Now more than ever, your neighbors need you.
And by giving through the Blue Ridge Electric United Way Campaign, you can help them.
Hard-working families are struggling to make ends meet. They are living paycheck to paycheck. A single unexpected expense could be what pushes them over the edge.
So many people in our community have never learned to manage money. Without role models or instruction, they have found themselves struggling with issues like excessive debt, bad credit, low wages, high medical expenses, and no idea how to get out of the hole they are in.
But your United Way donation will help a struggling family learn how to manage their money. You can help them take control over their finances.
For a family who doesn't have the knowledge or ability to build emergency savings, one lost paycheck or unexpected expense can send them in a downward spiral. This is an issue that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as many went without a paycheck for weeks. For some, the only option was to pursue high-interest payday loans to make ends meet.
They feel discouraged and sick with worry. They are in a hole that they have no chance of climbing out of.
But your United Way donation will get a family into Pathways, a one-on-one, intensive financial coaching program for hardworking families and individuals who have the desire and commitment to take control over their finances.
Participants work with their coach for 6-18 months to achieve long-term success in managing their money. They invest time and effort into learning, growing, and changing poor habits.
With your gift, a family will be able to independently provide for themselves and those that they love.
United Way donors have been tackling challenging issues like poverty and 3rd grade reading, seeking to improve the lives of families & individuals by supporting local programs that work.
By supporting United Way, and even increasing your support this year when others can’t, you are going to make an even greater difference this year. Whether you are a long-time supporter or a new friend, you are going to make a huge difference in the lives of people suffering in our community..
You have the power to change lives. Please make your donation today.
A family is struggling. You can help.
Listen to the message from Lyndy Schonhar, Campaign Manager for United Way of Pickens County, as she shares with you the story Charlie and his family. You can make a meaningful difference in the life of a family like Charlie's.
Pathways: Manage Your Money. Change Your Future.
In an effort to achieve our financial stability goal of ensuring that 3,000 families and individuals will find a pathway out of poverty by 2030, United Way of Pickens County established the Pathways program.
Pathways is a 6-18 month intensive, one-on-one financial coaching program designed to equip hardworking, low-income individuals and families with the skills, assistance, knowledge, and resources necessary to achieve freedom over their finances. Financial coaching sessions focus on budgeting, debt management, asset-building, credit and more.
Participants are Pickens County residents who have transitioned out of crisis assistance and are willing to commit time and effort to improve their finances. Program participants are primarily accepted through a referral process, in partnership with local human service agencies.
For more information or to volunteer with the Pathways program, please contact Teresa Nash, 864-850-7094 x106.
Camp iRock: A 3rd Grade Reading Program that Works
United Way of Pickens County seeks to help children and youth achieve their potential through education and has established a bold goal that 70% of 3rd graders will be reading on grade level by 2025.
Camp iRock is a proven program designed to help meet this bold goal.
A partnership between United Way of Pickens County, the School District of Pickens County, the YMCA of Easley, Pickens and Powdersville, and the Clemson University Call Me MiSTER Program, Camp iRock is an innovative and award winning summer program which helps children improve their reading abilities in an enriching summer camp environment. In the spring, the School District of Pickens County identifies students who could use a boost in their reading abilities and sends their families an invitation to attend Camp iRock.
In 2020, Camp iRock, like most programs, looked very different because of the coronavirus. Camp iRock met in a virtual format for four weeks, and included an optional face-to-face experience for students for the last two weeks.
One Camp iRock teacher had her doubts about how this would work, but quickly realized that even in a virtual setting, Camp iRock could make a powerful difference to struggling readers. Read what Ms. Vicky Juan has to say in our first 2020 Camp iRock update here.
Camp iRock Worked- read the report here!
You Can Do Something BIG
3rd grade reading levels predict nearly every societal problem you can imagine. Reading on grade level is so critical to our community's future that United Way of Pickens County has set a bold goal of ensuring that at least 70% of Pickens County 3rd graders will read at grade level by 2025. We know this is achievable because you have proven that you are willing to invest in programs that work. Camp iRock is one of those programs that work. Will you make sure that one struggling reader is able to benefit from the Camp iRock experience next summer?
- $27 provides one child's home library of their favorite books
- $52 provides one magical day of Camp iRock for one child
- $260 provides one spectacular week of Camp iRock for one child
- $520 provides two amazing weeks of Camp iRock for one child
- $2,080 provides a full life-changing summer at Camp iRock for one child
"Camp iRock is the best thing for a struggling kid."
As a baby, Dottie would crawl away from her parents when they tried to read books to her. Reading was never something she enjoyed, and was never something she thought she could do well. Camp iRock changed all of that, and it nearly brought her father to tears to talk about the transformation. Hear Dottie and her parents tell their story by clicking on the video below.
What Others are Saying
We are in the process of adopting two children through the foster care system. When we first met the children, they had been living in cars and motels. Reading was a tremendous struggle because they had very little knowledge. Thank God they got into Camp iRock. They are ready and waiting for the bus at least 30 minutes before it is due. Both children have made tremendous progress at Camp iRock.
-Camp iRock parent
I cannot think of a better team of dedicated professionals. They have transformed the way our school district addresses this dire need in our community. They have developed a model that helps our students in ways we could have never thought possible. I am very proud.
-Dr. Brian Swords, Director, member of the School District of Pickens County Board of Trustees
The Camp iRock model illustrates how a community can collaborate to improve reading achievement for struggling students. The collaboration between the School District of Pickens County, United Way of Pickens County, the local YMCA and Clemson University's Call Me Mister Program maximizes the resources and assets of the community. The state needs more examples of such collaboration to help struggling learners get back on the path to academic success. Camp iRock is unlocking a child's ability to learn and read, and thus helping to ensure that one day, they will be graduating college and career ready.
-South Carolina Education Oversight Committee
We took our granddaughter into our home because her mother couldn't care for her. She barely passed 1st grade and most likely would be held back in 2nd grade. Then she went to Camp iRock. Honestly, in the beginning she really struggled with the reading and wanted to quit. But she LOVED the camp part. That is what kept her going. By the end of the summer she was a different kid. Her first report card arrived today. All A's and B's for the first time in her life. There are no words to describe how excited she was.
-Camp iRock grandparent
What I love most about Camp iRock is the reading. The Y counselors are really cool. When I don't know a hard word, everybody helps me figure it out. It's awesome. I've really improved my reading a lot. My favorite field trip was the Clemson Botanical Garden. I learned all about this black and white butterfly.
-Camp iRock camper
It's exciting to me to see how much the children have accomplished. They have made so much progress in listening, comprehension and sharing what they've learned. Now they can't wait to read!
-Camp iRock teacher
COVID-19 Community Recovery
The arrival of COVID-19 and its effects have compounded existing challenges and dramatically raised the level of need in our community. People who never imagined they would need assistance are now reaching out for help for the first time.
United Way is coordinating services with local nonprofits and community leaders to provide support for our most vulnerable neighbors during this critical time. In order to meet both immediate and long term needs, United Way of Pickens County has established the COVID-19 Community Recovery Fund.
We know that over the next several months, our neighbors will continue to need assistance meeting their most basic needs due to lost wages. The COVID-19 Community Relief Fund focuses on supporting local nonprofit organizations who are working with the most vulnerable populations to help respond to the physical health, mental health and economic impacts of the pandemic.
COVID-19 Community Recovery Fund Status
The dollars raised through the COVID-19 Community Relief Fund a deployed in grants to support food, housing, and utility needs.
Your Gifts At Work:
- Meals on Wheels- $11,658.53 for supplies needed to be able to provide weekend frozen meals for home-bound seniors and to serve additional clients (freezer, trays, transport bags, coolers, warmer plates, chillers, sterile gloves, etc.)
- Salvation Army- $31,000 for rent and utility assistance, and for necessities such as gas or baby supplies for individuals who have lost significant wages due to the coronavirus.
- United Christian Ministries- $42,500 for food and rent assistance for people who have lost jobs due to the coronavirus.
- Able SC- $6,988 to provide food and other supplies for people with disabilities who are at a higher risk of being infected with and dying of COVID-19 than any other population.
- Pickens County Advocacy Center- $3,000 to provide masks, gloves, sanitizer, acrylic desk barriers and deep cleaning so that staff, volunteers and clients can resume in-person services. This funding will also help continue the tele-health and tele-crisis intervention services.
- Cancer Association of Pickens County- $6,357 for transportation costs to Greenville for cancer treatment, and Ensure for cancer patients.
- Safe Harbor- $6,000 for housing support (security deposits, first months rent, etc.) and for shelter services (in shelter or in a hotel.)
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)- $2,275 to promote mental health services at local high school football games and provide Ending the Silence suicide awareness and prevention presentations.
- Samaritan Health Clinic: $2,550 for air purification systems for the medical and dental clinics.
Your lifesaving gift of $4,500 was delivered to Meals on Wheels and is providing weekend meals for home-bound seniors.
Your generosity provided a freezer for Meals on Wheels which was kindly delivered by Sheriff Rick Clark.
Your donation is providing food and essential supplies through Able SC for individuals with disabilities, a population which is at higher risk of being infected with and dying from COVID-19.