UNITED WAY OF GREENVILLE COUNTY INC

THE VISION OF UNITED WAY OF GREENVILLE COUNTY IS TO SEE GREENVILLE COUNTY BECOME A PLACE WHERE ALL PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE OPPORTUNITIES TO ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING HOW THE UNITED WAY OF GREENVILLE COUNTY WORKED TOWARD THIS VISION IN 2024. UNITED WAY OF GREENVILLE COUNTY MOBILIZES PEOPLE AND RESOURCES TO IMPROVE LIVES, STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY AND ADVANCE EQUITY FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL. AS A FUNDER, PARTNER, AND CONVENER, WE WORK WITH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO BRING TOGETHER RESOURCES, FOCUS INVESTMENTS, AND FOSTER PARTNERSHIPS THAT CREATE LASTING SOLUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS. AMERICORPS:UNITED WAY ADMINISTERS THE AMERICORPS UPSTATE NATIONAL SERVICE PROGRAM, COLLABORATING WITH 3 PARTNER SITES ACROSS GREENVILLE COUNTY. DURING THE 2024-25 TERM, THE 9 MEMBER TEAM SERVED 7049 TOTAL HOURS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. 195 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED WITH RESOURCE NAVIGATION, GOAL SETTING, AND COACHING. THE TEAM ALSO ASSISTED WITH 10% OF ALL VITA RETURNS, EQUALLING 1,064 TAX RETURNS AND $266,000 SAVED IN FILING FEES.ONTRACK GREENVILLE:UNITED WAY'S INNOVATIVE GRADUATION INITIATIVE, ONTRACK GREENVILLE, REACHES MORE THAN 5,000 GREENVILLE COUNTY STUDENTS AT FIVE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. THE EARLY WARNING AND RESPONSE SYSTEM COMPONENT, WHICH IDENTIFIES STUDENTS WHO ARE FLAGGED FOR ATTENDANCE ISSUES, BEHAVIOR ISSUES AND POOR COURSE PERFORMANCE, HAS BEEN SCALED DISTRICTWIDE TO 77,000 STUDENTS IN GREENVILLE COUNTY.SCHOLARSHIPS:UNITED WAY WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP JOBS TO CAREERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM CONTINUES TO HELP GREENVILLE COUNTY WOMEN IMPROVE THEIR FINANCIAL STABILITY BY TRANSITIONING FROM PAYCHECK-TO-PAYCHECK JOBS TO MORE STABLE, LONGTERM CAREERS. THE PROGRAM HAS GRADUATED 45 WOMEN IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. UNITED WAY OF GREENVILLE COUNTY'S AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP (AAL) IS AWARDING EIGHT (8) $5,000 SCHOLARSHIPS TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. RECIPIENTS WILL ALSO HAVE THE OPTION TO BE PAIRED WITH A MENTOR FROM AAL TO HELP SUPPORT THEIR POST-SECONDARY ASPIRATIONS.GREENVILLE DREAMS:LED BY UNITED WAY OF GREENVILLE COUNTY, INC., GREENVILLE DREAMS SERVES TO EDUCATE AND DEPLOY NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS FROM SPECIAL EMPHASIS NEIGHBORHOODS IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. THE INITIATIVE SERVES TO CONNECT NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP IN SPECIAL EMPHASIS NEIGHBORHOODS TO RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT THE ENHANCEMENT OF THEIR FINANCIAL, SOCIAL, AND HUMAN CAPITAL.2-1-1:2-1-1 IS AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY RESOURCE LINE THAT IMPROVES ACCESS TO UNITED WAY OF GREENVILLE COUNTY, INC. RESOURCES FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. 2-1-1 IS A CONVENIENT, EASY-TO-REMEMBER NUMBER THAT LINKS PEOPLE WITH IMPORTANT COMMUNITY SERVICES IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH THROUGH TEXT MESSAGING, IN ADDITION TO CALLING 2-1-1 OR VISITING THE WEBSITE AT SC211.ORG IN 2024, THIS UNIQUE HOTLINE MADE MORE THAN 42,296 REFERRALS FOR CALLERS IN SEARCH OF ASSISTANCE WITH FOOD, UTILITIES, HOUSING, DISASTER RESOURCES RELATED TO HURRICANE HELENE, AND MORE.VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT:EACH YEAR, UNITED WAY VOLUNTEERS ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND DONATE THEIR TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OTHERS. WHETHER IT'S THE UPSTATE'S LARGEST SINGLE DAY OF SERVICE OR ANY OF THE THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS NEEDS WE HELP MEET ALL YEAR LONG AT HTTPS://VOLUNTEER.UNITEDWAYGC.ORG, UNITED WAY VOLUNTEERS ARE CHANGING LIVES AND CREATING A STRONGER COMMUNITY FOR ALL OF US. WE ALSO DEVELOP AND LEAD SPECIAL VOLUNTEER PROJECTS FOR OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS.VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE:FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, THE VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE, OR VITA, HAS BEEN ONE OF UNITED WAY OF GREENVILLE COUNTY'S MOST SUCCESSFUL FINANCIAL STABILITY INITIATIVES. IN 2024, 9,853 RETURNS WERE FILED IN PERSON AND ONLINE, SAVING $2 MILLION IN TAX PREP FEES FOR UNITED WAY OF GREENVILLE COUNTY, INC. UPSTATE TAXPAYERS. IN ADDITION, UPSTATE TAXPAYERS RECEIVED $11.5 MILLION IN FEDERAL AND STATE TAX REFUNDS.OPPORTUNITY CENTER:THE OPPORTUNITY CENTER IS UNITED WAY OF GREENVILLE COUNTY'S RESOURCE HUB, CONNECTING OUR NEIGHBORS WITH LOCAL PARTNERS WHO CAN PROVIDE FINANCIAL COUNSELING, ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE LOANS, MATCHED SAVINGS PROGRAMS FOR ASSET BUILDING AND INCOME SUPPORT. IT IS ALSO THE HOME OF UNITED WAY'S VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) PROGRAM, WHICH OFFERS FREE INCOME TAX FILING FOR THOSE WITH A HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF $60,000 OR LESS.RACIAL EQUITY AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY (REEM):RACIAL EQUITY AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY (REEM) GREENVILLE DEVELOPS STRATEGIES AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT ERADICATE RACE-BASED DISPARITIES AND INEQUITIES IN EDUCATION, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND INCOME AND WEALTH WITHIN BLACK COMMUNITIES IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. SYSTEMS CHANGE AND INNOVATION:THE SYSTEMS CHANGE AND INNOVATION DEPARTMENT DRIVES EFFORTS IN NARRATIVE CHANGE TO RESHAPE PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND DISCOURSE ON POVERTY. IT LEADS POLICY AND ADVOCACY INITIATIVES, WORKING TO INFLUENCE LEGISLATION AND FOSTER SYSTEMIC TRANSFORMATIONS THAT ADVANCE OUR MISSION.