Meeting Local needs

Recent data suggests that 25% of Texan veterans could not afford their basic needs. United Way of Tarrant County (UWTC) has taken a stand with its Mission United initiative, partnering with Combined Arms through the Texas Veterans Network (TVN). Their shared focus: support veterans like U.S. Army Vietnam veteran Betty Moreland, enabling them to rebuild their lives after overcoming adversities like homelessness.

“This is what it takes. It takes a village,” said Darnell Shields, executive director for Austin Coming Together, the community quarterback agency for United Way of Metro Chicago’s Austin Neighborhood Network. “That’s what it takes to be able to transform, to make it right, to rebuild your community. This is what moving forward together looks and feels like.”

As a Tacoma native, Geno loves living in the city but says it has felt like an uphill financial battle that he was left to fight alone. Like so many others, his income is too high to receive support from the public benefits system but too low not to need the help. With one child needing diabetes medication and another needing tutoring, Geno had begun searching for a second job when he got accepted into the Growing Resilience in Tacoma (GRIT) program.

UWGC's endeavors resonate deeply with the broader mission of United Way Worldwide. By addressing the roots of poverty through education, they empower individuals to achieve their full potential. Meghan Barp, President and CEO of the United Way of Greenville County, echoes this sentiment, “At every single point in a child's life, it's important to have robust community supports so that they're successful.”

In Tarrant County, Texas, an issue often overlooked is the struggle faced by older adults and individuals with disabilities in moving freely within their own homes. United Way of Tarrant County's Area Agency on Aging of Tarrant County (AAATC) has been instrumental in bridging this gap, forming partnerships with local organizations to enable safety modifications, such as wheelchair ramps and bathroom grab bars.

Human trafficking is a global problem, and Ghana has long been used as a location of origin, passage, and destination for men, women, and children forced into labor and sex trafficking.  Approximately 22% of children in Ghana are engaged in some form of child labor. Of these, 60% of them have been trafficked on Lake Volta. Despite Lake Volta’s reputation, it is slowly becoming a site of hope and resilience.