United Way Of Westchester And Putnam Inc

TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE COMMUNITY BY ADVANCING EDUCATION, FINANCIAL STABILITY, AND HEALTH.

WHILE FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WERE DEALING WITH THE ECONOMIC AFTERMATH OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND WERE RECOVERING FROM HURRICANE IDA IN THE 2021-22 FISCAL YEAR, UNITED WAY CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSEHOLDS IN WESTCHESTER AND PUTNAM. WE ADMINISTRATED $1,822,050 IN GRANTS TO NONPROFITS, DISTRIBUTED $5,972,280 MILLION WORTH OF ESSENTIAL GOODS FOR BASIC NEEDS, AND HANDLED OVER 580,000 INTERACTIONS BY OUR 211 HELPLINE CALL SPECIALISTS. OUR GRANT MAKING EFFORTS DURING THE 21-22 FISCAL YEAR TOTALED $1,822,050. THROUGH THE DISASTER RECOVERY FUND, COMMUNITY IMPACT, AND EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER GRANTS, WE SUPPORTED THE WORK OF 60 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN WESTCHESTER AND PUTNAM THAT COLLECTIVELY HELPED 58,045 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO WERE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED WITH THE ECONOMIC AFTERMATH OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND WERE RECOVERING FROM HURRICANE IDA.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 DISASTER RECOVERY 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 $5,972,280 WORTH OF GOODS, INCLUDING FOOD, MEALS, BEDDING, CLOTHING, DIAPERS, HYGIENE PRODUCTS, BOOKS, AND CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES THROUGH 194 AGENCIES TO 128,286 HOUSEHOLDS DURING THE 21-22 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 21-22 FISCAL YEAR, UNITED WAY'S 2-1-1 HELPLINE WAS A VITAL RESOURCE FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. UNITED WAY'S 2-1-1 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. THE HELPLINE WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED TO HELP RESIDENTS APPLY FOR NEW YORK STATE'S EXCLUDED WORKERS FUND. ADDITIONALLY, WITH THE HELP OF UNITED WAY STAFF, THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDED CASE MANAGEMENT FOR TENANTS APPLYING FOR THE NEW YORK STATE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. UNITED WAY'S 2-1-1 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. 2-1-1 IS A FREE, CONFIDENTIAL, MULTILINGUAL, AND COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICE THAT CONNECTS PEOPLE TO ESSENTIAL HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK ONLINE AND OVER THE PHONE. TRAINED CALL SPECIALISTS ARE AVAILABLE TO MANAGE CONTACTS THROUGH THE UW'S 2-1-1 AND CAN ASSIST CALLERS IN 200+ LANGUAGES (THROUGH TRANSPERFECT) AS WELL AS THE HEARING-IMPAIRED. UNITED WAY'S 2-1-1 HELPLINE IS AN AIRS (ALLIANCE OF INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SYSTEMS) ACCREDITED CALL CENTER. AIRS IS THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR OVER 1,200 COMMUNITY INFORMATION AND REFERRAL (I &R) PROVIDERS. THE 2-1-1 HELPLINE MAINTAINS A RESOURCE DATABASE COMPRISED OF 3,360 AGENCIES AND 20,218 SERVICES THAT ARE UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.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 279,000 INTERACTIONS DURING 2021 FROM TWELVE COUNTIES IN NEW YORK STATE. IT HANDLED OVER 13,000 TAX RELATED CALLS WHICH RESULTED IN REFUNDS AND CREDITS OF OVER $13.7 MILLION TO RESIDENTS OF FOUR COUNTIES IN THE HUDSON VALLEY. 2-1-1 HUDSON VALLEY REGION AND 2-1-1 LONG ISLAND REGION OPERATE AS PROGRAMS OF THE UNITED WAY AND ARE UNDERWRITTEN BY LOCAL UNITED WAYS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND CORPORATE FOUNDATIONS. 2-1-1 HUDSON VALLEY AND 2-1-1 LONG ISLAND ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED RELATIONSHIPS WITH KEY LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS TO EXPAND THE USE OF 2-1-1 IN ADDRESSING CRITICAL HUMAN SERVICE AND CRISIS NEEDS. IT PARTNERED WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO ADDRESS COVID, FOOD INSECURITY, EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ERAP), THE EXCLUDED WORKER FUND PROGRAM (EWF), AND THE CTC (ADVANCE CHILD TAX CREDIT) INITIATIVE.UNITED WAY RUNS THE 2-1-1 HELPLINE FOR THE HUDSON VALLEY REGION, WHICH INCLUDES DUTCHESS, ORANGE, PUTNAM, ROCKLAND, SULLIVAN, ULSTER, AND WESTCHESTER COUNTIES. IT ALSO RUNS THE 2-1-1 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 2-1-1 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.

UNITED WAY'S RIDE UNITED PROGRAM HELPS RESIDENTS OVERCOME TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS THAT LIMIT THE ACCESSIBILITY OF ESSENTIAL RESOURCES SUCH AS FOOD AND THE MEANS OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THROUGH THE RIDE UNITED PROGRAM, UNITED WAY PROVIDES DELIVERY SERVICES, THROUGH THE USE OF DOORDASH, TO HOMEBOUND SENIORS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AS WELL AS ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES. THE PROGRAM ALSO OFFERS FREE LYFT RIDES TO RESIDENTS WITHOUT ACCESS TO A VEHICLE OR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. THESE RIDES CAN BE USED FOR NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, JOB INTERVIEWS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING, COURT APPEARANCES, AND OTHER HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE-RELATED MEETINGS.DURING THE 21-22 FISCAL YEAR, UNITED WAY TEAMED UP WITH 25 PARTNERING AGENCIES, SUCH AS FEEDING WESTCHESTER, TO PROVIDE 37,000 DELIVERIES OF FOOD AND OTHER ESSENTIAL GOODS LIKE CLOTHING TO MORE THAN 2500 HOUSEHOLDS IN WESTCHESTER AND PUTNAM COUNTIES. THE PROGRAM ALSO PARTNERED WITH 65 AGENCIES TO OFFER OVER 1,300 LYFT RIDES TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD NOT OTHERWISE HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES SUCH AS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OR LEGAL SERVICES. THE PROGRAM ALSO HELPS PREVIOUSLY UNEMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS WITH RIDES TO A NEW JOB FOR THE FIRST THREE WEEKS, SO THEY CAN EARN ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR THEIR ONGOING TRANSPORTATION.