When 60-year-old Abraham was first released from prison after serving a six-year sentence, he was homeless and had no family or local support system. He was able to find food and resources for safe housing from a United Way funded partner. Abraham received training where he discovered his artistic talent in creating mosaic patterned floor tiles. Until now, he had never been asked what he wanted to do in life or to consider what he was good at. Now Abraham has a job that he loves, with union benefits, and is no longer homeless. He gives back to his neighborhood and recently helped create a Community Garden. Abraham is grateful to have been given a second chance.

In addition to the stress of remote schooling and social isolation, Caleb was facing limited parental support, cramped living conditions, lack of technology access and pressure at home to help with his younger siblings. Caleb felt angry and out of control. Luckily, he found a lifeline in a United Way funded summer program that provided a supportive group of mentors and peers. Caleb received technology lessons, healthy food to take home to his family, and time outside to engage in healthy physical activity. In addition, Caleb received a stipend for participating in the program that helped support his family during this tough time. The best part was that Caleb no longer felt alone; he was interacting with other young people with similar struggles. Participating in this program improved Caleb’s physical and mental health and helped him develop a sense of pride in himself and connection to his community.

Ella is a local senior who had been living in her car since the bitterly cold January winter before the COVID-19 pandemic began...but it wasn't until the warmth of August that she walked into a United Way funded partner’s office. She felt helpless and didn’t know what to do anymore - she didn’t even have gas money for her car. Thanks to United Way’s support, Ella was helped with applications for affordable, subsidized housing and other life-enhancing programs. To enable Ella to drive, she was provided with gas cards. Now she lives in senior subsidized housing and receives supplemental benefits for food and housing and has her own gas money. Ella shared with us that she finally feels a sense of security for the first time in years.

A single mom with two small children, Jillian had been out of work due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Without an income, she was falling behind on bills. Regardless, she needed to move from a housing situation that was unsafe and caused her youngest to have chronic and severe asthma attacks. Emergency room and doctor's visits were pushing her already thin financial margins beyond capacity. Thanks to the help of a United Way funded partner, Jillian found permanent, safe, and affordable housing for her family...but money was still tight. She could not afford the entire security deposit. United Way’s Crisis Fund was able to pay the remainder of the security deposit, so Jillian and her boys could move into their new home. 

This Mother's Day Annika is celebrating, but last year was a different story. We met her when she and her 13-month-old daughter were placed at a hotel through DSS, after living in her car fleeing domestic abuse. While Annika finally had safe shelter, she didn't have diapers, clothing or any necessary hygiene items to care for her daughter, Daisy. United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region was able to provide Annika with all these basic necessities for Daisy's care. Now, Annika is employed full-time and has just moved into her own apartment with Daisy after staying with a friend for several months. She let us know what a difference it made to receive this help and wants to pay it forward to help another struggling parent. Join Annika and support our Diaper Drive: www.uwdor.org/diaperdrive