SALISBURY — The Rowan County United Way is giving $1 million this year to the following new Community Investment Partners who provide 21 health and human service programs:

• Boy Scouts, Central NC Council

• Capstone Recovery Center, Inc.

• Families First — NC, Inc.

• Family Crisis Council of Rowan, Inc.

• Main Street Marketplace & Meeting Place

• Nazareth Child & Family Connection

• One Love Community Programs

• Rowan-Cabarrus YMCA

• Rowan County Literacy Council

• Rowan Helping Ministries

• Rowan-Salisbury School System

• Rufty-Holmes Senior Center, Inc

• Salisbury Police Department

• The Salvation Army

Over the course of two years, they will receive over $1.8 million in funding. The programs were selected based on United Way’s Community Impact model, which focuses on four priority areas: substance use, mental health, healthy lifestyle behaviors and basic needs. These were determined by a needs assessment conducted in 2018.

“We are so grateful for United Way’s support,” says Laurel Harry, executive director of Rowan County Literacy Council. “These funds enable us to continue providing one-on-one tutoring to youth and adults in our community who desperately need literacy services. Whether helping struggling K12 students, working with English language learners, or helping adults improve basic literacy and life skills, our tutors are changing lives and making our community stronger every day.”

Kyna Grubb, executive director of Rowan Helping Ministries, describes how United Way’s investment will benefit their Miracles on the Horizon capital project. “It will not only help us expand our transitional and permanent supportive housing for the homeless, but also provide hope, dignity and a brighter future for those in need. Their generosity will make a tangible and lasting impact on the lives of the most vulnerable members of the Rowan County community, and we are grateful for their partnership.”

United Way began its Community Impact Competitive Grant Cycle last year to determine the programs that would receive funding for the next two years. The process utilizes trained volunteers to develop short-and-long term goals, strategies for partnerships and key performance indicators that create measurable outcomes for agencies to meet. The grants include a 10% reduction in funding for the second year, which ensures program sustainability after the two-year cycle.

“It is so important that we focus our efforts and resources on the areas of greatest need as determined by research”, says Wendy Barnhardt, vice president of Community Impact. “United Way has been instrumental in vetting these needs and continuously strives to be good stewards of the donations received. As a result, many hours were given by our volunteers to assure that allocations are being made to organizations that will make the most impact on our community needs.”

Jenny Lee, executive director of Rowan County United Way, looks forward to what the Community Investment Partners will accomplish. “We are so grateful to be able to create a lasting change in our community through these amazing programs.”

For more information about United Way’s Community Impact model, go to www.rowanunitedway.org or call 704-633-1802.