2015-2016 Community Report_FINAL

United Way of
Greater Williamsburg
2015-2016 Report to the Community

GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.
LIVE UNITED
Every year, United Way of Greater Williamsburg partners
with over 100 local businesses and hundreds of Greater
Williamsburg citizens to improve lives of our friends and
neighbors in need.
THANK YOU!
2

We think differently.
United Way of Greater Williamsburg invests
in our community by funding local programs
serving the most vulnerable populations.
And, our service extends beyond monetary
support to local non-profits. UWGW’s four
programs – Home for Good, Community
Resource Center, United for Food, and the
Guest House Re-entry Program – address
identified needs of our community.
United Way of Greater Williamsburg’s
Board of Directors and staff look beyond
fundraising and drive efforts to collaborate
and coordinate to create meaningful
change.
Our call to action is to:
Improve lives by
mobilizing the caring
power of people and
community.
HOW WE WORK
Sixteen partner agencies, four programs,
Day of Caring, more than 700 volunteers,
and over 2,500 clients make the United
Way of Greater Williamsburg a force
for improving lives. With your support,
United Way works toward making Greater
Williamsburg a stronger, healthier, and
more connected community. Thank you for
joining us in our call to action!
3

COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER
The United Way of Greater
Williamsburg’s Community Resource
Center (CRC) provides assistance to
local residents who face significant
financial constraints or burdens that
hinder their ability to provide basic
necesities for themselves and their
families.
The CRC provides direct services and referrals.
Services include direct financial or in-kind assistance for
rent, food, shelter, utility bills, transportation, and medical
needs- to name a few. The CRC acts as an intake center and
provides referrals for services supplied by FISH, Grove Christian
Outreach, St. Bede Catholic Church, Salvation Army, Social
Services Departments, and Lackey Clinic, among others.
The CRC staff work as case advocates for clients seeking
assistance. With help from volunteers, the staff schedules
one-on-one meetings with clients, and coordinates either
direct assistance or referrals to organizations that can provide
assistance. On average, the CRC serves between 200-400
clients a month.
Community Resource Center (CRC)
113 Palace Lane, Suite F. Williamsburg, VA 23185
757.229.2222
4

The United Way of Greater
Williamsburg’s Home for Good
program serves individuals and
families living in precarious housing
situations like hotels and shelters, in
the Greater Williamsburg community.
The program’s goal is to move families
into permanent homes.
In most cases, poor credit or a past eviction prevents a family
from securing housing. Partnerships with four local landlords
provide access to rental units and then case management
provided by Home for Good staff equips families with the
necessary tools to stabilize their lives and live independently.
According to US Census data, more than 7,800 individuals
live below the poverty line in James City County and The City
of Williamsburg. Thousands of our neighbors face housing
challenges. Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
reports 425 students as
either living in a hotel,
shelter, doubled up
with friends or family, or
unsheltered.
As of July 2016, Home for
Good currently houses 19
families totaling
67 individuals, 36 of
whom are children.
Picture: Zoie Z., 4 months
old, Home for Good resident
with her Mom.
HOME FOR GOOD PROGRAM
Home for Good helps clients
out of homelessness.
5

UNITED FOR FOOD
United for Food is a monthly food
distribution serving residents in
Greater Williamsburg and West Point.
Food distributions provide healthy
food to low-income households serving
over 200 households or over 550
individuals each month.
The distributions occur on the third
Thursday every month. Twenty to thirty volunteers help
organize, distribute, and load groceries for the clients. A small
business or community group sponsors the food distribution
each month to cover related costs.
According to Feeding America, over 16% of the population in
Williamsburg City are considered food insecure. Similarly, over
10% of King William County, over 9% of James City County, and
over 8% of York County are considered food insecure.
Distributions are made possible through partnerships with
FISH, Virginia Peninsula Foodbank in Hampton, and FeedMore
in Richmond.
Do you know of a family that needs
food? Call us at 757.253.2264.
6

GUEST HOUSE RE-ENTRY PROGRAM
The United Way of Greater
Williamsburg’s Guest House Re-entry
Program provides housing and support
services to previously-incarcerated
men. The program enables individuals
to make a successful transition from
incarceration and to reduce recidivism.
In Virginia, three years after release, the
likelihood of re-arrest is 54%,
re-conviction is 42%, and re-incarceration is 23% meaning
that 1 in 5 ex-offenders will return to incarceration within three
years unless they have meaningful support.
The program currently operates one house with the ability
to house three men and one house manager. An overnight
staff member provides structure and guidance for residents.
Each resident must look for and secure employment, perform
community service, work toward resolving any fines, and pay
child support obligations. With a select team of providers,
participants work through issues or challenges that increase
their likelihood of re-incarceration such as addiction or mental
health issues. Residents
can stay in the program for
up to twelve months if they
are actively working toward
a healthy, stable life.
Picture: Guest House Re-entry
managers and residents.
Overall, the cost per
resident in the program is
approximately $10,000
compared to the $26,000
per year cost to taxpayers
to incarcerate one person
for one year in Virginia.
7

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
United Way of Greater Williamsburg invests
in programs serving our friends and
neighbors in need. Programs address:
1. Poverty Alleviation/Financial Stability
2. Education
3. Healthy Lifestyles
4. Emerging Needs
Agency Program 2016 Award
Arc of Greater
Williamsburg
8
Avalon
Bacon Street
Youth and
Family Services
Big Brothers,
Big Sisters
Camp Kesem
William & Mary
Center for Child
and Family
Services
Child
Development
Resources
Colonial CASA
Recreational Therapy
Adapted Wellness
Arts & Culture
Lifelong Learning
Emergency Shelter/Client
Services
Clinical Substance Abuse
Treatment Program
School-Based Program
Community-Based Program
Camp Kesem William &
Mary
Adult & Youth Violence
Prevention Program
Mental Health Counseling
Parents as Teachers (PAT)
First Steps Child Care &
Development Center
Infant & Parent Program
Court Appointed Special
Advocates
$12,920
$11,400
$9,120
$6,840
$38,000
$10,000
$20,000
$20,000
$4,500
$9,500
$9,500
$9,120
$3,800
$40,000
$12,000

Agency Program 2016 Award
Girl Scout Council
of the Colonial
Coast
Hospice House and
Support Care of
Williamsburg
Housing
Partnerships, Inc.
Literacy for Life
Peninsula Agency
on Aging
Salvation Army
Williamsburg Area
Meals on Wheels
Girl Scouting for $5,000
Under-served Girls in
Williamsburg, James
City County, and Upper
York County
Hospice House & $30,000
Patient Volunteer
Services
Home Repair $57,233
Adult Literacy in Greater
Williamsburg
$10,000
RIDES $11,000
Social Services Program
$22,000
Transitional Housing $24,000
Meal Delivery $10,000
Williamsburg Faith
in Action
Senior Assistance to
Support Independence
$15,000
9

Day of Caring
The United Way Day of Caring is a Greater Williamsburg
tradition and represents what it means to LIVE UNITED. The day
supports local non-profit and public service agencies in the
Greater Williamsburg community by linking teams of volunteers
to improvement projects at a variety of locations.
In 2015, more than 600 individuals volunteered for more than
40 projects including landscaping, painting, cleaning, repair,
and gardening at more than 30 area non-profits and human
service providers.
Day of Caring 2015
10

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF
Jake Liebler, 2015-2016 Board President, LaRS Group
Mark Duncan, Past Board President
Sam Poole, Vice President and Campaign Co-Chair, Chesapeake Bank
Jim Costello, Campaign Co-Chair, Water Country USA
John Lowenhaupt, Finance Chair, John P Lowenhaupt, CPA Pfs Cfp
Adam Kinsman, Governance Chair, James City County
Tucker Edmonds, Community Impact Co-Chair, Chesapeake Bank
Carla Brittle, Community Impact Co-Chair, James City County
Andrew Roehrle, Sentara Regional Medical Center
Bob Harris, Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance
Brian Schultz, Henderson Inc.
Felicia Highland, Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
Hunter Richardson, Planters Grove LLC.
Kathy Kammer, Williamsburg Landing
Kevin Deaver, Ace Hardware
Olivia Hartman, The Virginia Gazette
Pam Frazier, Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
Richard Durst, Baldwin Wallace University
Scott Richardson, Williamsburg Landing
Tom Cosgrove, Newport News Shipbuilding
Vickie Herrick, City of Williamsburg
United Way Staff
Liz Parman, Interim Director
Amber Martens, Home for Good Program Manager
Charvalla West, Community Resource Center Manager
Dianne Saldana, CRC Case Advocate
Evelyn Green, Finance and Office Manager
Jennifer Heidel, Home for Good Case Manager
Katie Schubert, Resource Developement Manager
Mary Mendenhall, CRC Case Advocate
Robert Wright, Re-entry Program Manager
11

Stay Connected:
United Way of Greater Williamsburg
5400 Discovery Park Blvd., Suite 104 Williamsburg, VA 23188
Phone: 757.253.2264 Fax: 757.253.2837
www.uwgw.org unitedway@uwgw.org