We received a call from Mary Lou, the mother of 3-year-old Emma and 5-year-old Dustin. Mary Lou called desperate for help to purchase clothes and hygiene items for her kids. She had been very sick with COVID-19 and was hospitalized for over a month. Due to her illness, Mary Lou lost her job and without her income the family was having trouble making ends meet. And Emma and Dustin were growing quickly! United Way was able to provide diapers, wipes, sneakers, clothing, other hygiene items and toys for the children. Mary Lou now is feeling 90% better and is back to work. She said the essential items we provided helped them "get through their roughest days – we are so grateful to United Way."

Franco came to live in a rural town in 2011, at the urging of his cousin who lived there and told him about its wonderful community. Franco lives alone in a senior living community and has dialysis three times a week. He thought he would receive services and support for his health, but when he arrived, Franco discovered he wasn't eligible for medical transport. He had to spend most of his monthly income on transportation to and from dialysis that was 45 minutes from his home. Then he discovered a local United Way funded partner that was able to provide a few rides every week for him, even during the pandemic. Franco says that the ride service: “Gets me where I need to go. The rides are so helpful and the drivers are so great. I really wouldn’t know what I would do without the service.”

Nine-year-old Joshua participates in a United Way funded partner’s literacy program. Joshua has a stutter and struggles to feel comfortable reading out loud and speaking in a group setting. This spring, he was able to participate in an acting program, designed to build confidence in public speaking. By the end of the program, Joshua had written his own part, memorized his lines, and acted in a video production. He did not stutter at all during his performance and has gained a tremendous amount of confidence through this process.

Alicia attended a mental health presentation given by a United Way funded partner. It really helped her understand herself better, she explained. “Since I saw the presentation and reached out for help I have been seeing a therapist and was recently diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I now have the tools to talk about my illness. I feel comfortable telling people about it without being worried they will judge me. It definitely helped hearing someone else talk about their story and how they got through everything. The presentation helped turn my life around.” Alicia is just one of an entire class of high school seniors who were helped by the presentation, given the influx of stress they were experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eric experienced several bouts of homelessness before moving into a transitional housing program and enrolling in a treatment program for substance abuse. He recently was able to move into an apartment while continuing the treatment program. With help from the program, Eric has been able to avoid a recurrence of homelessness; maintain sobriety through regular participation in mental health and substance abuse services; and sustain his housing. He looks forward to returning to work as a licensed electrician and is motivated by the supportive staff at the treatment program. His future looks bright.

Jennifer was struggling financially and emotionally since she left her abusive husband. Due to COVID-19, the Family Court Support Unit backlog severely delayed any intervention for required child support payments and Jennifer was responsible for raising four children on her own. To pay her bills, she started her own business, preparing meals for friends and family. Despite her hard work and long hours, Jennifer’s home business didn’t cover all her expenses. In desperation, Jennifer called 211, the 24/7/365 free, confidential helpline. She was referred to a United Way funded partner that provided help to pay her overdue bills and a grant to purchase needed cooking supplies to keep her business going. With this help, Jennifer was able to remain independent, financially stable, gain confidence in herself, and keep her children safe from her abuser.