Jill Chenoweth, President & CEO, United Way of Southwest AL
Deborah Curry, Program Manager for The Basics Southwest Alabama
United Way of Southwest Alabama fights for the health, education, financial stability, and access to life’s basic essentials for every person in every community we serve
Essentials:
Food, Shelter, Emergency Financial Assistance, Disaster Relief & Recovery
40,493 meals were served in 2019 to clients receiving shelter in Mobile and Washington counties (McKemie Place & Penelope House, Inc.)
More than 3.9 million pounds of food was distributed in 2019 in Clarke, Mobile, and Washington counties, equating to approximately 3,284,830 meals with a wholesale value of more than $5 million (Feeding the Gulf Coast)
265 clients in Clarke County were provided financial help with electricity, water, and gas in 2019 at a cost of $14,725.37 (Catholic Social Services)
81% of clients were able to maintain stable housing for at least nine months (Housing First, Inc.)
ESSENTIALS COLLABORATIONS
Emergency Food & Shelter Program
This program was created by Congress to help meet the needs of hungry and homeless people throughout the United States and its territories by allocating federal funds for the provision of food, shelter, and emergency assistance. In our service area, UWSWA serves as its fiscal manager and the program is governed by a local board. The most recent funding cycle through Phase 37 brought a total of $144,171 in Mobile County and $6,395 in Washington County. Through the additional help from the CARES Act (COVID-19), Mobile county received $205,547 and Washington County received $9,117.
United Way 2-1-1
Since its creation in 2007, United Way 2-1-1 has been the nation’s premier referral resource for people who are seeking health and human services information. Locally, through a UWSWA partnership with Lifelines Counseling Services, trained and caring call specialists provide direct access to free and confidential referrals to community services for individuals seeking assistance. In 2019, United Way 2-1-1 continued to serve our communities by answering 12,420 calls and providing 9,416 referrals, along with 1,300 follow-up calls
Health: More than 3,000 members participated in comprehensive social recreation activities and physical activities that promote health and well-being in 2019 (Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama)
More than $32 million in medications were ordered and dispensed to patients at little or no cost in 2019 through the Patient Assistance Program (Victory Health Partners)
Over 14,000 meals were distributed to low-income seniors, both homebound and on-site, in 2019 (Dumas Wesley)
2,186 counseling sessions were provided to 382 new child abuse victims and ongoing counseling throughout 2019 (The Child Advocacy Center)
Attendance Collaborations
Each year, United Way of Southwest Alabama, Mobile County Public School System, and Mobile County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood join a nationwide effort to celebrate Attendance Awareness Month in September and pledge to raise awareness about the value of regular school attendance and focus on reducing absenteeism in the new school year. Within MCPSS, 3.1% of students, or more than 2,500 students, were chronically absent during the 2013-2014 school year, according to the latest data from Alabama School Connection.
To help promote good attendance, UWSWA and Commissioner Ludgood distribute more than 30,000 flyers with tips for developing good attendance habits to families at every MCPSS elementary school and host Attendance Celebrations to applaud outstanding attendance at Mobile County public elementary schools.
We also discuss:
· What is The Basics?
· Why The Basics?
· What are The Basics Principles?
Stay Connected:
· Facebook: @UnitedWayofSouthwestAlabama
· Twitter: @uwswa
· Instagram: @uwswa
· Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/2802816
· You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/U