an Innovative Partnership Greater Roanoke has Virginia Early Childhood Grant from the been awarded an Foundation. The grant provides funding for Innovative Partnership thefrom Data and Capacity Builder Grant thePartnership Virginia project, pairing child and program-level Early Childhood Foundation.

The grant provides assessment information with training on the funding for the Data Partnership and Capacity Builder use of data. project, pairing child and program-level assessment information with training on the use of data.

Working in partnership with Virginia Quality

Working in partnership with Virginia Quality and and Virginia Tech Carilion Research Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, the project thecorrelation project will measure the willInstitute, measure the between teacher-child correlation between teacher-child interactions, school readiness and program quality.

interactions, school readiness and program

“Local communities are leading the way with quality. innovative approaches,” said Pamela Northam, First Lady of Virginia. “Children and families "Local communities are leading the way deserve access to high quality education across innovativeregardless approaches," said Pamela thewith Commonwealth of their background or Northam, zip code.” First Lady of Virginia. "Children

and families deserve access to high quality education across the Commonwealth regardless of their background or zip code."

stipends this summer that will help young people hone their leaderships skills and plan for the The goal school is to equip 2019-2020 year. high school students

and their adult allies with the tools The goal is toto equip high school students necessary take a stand in their and their adult allies with the tools necessary take a stand in communities, helping them totocreate their communities, helping them to create changes that changes that positively impact adolescent positively impact adolescent youth. youth.

A recent day-long workshop at New Horizons Healthcare A recent day-long workshop at New focused on advocacy, racial diversity and actionHorizons Healthcare on advocacy, racial planning for the focused upcoming year.

“A child’s life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark.” - Robert Heinlein, Author

diversity and action planning for the upcoming year.

FRANKLIN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY GIVING GARDENS: GIVING MORE THAN EVER United Way’s 22 Community Giving Gardens in Franklin County are supplying a record-breaking bounty of produce to the area’s foodWay’s banks22and soup kitchens.

United Community Giving

Gardens in Franklin County are supplying a record-breaking This growing season, the gardens have already bounty of produce area’s food provided about 23,000 poundstoofthe fresh fruits andbanks and soup kitchens.

vegetables to thousands of Franklin County

residents who live in what the U.S. Census This growing season, the gardens identifies as “foodhave deserts,” andprovided lack access to 23,000 already about affordable, healthypounds nutrition. of fresh fruits and vegetables to thousands of County residents whoyield live This year’s harvestFranklin represents nearly double the what to thethe U.S. Census identifies from the gardens,inthanks dedication and sweat as “food deserts,” and lack access equity of hard-working volunteers. to affordable, healthy nutrition.

“Thisisisa atrue truecommunity community effort, and during the growing “This season many of the sites will be looking for effort, and during thegarden growing season many the garden volunteers forofweed pulling, watering, harvesting and be looking for box will building,” said Pamela Chitwood, Associate Director As part of the unique, program, volunteers sites Thisgrassroots year’s harvest represents volunteers for weed pulling, of Community Impact at United Way of Roanoke Valley. work spring through fall in the organic gardens to keep nearly double the yield from the watering, harvesting and box the crops healthy gardens, and the harvests ripe. thanks to the dedication building,” said Pamela and sweat equity of hard-working Chitwood also encourages home gardeners to Chitwood, Associate Director volunteers. a row in their gardens for those in need, or The Community Giving Gardens are operated by United ofdedicate Community Impact at to justWay donate produce to Franklin County soup kitchens Way’s Healthy Franklin County initiative, which connects United of Roanoke Valley.

As part of the unique, grassroots residents with quality nutrition and education as well as and food banks. program, volunteers work spring health and humanthrough services.fall in the organic gardens Chitwood also encourages “You gardeners don’t have to be a farmer 100 acres to make Deputies with the Franklina Co. home dedicate a with to keep the crops healthy and the Sheriff's Department huge difference in the quality of life in our community,” row in their gardens for those Complementing food distribution, harvests ripe. Healthy Franklin strengthen inshe need, or to just donate said.

County also educates children at Head Start and goodwill by delivering food The Community Giving Gardens directly to people in food Franklin County Public School classrooms about are produce to Franklin County operated United Way's wellness.

Healthy soup kitchens and food deserts who also lack healthy food habits that canbylead to lifelong transportation.

Franklin County initiative, which banks. connects residents with quality nutrition and education as well as "You don't have to be a farmer health and human services. with 100 acres to make a huge difference in the quality of life Complementing food distribution, in our community," she said.

Healthy Franklin County also educates children at Head Start Deputies with the Franklin and Franklin County Public School classrooms about healthy food County Sheriff’s Department habits that can lead to lifelong strengthen goodwill by wellness.

No one can do everything. But everyone can do something.

delivering food directly to people in food deserts who also lack transportation.

2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Board Chair Kerry J. Edmonds Vice Chair Susan A. Campbell, CRSP Community Impact Chair Chad Spangler

MESSAGE OF THE MISSION United Way of Roanoke Valley is founded on the belief that families want to and can break the cycle of poverty.

Operation and Finance Committee Chair Paul Droubay

UWRV is committed to providing basic necessities to those in need, helping adults find family-sustaining jobs and affordable housing, and creating nurturing environments for the positive development of our children.

Marketing and Commmunications Committee Chair Gregory Brock

Your contribution to United Way helps us support service providers in successful, cost-efficient collaborative partnerships working to facilitate transformational change in the lives of children and adults.

Resource Development Committee Chair Hans L. Carstensen III

And that means a better quality of life for all.

President & CEO Afira DeVries Directors Jeanne Armentrout Kathy Baske Young Gretchen Weinnig Beedle W. Mark Church, Ph.D. Robert Cowell John S. D’Orazio Thomas Gates Stephanie Harper, MD, MPP Cheryl W. Hartman, Ph.D. Terry Jamerson Carolyn Kiser Robert D. Nave, CPCU Kenneth Nicely, Ed.D. Melinda Payne Michael K. Quinn Angela H. Reynolds Timothy E. Smothers Elda Stanco Downey, Ph.D. King Tower

The 2018 UWRV Campaign showcases how investing in United Way helps early childhood education, financial literacy, and health initiatives.

Click here to watch the video.

CONTACT US

Roanoke Office Phone: 540.777.4200 Franklin County Office Phone: 540.483.4949 Email: info@uwrv.org www.uwrv.org Donate online here!

UWRV CEO Afira DeVries discusses the United Way’s role in eliminating generational poverty at a meeting of the Roanoke Kiwanis Club.