Inland Southern California United Way

INLAND SOCAL UNITED WAY ("ISCUW"), FORMERLY KNOWN AS UNITED WAY OF THE INLAND VALLEYS, WAS ORGANIZED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AS A NONPROFIT PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION IN RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, IN 1931. ISCUW WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL LEADERS, BUSINESSES, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS TO UNITE PEOPLE, IDEAS, AND RESOURCES TO IMPROVE LIVES. ISCUW FIGHTS FOR EDUCATION, FINANCIAL STABILITY, AND HOUSING FOR EVERY PERSON IN OUR WESTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY. THIS MISSION IS ACCOMPLISHED BY ADMINISTERING LOCAL PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THROUGH FUNDS RAISED IN THE COMMUNITY-WIDE CAMPAIGN. ADDITIONALLY, ISCUW FACILITATES AND DISTRIBUTES FUNDS TO LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS BASED ON LOCAL NEEDS IDENTIFIED BY VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ISCUW'S ACTIVITIES ARE CARRIED OUT THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF APPROXIMATELY 2,500 VOLUNTEERS EACH YEAR, INCLUDING COMPANY CAMPAIGN COORDINATORS AND DONORS WHO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO HELP MAKE FUNDING DECISION.

DISASTER RELIEF:INLAND SOCAL UNITED WAY PARTNERED WITH THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO, CITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF MORENO VALLEY TO ADMINISTER THEIR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS (ERA). THE ERA PROGRAMS PROVIDED EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR UP TO 12 MONTHS OF PAST DUE RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE FOR LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS AFFECTED FINANCIALLY BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. FUNDING PROVIDED ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND FUNDING TO DISBURSE PAYMENTS TO LANDLORDS ON BEHALF OF APPLICANTS WHO QUALIFIED FOR ASSISTANCE. GUIDELINES FOR QUALIFICATION WERE SET BY THE US DEPT OF TREASURY, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND THE GRANTOR AGENCIES MENTIONED ABOVE.

EDUCATION: GEMSTHE GIRLS EXCELLING IN MATHEMATICS WITH SUCCESS PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO ASSIST 7TH GRADE GIRLS IN IMPROVING CONTENT KNOWLEDGE IN MATHEMATICS AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DEVELOP A PASSION FOR COURSEWORK IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM). THE LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE COLLEGE INTEREST AND INCLUSION WITH A VISION OF MORE YOUNG WOMEN PARTICIPATING IN COLLEGE STEM-RELATED ACTIVITIES. THIS ALSO CREATES OPPORTUNITIES IN DIFFERENT WORKFORCE RELATED AREAS OF STUDY. THE GEMS PROGRAM SERVES ALL OF WESTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY. THE PROGRAM REACHED 750 GIRLS. THE EARLY GRADE READING PROGRAM TARGETS ELEMENTARY-AGED CHILDREN WHO NEED ASSISTANCE IN DEVELOPING LITERACY AND READING SKILLS. USING THE LEXIA PRO SOFTWARE SYSTEM, BARRIERS AND DISABILITIES THAT IMPACT A CHILD'S CURRENT READING LEVEL ARE IDENTIFIED AT AN EARLY AGE. THE PROGRAM EMPOWERS CHILDREN TO INCREASE CORE COMPETENCIES OF LITERACY, VOCABULARY, COMPREHENSION, AND ULTIMATELY ADVANCE READING GRADE LEVELS.HOUSING & HEALTH:THE HOUSING PROGRAM IS AN EMERGENCY HOSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR WORKERS DISPLACED BY A TEMPORARY EMERGENCY. CLIENTS ARE ABLE TO APPLY FOR FIRST-MONTH'S RENT AND DEPOSITS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, AS LONG AS THEY ARE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE PAYING FOR HOUSING. THIS PROGRAM IS NOT MEANT TO SERVE THE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS POPULATION, BUT RATHER TO ASSIST THOSE IN A TEMPORARY CRISISSITUATION. ADDITIONALLY, UWIV SEEKS TO EXPAND THE FIT PROGRAMS INITIATIVE TO INCLUDE JOB COACHING/MENTORING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF THE SAVINGS PRACTICUM. PARTNERING WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THIS INITIATIVE SEEKS TO EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH JOB CREATION, SMALL BUSINESS EXPANSION, THE PROVISION OF JOBS TO LOW-INCOME PERSONS, MORTGAGE FINANCING AND ACCESS TO CREDIT AND CAPITAL. IT SUPPORTS THE FIT INITIATIVE OF EMPOWERMENT AND TAKING CARE OF ONES NEEDS BY UNDERSTANDING MONEY, BUDGETING, CREDIT AND BANKING. VARIOUS HEALTH RELATEDGRANTS ARE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH AGENCY FUNDING PROCESS. THESE PROGRAMS SERVE THE LOW INCOME FAMILIES, YOUNG ADULTS, AND SENIORS.FINANCIAL STABILITY:FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE TRAINING (FIT) ACADEMY WAS DESINGED TO ENSURE THAT CURRENT AND FORMER FOSTER YOUTH ACCESS FINANCIAL EDUCATION TO BECOME ECONOMICALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT ADULTS. THE FIT ACADEMY IS DESIGNED TO BE A "BEHAVIOR CHANGING" PROGRAM THAT PUTS LESSON PLANS TO PRACTICE. THE YOUNG ADULTS FINISH THE 8 MONTHS WITH A RENEWED OUTLOOK ON MONEY, LIFE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SAVING FOR THE FUTURE. MORE THAN 100 YOUNG ADULTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO ESTABLISH A PERMANENT HABIT OF SAVING THAT WILL FOLLOW THEM INTO THE REST OF THEIR ADULT LIVES.

NON PROFIT AGENCY ALLOCATIONS:INLAND SOCAL UNITED WAY PROVIDES NON-PROFIT AGENCY GRANTS CALLED ALLOCATIONS OUT OF THE POOL OF UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED. ISCUW SETS PRIORITIES FOR FUNDING IN THE AREAS OF EDUCATION, FINANCIAL STABILITY, HEALTH, HOUSING AND EMERGENCY SERVICES AND CREATES A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR AGENCIES SERVING WESTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY AND SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY. APPLICATIONS RECEIVED FROM THE LOCAL NONPROFIT AGENCIES ARE VETTED BY STAFF AND THEN BY VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY. REVIEWEDAPPLICATIONS ARE THEN SENT TO THE COMMUNITY IMPACT COMMITTEE TO MAKE FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHO MAKE FINAL FUNDING DECISIONS. ALLOCATIONS ARE PAID ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS.

DONOR DESIGNATIONS:AS A CONVENIENCE TO OUR DONORS, ISCUW FACILITATES DIRECT, UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTIONS TO OTHER NON-PROFIT AGENCIES. THE ORGANIZATION DOES NOT REQUIRE THE RECIPIENT ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE USE RESULTS OF THESE CONTRIBUTIONS.