News

The Catawba County United Way recently helped D&L Parts Company adopt two families from Hickory Public Schools, for Thanksgiving.  The company's Hickory employees wanted to once again pool their resources and provide a complete Thanksgiving meal for the families. This has become an annual event for the company and a way for them to give back to their community. Thank You to D&L Parts and their Hickory employees. Pictured: D&L…
By John Bailey jbailey@ccunitedway.com  They log in hundreds of work hours every week. They help save hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. They are the backbone of every local non-profit agency. The Catawba County United Way Volunteer Center recently celebrated these heroes during the annual Giving From the Heart Volunteer Awards. Click on image above to Watch the event recorded on the Catawba County United Way's Facebook Page.…
By John Bailey jbailey@ccunitedway.com While the numbers were down, the spirit of giving was still strong from those involved in this year’s Catawba County United Way’s annual Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive. The Catawba County United Way (CCUW) works every year to ensure every child has the tools they need to succeed, and the highlight of this effort is the annual Stuff the Bus Schools Supply Drive.  Nicola Hershberger and Margarete Bush,…
By John Bailey jbailey@ccunitedway.com While the pandemic has changed how we gather and meet, it didn’t stop the Catawba County United Way (CCUW) from hosting its annual Spirit of Giving Awards on Sept. 30. The CCUW staff decided to go virtual and recognized the top company and school community giving campaigns in the county for 2019. The event is a way to celebrate the generosity of neighbors helping neighbors. Last year, United Way donors…
- The following is a call shared from the NC 211 call center Ellie was struggling to pay her rent and buy food in July.  She didn’t know where to go for help, but she had heard about a number she could call, 211. The call specialist provided Ellie with referrals to local food pantries in her community and to an agency that might be able to help with rent assistance. As they spoke, Ellie shared with the call specialist that she was also…
It is that time again – time to recognize those outstanding volunteers who make all the difference when it comes to helping local non-profits assist those in a crisis. The Catawba County United Way is getting ready to host the annual Giving from the Heart Volunteer Awards in November to help recognize these invaluable individuals. Unfortunately, this year's event will be virtual, but Catawba County United Way is planning to have a lot of fun and…
By John Bailey jbailey@ccunitedway.com With everyone counting pennies these days, it was good timing and a generous moment at the end of July, when Shurtape Technologies gave away office furniture to nine local non-profits.  The company had opened a new distribution center in Catawba and wanted to find new homes for the furniture they were not taking with them. Shurtape reached out to the Catawba County United Way (CCUW) to help organize the…
By John Bailey jbailey@ccunitedway.com Sixteen food drives organized last year. Two, Little Free Food Pantries built. A lemonade stand set up with sales benefiting disabled veterans, and a snack cart built to hand out snacks and water to veterans at the VA Hospital in Asheville. This is just a short list of some of the reasons 10-year-old Joseph Hicks was recognized at the recent Catawba County Board of Commissioner’s meeting as one of the…
By John Bailey jbailey@ccunitedway.com To meet the increasing needs of food insecurity because of the current COVID-19 outbreak, the Catawba County United Way is planning on hosting a county-wide food drive the last week of June.  The focus of the event will be on gathering food items to support the pantries of our funded partners – The Salvation Army, Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry (ECCCM) and Greater Hickory Cooperative…
(Information provided by NC211 from a call received in April by a 211 call specialist. Full names are withheld to protect the privacy of the caller and call specialist.) Wanda’s younger brother passed away from COVID-19.  The situation was very stressful because Wanda did not get to visit him and say goodbye due to social distancing and the current rules around staying at home. Her brother’s funeral was going to be held in South Carolina.  Wanda…