United Way Of Hunterdon County

TO BRING PEOPLE AND RESOURCES TOGETHER TO IMPROVE LIVES AND CONDITIONS AND TO ADVANCE THE COMMON GOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY.

APPROXIMATELY ONE IN FOUR HUNTERDON HOUSEHOLDS WALK A FINANCIAL TIGHTROPE. THESE ARE OUR ALICE NEIGHBORS - THOSE WHO ARE ASSET LIMITED INCOME CONSTRAINED AND EMPLOYED OR LIVING IN POVERTY. ACCORDING TO THE 2018 ALICE REPORT PUBLISHED BY UNITED WAY OF NORTHERN NEW JERSEY, THE AVERAGE ALICE HOUSEHOLD SURVIVAL BUDGET IN NEW JERSEY WAS 30,240 FOR A SINGLE ADULT, 33,552 FOR A SINGLE SENIOR, AND 88,224 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR. THESE HOUSEHOLDS STRUGGLE TO SAVE AND BUILD ASSETS, WHICH FURTHER WIDENS THE EXISTING WEALTH GAP. SEE SCHEDULE O

UNITED WAY PARTNERS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS ACROSS SECTORS IN ORDER TO BETTER MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS THROUGH PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT REFLECT HUNTERDON COUNTY'S UNIQUE DEMOGRAPHIC, SOCIAL, AND GEOGRAPHIC MAKEUP AND ENCOURAGE AN INFORMED, SAFE AND CARING COMMUNITY. SEE SCHEDULE O

HUNTERDON IS A HEALTHY COMMUNITY; HOWEVER, THE PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTED THE ONGOING NEED TO FOCUS ON HEALTH DISPARITIES AND THE DIFFICULTIES OF ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, ESPECIALLY WITHIN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES WHERE UWHC'S EFFORTS TO INCREASE VACCINE RATES AND ITS CONTINUED FOCUS ON FINANCIAL STABILITY, A KEY SOCIAL DETERMINANT OF GOOD HEALTH, IS ESSENTIAL. SEE SCHEDULE O

CURRENT INITIATIVES: YOUTH 4 UNITED WAY - A DISTINCTIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH HUNTERDON CENTRAL REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, THE YOUTH 4 UNITED WAY PROGRAM RAISES STUDENTS' AWARENESS OF COMMUNITY NEEDS AND DISPARITIES. THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES YOUNG PEOPLE WITH A FORUM TO DETERMINE HOW THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE FULFILLMENT OF THOSE NEEDS. THIS SERVICE-LEARNING CURRICULUM ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS REQUIRED TO CREATE AND LEAD EFFECTIVE SERVICE AND ADVOCACY PLANS. BOARD DEVELOPMENT PRIMER - UNITED WAY OF HUNTERDON COUNTY BELIEVES IN THE VALUE OF TRAINING VOLUNTEERS TO BE EFFECTIVE LEADERS. THIS IN-DEMAND PROGRAM DEFINES BOARD ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND BOUNDARIES TO BETTER PREPARE NEW BOARD MEMBERS OR REINFORCE THE GOVERNANCE AND FIDUCIARY ROLES FOR EXISTING BOARD MEMBERS. THE GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE THE RECRUITMENT, DEVELOPMENT, AND RETENTION OF COMMUNITY LEADERS ON BOARDS AND COMMITTEES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. AS WAS THE TREND FOR MOST PROGRAMMING, UWHC'S LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS WENT VIRTUAL BEGINNING IN MARCH BUT CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY AND EMPOWER TOMORROW'S LEADERS. TOOLS 4 SCHOOL BACK-TO-SCHOOL BACKPACK DRIVE THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES NECESSARY BASIC SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO ENSURE STUDENTS ARE PREPARED FOR EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS. BY THE START OF THE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR, ALL HUNTERDON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WERE BACK TO IN-PERSON LEARNING, MEANING OUR TOOLS 4 SCHOOL PROGRAM WOULD RETURN TO TRADITIONAL BACKPACK DISTRIBUTION. WE PROVIDED BACKPACKS WITH GRADE-SPECIFIC SUPPLIES TO 805 STUDENTS IN HUNTERDON COUNTY, WITH AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF 50 OF SUPPLIES PER BACKPACK. TOOLS 4 SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM LAST YEAR WITH SCHOOLS SHIFTING TO REMOTE LEARNING, THE LACK OF INTERNET SERVICES FOR SOME OF OUR FAMILIES HAD THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE SOME OF OUR STUDENTS FALL BEHIND ACADEMICALLY AND JEOPARDIZE THEIR FUTURE ACADEMIC SUCCESS. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IS EXPOSING CRITICAL SHORTCOMINGS IN OUR ECONOMY, HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION. THE TOP PRESCRIPTION FOR COMBATTING THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS - SOCIAL DISTANCING - DEMANDS WORKING FROM HOME, KEEPING CHILDREN OUT OF SCHOOL, AND LIMITING PERSON-TO-PERSON CONTACT. THESE ACTIONS, WHILE NECESSARY FOR FIGHTING THE VIRUS, PUT A SUBSTANTIAL SEGMENT OF OUR WORKING POPULATION AT SERIOUS FINANCIAL RISK AND HIGHLIGHTED THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, ESPECIALLY AMONG OUR LATINO FAMILIES. IN THE SUMMER OF 2021, WE LAUNCHED OUR TOOLS 4 SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM TO BRIDGE THE "DIGITAL DIVIDE," WHICH IS THE GAP BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS WITH ACCESS TO COMPUTERS, TOOLS, AND INTERNET CONNECTIVITY AS COMPARED TO THOSE WITH MINIMAL OR NO ACCESS. IN HUNTERDON COUNTY, WE WORK WITH MANY ADULTS WITH LIMITED COMPUTER SKILLS, AND MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NO ACCESS TO COMPUTERS. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO BRIDGE THIS DIGITAL INEQUITY GAP BY PROVIDING LOANER LAPTOPS TO OUR PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS HOSTING GROUP SKILLS CLASSES AND 1-ON-1 TRAINING. PLANS FOR THE COMING YEAR THE TOOLS 4 SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REACH A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PARENTS AND NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, HELPING THEM TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE NOT ONLY FOR THEIR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN, BUT TO ALSO ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE THEIR DIGITAL LITERACY THAT WILL HELP WITH GENERAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND EVEN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

APPROXIMATELY ONE IN FOUR HUNTERDON HOUSEHOLDS WALK A FINANCIAL TIGHTROPE. THESE ARE OUR ALICE NEIGHBORS - THOSE WHO ARE ASSET LIMITED INCOME CONSTRAINED AND EMPLOYED OR LIVING IN POVERTY. ACCORDING TO THE 2018 ALICE REPORT PUBLISHED BY UNITED WAY OF NORTHERN NEW JERSEY, THE AVERAGE ALICE HOUSEHOLD SURVIVAL BUDGET IN NEW JERSEY WAS 30,240 FOR A SINGLE ADULT, 33,552 FOR A SINGLE SENIOR, AND 88,224 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR. THESE HOUSEHOLDS STRUGGLE TO SAVE AND BUILD ASSETS, WHICH FURTHER WIDENS THE EXISTING WEALTH GAP. SEE SCHEDULE O

UNITED WAY PARTNERS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS ACROSS SECTORS IN ORDER TO BETTER MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS THROUGH PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT REFLECT HUNTERDON COUNTY'S UNIQUE DEMOGRAPHIC, SOCIAL, AND GEOGRAPHIC MAKEUP AND ENCOURAGE AN INFORMED, SAFE AND CARING COMMUNITY. SEE SCHEDULE O

HUNTERDON IS A HEALTHY COMMUNITY; HOWEVER, THE PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTED THE ONGOING NEED TO FOCUS ON HEALTH DISPARITIES AND THE DIFFICULTIES OF ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, ESPECIALLY WITHIN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES WHERE UWHC'S EFFORTS TO INCREASE VACCINE RATES AND ITS CONTINUED FOCUS ON FINANCIAL STABILITY, A KEY SOCIAL DETERMINANT OF GOOD HEALTH, IS ESSENTIAL. SEE SCHEDULE O

CURRENT INITIATIVES: YOUTH 4 UNITED WAY - A DISTINCTIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH HUNTERDON CENTRAL REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, THE YOUTH 4 UNITED WAY PROGRAM RAISES STUDENTS' AWARENESS OF COMMUNITY NEEDS AND DISPARITIES. THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES YOUNG PEOPLE WITH A FORUM TO DETERMINE HOW THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE FULFILLMENT OF THOSE NEEDS. THIS SERVICE-LEARNING CURRICULUM ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS REQUIRED TO CREATE AND LEAD EFFECTIVE SERVICE AND ADVOCACY PLANS. BOARD DEVELOPMENT PRIMER - UNITED WAY OF HUNTERDON COUNTY BELIEVES IN THE VALUE OF TRAINING VOLUNTEERS TO BE EFFECTIVE LEADERS. THIS IN-DEMAND PROGRAM DEFINES BOARD ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND BOUNDARIES TO BETTER PREPARE NEW BOARD MEMBERS OR REINFORCE THE GOVERNANCE AND FIDUCIARY ROLES FOR EXISTING BOARD MEMBERS. THE GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE THE RECRUITMENT, DEVELOPMENT, AND RETENTION OF COMMUNITY LEADERS ON BOARDS AND COMMITTEES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. AS WAS THE TREND FOR MOST PROGRAMMING, UWHC'S LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS WENT VIRTUAL BEGINNING IN MARCH BUT CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY AND EMPOWER TOMORROW'S LEADERS. TOOLS 4 SCHOOL BACK-TO-SCHOOL BACKPACK DRIVE THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES NECESSARY BASIC SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO ENSURE STUDENTS ARE PREPARED FOR EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS. BY THE START OF THE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR, ALL HUNTERDON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WERE BACK TO IN-PERSON LEARNING, MEANING OUR TOOLS 4 SCHOOL PROGRAM WOULD RETURN TO TRADITIONAL BACKPACK DISTRIBUTION. WE PROVIDED BACKPACKS WITH GRADE-SPECIFIC SUPPLIES TO 805 STUDENTS IN HUNTERDON COUNTY, WITH AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF 50 OF SUPPLIES PER BACKPACK. TOOLS 4 SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM LAST YEAR WITH SCHOOLS SHIFTING TO REMOTE LEARNING, THE LACK OF INTERNET SERVICES FOR SOME OF OUR FAMILIES HAD THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE SOME OF OUR STUDENTS FALL BEHIND ACADEMICALLY AND JEOPARDIZE THEIR FUTURE ACADEMIC SUCCESS. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IS EXPOSING CRITICAL SHORTCOMINGS IN OUR ECONOMY, HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION. THE TOP PRESCRIPTION FOR COMBATTING THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS - SOCIAL DISTANCING - DEMANDS WORKING FROM HOME, KEEPING CHILDREN OUT OF SCHOOL, AND LIMITING PERSON-TO-PERSON CONTACT. THESE ACTIONS, WHILE NECESSARY FOR FIGHTING THE VIRUS, PUT A SUBSTANTIAL SEGMENT OF OUR WORKING POPULATION AT SERIOUS FINANCIAL RISK AND HIGHLIGHTED THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, ESPECIALLY AMONG OUR LATINO FAMILIES. IN THE SUMMER OF 2021, WE LAUNCHED OUR TOOLS 4 SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM TO BRIDGE THE "DIGITAL DIVIDE," WHICH IS THE GAP BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS WITH ACCESS TO COMPUTERS, TOOLS, AND INTERNET CONNECTIVITY AS COMPARED TO THOSE WITH MINIMAL OR NO ACCESS. IN HUNTERDON COUNTY, WE WORK WITH MANY ADULTS WITH LIMITED COMPUTER SKILLS, AND MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NO ACCESS TO COMPUTERS. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO BRIDGE THIS DIGITAL INEQUITY GAP BY PROVIDING LOANER LAPTOPS TO OUR PARTICIPANTS, AS WELL AS HOSTING GROUP SKILLS CLASSES AND 1-ON-1 TRAINING. PLANS FOR THE COMING YEAR THE TOOLS 4 SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REACH A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PARENTS AND NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, HELPING THEM TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE NOT ONLY FOR THEIR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN, BUT TO ALSO ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE THEIR DIGITAL LITERACY THAT WILL HELP WITH GENERAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND EVEN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.