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…
News

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…

(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.)
Jack has been a waiter for more than 20 years and loves his profession. He thrives on being in the restaurant and interacting with customers. Jack has made a good living, always able to pay his bills, but without much to save.
Because of the COVID 19 pandemic, the restaurant…

At a time, such as we are experiencing now, what do you say? How do you act? How do you feel?
There are three areas of concerns, as a result of COVID-19, that come to mind: physical, financial and emotional.
First, there are the people who have physically contracted this horrible virus and experienced horrendous pain and suffering.
Second, there is the financial destruction due to job loss and interruption of services with fear of food…

Catawba County has been awarded federal funds made available through the department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board program.
Catawba County has been chosen to receive $60,394 for Phase 37 and $86,104 for Phase CARES to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county.
The selection was made by a National Board that is chaired by the U.S. Department of…

JOHN BAILEY
jbailey@ccunitedway.com
Worry and fear have become the new normal for many during the current crisis created by the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Catawba County United Way (CCUW) decided in mid-March to gather the resources it had to bring back some hope to those devastated by this pandemic. It created the Catawba County United Way COVID-19 Response Fund.
Eight local non-profit organizations recently received the first allocations from this…

STAFF REPORTS
On March 18, Governor Roy Cooper announced NC 2-1-1 by United Way of North Carolina as a resource people can call for assistance related to COVID-19.
Since then 211 has helped families find food, healthcare, employment advice and hope.
Catawba County United Way is one of several community partners who help fund this program.
The health and human services information line has handled a total of 22,428 calls since activation on March…

BY JOHN BAILEY
jbailey@ccuniteway.com
I grew up on classic TV western shows – John Wayne was king in my house – so I’m familiar with the idea of circling the wagons when there’s trouble.
COVID-19 has grown from a news blip in China, to images of field hospitals going up in New York City’s Central Park, on its way to becoming the biggest source of concern this country has seen in a long time.
My position in community impact at the Catawba County…

The United Way will update this information as we learn more. Please share any information from your agency with us as well. We hope everyone is staying safe.
Remember, to view accurate information concerning COVID-19 visit nc211.org - The United Way's community service resource help line and website.
HELP WITH CHILD CARE - Effective April 1
Parents/caregivers who are essential workers and need financial assistance for child care can complete a…