June 28, 2024
BY JOHN BAILEY
Regardless of how you define the roots of poverty in any community, it tends to boil down to the issue of access – access to education, access to housing, access to jobs, access to food, access to healthcare, access to transportation.
All these issues on their own or together can set a person on a downward spiral in life.
And every year, the Catawba County United Way (CCUW) works to help eliminate poverty in an equitable, ethical and meaningful manner by addressing as many of these issues as possible through its large grant cycle.
During its recent June meeting, the CCUW board of directors, with input from a committee of community volunteers, recently approved grants for 18 programs from 15 local nonprofit and government agencies, for a total allocation of $555,000 in 2025.
“We welcome new programs and agencies and continue to fund programs in areas that remain critical to the wellbeing of our neighbors,” Catawba County United Way Executive Director Mark Bumgarner said. “We have, along with our partner agencies, seen need increase. This year, we had over a $1,000,000 in grant requests, which unfortunately the United Way could not meet.”
Bumgarner added the committee worked diligently to ensure this funding cycle would have the greatest impact possible in the lives of Catawba County Citizens for 2025.
2025 CCUW Funded Partners/Programs
- Catawba County Public Health – community health workers
- Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry – pharmacy program
- Exodus Homes – transitional housing for homeless after recovery or incarceration
- Sipes Orchard Home - transitional housing for homeless teens
- The Salvation Army of Greater Hickory – emergency shelter
- The Salvation Army of Greater Hickory – Boys & Girls Club after school program
- Catawba County Partnership for Children – Parents as Teachers
- Patrick Beaver Learning Resource Center – Augustine Tutoring program
- Council on Adolescents of Catawba County – mentoring program
- Council on Adolescents of Catawba County – healthy youth education
- Children's Advocacy & Protection Center – child medical exams
- Adult Life Programs – adult daycare
- Catawba Valley Healthcare – primary care services
- American Red Cross – emergency disaster services
- Family Guidance Center – domestic violence services
- Family Guidance Center – sexual assault program
- Habitat for Humanity – home repairs
- Catawba County DSS – senior nutritional program
The CCUW also recently completed this year’s $10,000 grant cycle in partnership with the Catawba County Youth Council. The Council reviewed grant applications for local programs focused on helping youth in the areas of health and education.
In August, the United Way will hold its final grant cycle of the year, Small Businesses Love Big, focused on supporting small and/or new nonprofits.
“It is truly an honor to work with all our partner agencies, and we look forward to the impact we'll have on our community in the upcoming year,” Bumgarner said.
(In the Photo - Catawba County United Way Executive Directory Mark Bumgarner discusses funding requests with the CCUW's Community Investment Committee.)