United Way Of Westchester And Putnam Inc

UNITED WAY OF WESTCHESTER AND PUTNAM WORKS TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE COMMUNITY BY ADVANCING EDUCATION, FINANCIAL STABILITY, AND HEALTH INITIATIVES.

AS FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS CONTINUED TO RECOVER FROM INFLATION BROUGHT ON BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGES, UNITED WAY CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSEHOLDS IN WESTCHESTER AND PUTNAM. WE ADMINISTRATED $6,538,622 IN GRANTS AND GOODS IN THE 2022-23 FISCAL YEAR.OUR GRANT MAKING EFFORTS DURING THE 22-23 FISCAL YEAR TOTALED $464,601. THROUGH THE CAPACITY BUILDING, COMMUNITY IMPACT, AND EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER GRANTS, WE SUPPORTED THE WORK OF 30 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN WESTCHESTER AND PUTNAM THAT COLLECTIVELY HELPED 29,023 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO WERE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED WITH THE ECONOMIC AFTERMATH OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGES, AND INFLATION.THE EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER PROGRAM IN WESTCHESTER AND PUTNAM IS PART OF THE FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM THAT IS MANAGED BY UNITED WAY WORLDWIDE. A LOCAL EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER BOARD FOR EACH COUNTY, INVOLVING REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINE ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING LOCAL UNITED WAYS AND OTHER PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, ALLOCATE FUNDS FROM THE TOTAL COUNTY-WIDE ALLOCATION -- BASED ON SEVERAL NEEDS-ORIENTED FACTORS INCLUDING EQUITY TO MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS -- TO LOCAL 501(C)(3) AGENCIES REQUESTING EMERGENCY FUNDS TO EXPAND THEIR CAPACITY TO SERVE THE NEWLY HUNGRY AND HOMELESS. THE CAPACITY BUILDING AND COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANTS WERE FUNDED BY MONIES RAISED BY UWWP AND THE ALLOCATIONS WERE DETERMINED BY ITS IMPACT COMMITTEE MADE UP OF VOLUNTEER BOARD MEMBERS.UWWP'S ESSENTIAL GOODS FOR BASIC NEEDS PROGRAM, FORMERLY KNOWN AS ITS GIFTS-IN-KIND PROGRAM, DISTRIBUTED $5,466,258 WORTH OF GOODS, INCLUDING FOOD, MEALS, BEDDING, CLOTHING, DIAPERS, HYGIENE PRODUCTS, BOOKS, AND CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES THROUGH 194 AGENCIES TO 109,325 HOUSEHOLDS DURING THE 22-23 FISCAL YEAR. THE GOODS FROM THE ESSENTIAL GOODS PROGRAM ARE EITHER DONATED FROM OUR RETAIL PARTNERS OR ARE ACQUIRED BY UNITED WAY AT BELOW MARKET PRICE.

DURING THE 22-23 FISCAL YEAR, UNITED WAY'S 211 HELPLINE WAS A VITAL RESOURCE FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. UNITED WAY'S 211 HELPLINE AND ONLINE REFERRAL DATABASE OFFERS FREE INFORMATION, REFERRAL, ASSESSMENT, AND CRISIS SUPPORT TO HELP PEOPLE ACCESS THE EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND HUMAN SERVICES THEY NEED TO ADDRESS EVERYDAY CHALLENGES. UW'S 211 HAS ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE REFERRALS AND RESOURCES TO RESIDENTS. THESE RELATIONSHIPS HAVE BEEN VITAL TO SOLVING VERY COMPLICATED SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS.211 IS A CONFIDENTIAL, MULTILINGUAL, AND COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE WITH A DATABASE OF MORE THAN 25,000 SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. TRAINED CALL SPECIALISTS ARE AVAILABLE 24/7, 365 DAYS A WEEK THROUGH THE UW'S 211 AND CAN ASSIST CALLERS IN 200+ LANGUAGES (THROUGH TRANSPERFECT) AS WELL AS THE HEARING-IMPAIRED. UNITED WAY'S 211 HELPLINE IS AN AIRS (ALLIANCE OF INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SYSTEMS) CALL CENTER, AND THE 211 HELPLINE MAINTAINS A RESOURCE DATABASE COMPRISED OF 3,360 AGENCIES AND 20,218 SERVICES. THIS DATABASE IS ORGANIZED ACCORDING TO THE AIRS PROBLEMS AND NEEDS CATEGORIES AND INCLUDES RESOURCE LISTINGS FOR SERVICES THAT RANGE FROM CHILDCARE TO FOOD PANTRIES; SHELTERS TO SPECIALIZED SERVICES FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES; AND MENTAL HEALTH TO TRANSPORTATION. THE DATABASE IS ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.211HUDSONVALLEY.ORG AND SINCE 2019, TEXTING CAPABILITIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM 9 A.M. TO 5 P.M., MONDAY FRIDAY. TEXTING OFFERS OPTIONS FOR THOSE LESS LIKELY TO WANT TO MAKE A PHONE CALL AND IS PARTICULARLY HELPFUL IN SENDING OUTGOING MESSAGES TO CONFIRM TAX APPOINTMENTS; PROVIDE COVID-19 VACCINATION INFORMATION; REGISTER INDIVIDUALS FOR MEAL DELIVERY PROGRAMS; AND SO MUCH MORE. THE CALL CENTER, RUN BY UNITED WAY AND LOCATED IN WHITE PLAINS, NY, MANAGED OVER 580,000 INTERACTIONS DURING 2022 FROM TWELVE COUNTIES IN NEW YORK STATE IN WHICH OVER 16,000 CALLS WERE TAX RELATED. 211 HUDSON VALLEY REGION AND 211 LONG ISLAND REGION WHICH RESULTED IN REFUNDS AND CREDITS OF OVER $16.7 MILLION TO RESIDENTS OF FOUR COUNTIES IN THE HUDSON VALLEY. 211 HUDSON VALLEY REGION AND 211 LONG ISLAND REGION OPERATE AS PROGRAMS OF THE UNITED WAY AND ARE UNDERWRITTEN BY LOCAL UNITED WAYS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND CORPORATE FOUNDATIONS. 211 HUDSON VALLEY AND 211 LONG ISLAND ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED RELATIONSHIPS WITH KEY LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS TO EXPAND THE USE OF 211 IN ADDRESSING CRITICAL HUMAN SERVICE AND CRISIS NEEDS.UNITED WAY RUNS THE 211 HELPLINE FOR THE HUDSON VALLEY REGION, WHICH INCLUDES DUTCHESS, ORANGE, PUTNAM, ROCKLAND, SULLIVAN, ULSTER, AND WESTCHESTER COUNTIES. IT ALSO RUNS THE 211 HELPLINE FOR THE LONG ISLAND REGION, WHICH INCLUDES NASSAU AND SUFFOLK COUNTIES. IN ADDITION, UNITED WAY CONTRACTED WITH THE UNITED WAY'S IN THE ADIRONDACK REGION TO PROVIDE CALL CENTER SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF THEIR 211 EFFORTS.FUNDING SOURCES FOR 2-1-1 INCLUDE CONTRACTS & FEES FOR SERVICES FROM THE UNITED WAYS LOCATED IN THE HUDSON VALLEY (INCLUDING UWWP) AND GRANTS/CONTRACTS WITH LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.

UWWP LAUNCHED THE EDUCATION UNITED AFTER-SCHOOL ACADEMIC AND ENRICHMENT PROGRAM DURING THE 2022-23 FISCAL YEAR AT BROOKSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN OSSINING. THE INCLUSIVE PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE CHILDREN WITH A SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT TO LEARN, GROW, AND HAVE FUN AFTER SCHOOL HOURS. THE FREE PROGRAM OFFERS A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, INCLUDING HOMEWORK HELP, ARTS AND CRAFTS, FITNESS AND WELLNESS ACTIVITIES, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES, STEM ACTIVITIES, AND MORE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. THERE IS ALSO A RANGE OF SERVICES FOR PARENTS OF THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING FREE LYFT TRANSPORTATION, WORK READINESS AND CAREER AWARENESS, AND ACCESS TO UNITED WAY'S ESSENTIAL GOODS DISTRIBUTION. IN ADDITION, PARENTS DO NOT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT AFTER-SCHOOL CARE OR SNACKS WHILE THEIR CHILDREN ARE IN THE PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS TO REDUCE THOSE COSTS FOR FAMILIES. IT IS FUNDED THROUGH THE 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS PROGRAM, WHICH AWARDED UWWP A 5-YEAR GRANT, TO CREATE, IMPLEMENT, AND SUSTAIN THE PROGRAM.EDUCATION UNITED'S MAIN GOALS, MEASURED BY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, ARE TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND PROGRAMMING THAT IMPROVE BOTH ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS, SUPPORT THE FAMILIES OF THESE STUDENTS, AND FOSTER INCREASED COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AMONG KEY STAKEHOLDERS. AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATION FOUND THAT DURING THE 22-23 SCHOOL YEAR, THE PROGRAM HAD THE CONSISTENT ATTENDANCE OF 169 STUDENTS, WITH 95% ACCRUING 15+ HOURS OF ATTENDANCE. ADDITIONALLY, THOSE STUDENTS HAD A 60% INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE FROM 2022-2023, WHICH RESULTED IN A 12% DECREASE IN CHRONICALLY ABSENT STUDENTS FROM 2022-23. FINALLY, THE SCHOOL TEACHERS RECOGNIZED A 50% INCREASE IN CLASSROOM ENGAGEMENT AMONG THE EDUCATION UNITED PROGRAM STUDENTS FROM 2022-2023. THE EVALUATION ALSO FOUND A HIGH LEVEL OF PARENT SATISFACTION WITH PROGRAM SERVICES AND OPERATIONS.