BAY CITY, MI– The United Way of Bay County has announced the recipients of its upcoming funding cycle starting July 1 and will be dispersing $500,000 between them.
According to Nicole Luczak, president of United Way of Bay County, the programs receiving funding closely align their focus on areas of education, health, income stability and goals set for diversity, equity, and inclusion to ensure resources and opportunities are accessible to all.
“We recognize that no one organization can do it alone,” Luczak says. “The United Way pinpoints the most pressing needs in the community and identifies gaps in services to determine goals in the areas of education, health and income stability.”
The United Way of Bay County has formed a collective impact model which Luczak says brings together partners in the community to share resources and services to grant incoming funding effectively and efficiently. She says that together they address needs and gaps in services for community programs and issues like:
- Improving school readiness through access to affordable childcare and quality early education programs and initiatives
- Creating awareness and increasing access to resources and services for mental health and substance use disorders as well as domestic violence and child abuse
- Providing individuals and families with the resources they need to achieve financial stability and have the opportunity to improve their socio-economic status
In Bay County, the United Way says roughly 21% of families fall within the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) threshold and an additional 15% live below the poverty line; totaling an estimated 35% struggling to meet their everyday needs.
In addition, more than 64% of 3- and 4-year-olds are not in preschool, and over 66% of third graders are not proficient in English Language Arts, generating a need to focus on early childhood education.
Organizations receiving funding this year from the $500,000 for services and programs include:
- 211 Northeast Michigan for its comprehensive information and referral services
- Bay Area Women’s Center for domestic violence services
- Bay Area Women’s Center for youth and community education services
- Bay County Child and Senior Citizen Centers for the funding of the Golden Horizons Adult Day Center
- Bay County Habitat for Humanity for critical project home repairs
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Great Lakes Bay Region for site-based mentoring programs
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Great Lakes Bay Region for community-based mentoring programs
- Boys & Girls Club of the Great Lakes Bay Region for afterschool/ summer learning loss prevention programming
- CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region Bay County for child abuse prevention education (CAPE) services
- Catholic Family Service of the Diocese of Saginaw for the Catholic Family Service outpatient programming
- Do-All, Inc. for its ‘Busting Barriers to Employment’ program
- Dow Bay Area Family Young Men’s Christian Association for the Bay-Arenac ISD Adaptive Swim Program
- Dow Bay Area Family Young Men’s Christian Association for the Life Basics Bootcamp for Teens
- Hidden Harvest for food rescue and hunger relief services
- Literacy Council of Bay County for youth tutoring services
- Literacy Council of Bay County for adult literacy services
- New Dimensions for on-the-job work interview program training
- Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan for funding the Samaritan Youth Shelter
- Sacred Heart Center for funding the Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center
- Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center Inc. for funding basic needs and self-sufficiency
- Self Love Beauty for ‘Self Love Beauty Confidence and Wellbeing’ focused Programming for Bay City Central High School students
- Studio 23/The Arts Center for funding Studio 23, YMCA, and BACHS Enrichment Friday Core Credit Curriculum
- The Legacy Center for Community Success for the Barton dyslexia tutoring program
“We look forward to seeing the impact and long-lasting change that will happen with the partnership of these great programs,” Luczak added. “We see the critical needs in our community and recognize there is still much to be done but seeing each individual thrive is the ultimate goal.”
If you would like to learn more about the United Way of Bay County or how to get involved, contact them at 989-893-7508 or visit unitedwaybaycounty.org.
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