|
Stories of Impact The United Way story is best told through the eyes of those that benefit from its programs and services. Listed below are links to stories of impact from people who have experienced first hand the positive power of United Way. You will need Acrobat Reader to access these stories.
Early Care & Education Stark County Childhood Resiliency Program addresses mental health issues in young children Social and emotional challenges are difficult to handle at any age. For infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers, every day challenges present great opportunities to begin to develop social and emotional competencies to last a lifetime. The Stark County Childhood Resiliency Program is an early childhood consultation and social and emotional skills promotion program for young children, ages two through six, their families, and childcare providers. The program was launched in 2003 by The Early Childhood Collaborative – a committee of the Stark County Family Council, the Stark County Community Mental Health Board, childcare providers and mental health providers...read more. YWCA Child Care program allows young mother freedom to return to school McKiea wasn’t born into this world with silver spoon in hand. However, with help from the Canton YWCA’s child care programs, McKiea has been victorious in her goals and aspirations for she and her two-year-old son, Gavin, through attaining her GED...read more. Interfaith programs offer children quality, affordable child care Say "hello" to Bri’onna while she’s playing with building blocks and chances are she’ll smile shyly up at you from a bright mat on the gym floor of Interfaith Child Development Center in Alliance. She may dart around the room with an apron across her back, pretending to be a super hero. She may laugh and giggle with other children – part of the two and three-year-olds class – as they feverishly peddle their tricycles and big wheels back and forth, back and forth....read more.
Family Stability Mother Mentor program works with young mothers, children Sisters Jessika and Ivana rarely miss a meeting with Shirley, their mentor in Families First of Stark County’s Mother Mentor Program. Nearly every week they bring their toddlers, 15-month-old Ajyahne and 15-month-old Treshawn to events – from scrap-booking to dinner to mother-daughter teas – to meet with their mother-mentor, Shirley...read more. Families Under Stress program allows daughter to reconnect with mother With a little help from Massillon YWCA’s Families Under Stress program, 21-year-old Tina has been able to maintain a relationship with her mother. Tina began to have supervised visits with her mother at the YWCA through the Families Under Stress program when...read more. Increased focus on prevention is focus of Alliance Area Domestic Violence Shelter programs There is a new tone at the Alliance Area Domestic Violence Shelter as its new director, Kim Stanley, seeks to educate the community on signs of domestic abuse and prevention strategies. The shift has come with staff changes that have occurred within the last year, and, though the shelter is still running at full or nearly full capacity, Kim is hopeful that such strategies will result in a decrease in...read more. Parenting Skills program provides needed tools for Stark County families For mothers like Brenda, sometimes court-ordered programs like Goodwill Industries of East Central Ohio’s Parenting Skills Training program and Home Based Parenting program are the only lifeline keeping a family together... read more.
Graduation & Training Beyond High School CARE Team is proven program throughout Stark County school districts One local program has generated interest not only within Stark County, but at the state and federal levels as well. The CARE Team, which originated in the Fairless Local School District, is a team of multi-disciplinary professionals working together to address the obstacles facing students and their families. The objectives of this team are to assist students and their families to overcome obstacles that could prevent educational success...read more. Boys & Girls Club of Massillon programs help teach youth life lessons Sometimes boys will be boys, as is the case with nearly-nine-year-old David and his brother, 10-year-old Alphonso, both active members of the Boys and Girls Club of Massillon as they eagerly discussed their club experiences with endearing, yet ornery, twinkles in their eyes. They are currently involved in the Kid Stop Summer program where they spend their days playing basketball and football or walking across the street to the park to collect insects and take pictures of the different...read more.
Avoiding Risky Behavior Among Youth Baby Think it Over offers teen girls motherhood experience Teenage girls across Stark County are getting a sneak peek into the world of motherhood. The Girl Scouts Great Trail Council began to offer the Baby Think It Over program several years ago to promote good decision making. In addressing pregnancy and parenting concerns, the program focuses on underlying causes of the problem, such as poor self-esteem, confused values, lack of positive role-models and the perception of limited opportunities in life....read more. Stark County Teen Court provides peer-to-peer approach to juvenile court Stark County teens are finding a second chance, in some cases, to right their wrongs. Stark County Teen Court has heard more than 2,300 cases of juveniles charged with delinquency or other offenses since it began in 1996. Teen Court has been in Stark County for more than 10 years and provides an alternative to traditional juvenile court proceedings for fi rst time, non-violent offenders to be sentenced by other teens who have been trained to participate in all aspects of juvenile court. The program is based on the premise that young people respond positively to the influences of their peers....read more.
Economic Independence Ways to Work program offers solutions to Stark County families A Stark County program is changing the way people respond when unexpected expenses threaten to disrupt their lives. Trillium Family Solutions Ways to Work program provides low-income families with financial assistance through small, short-term loans when such expenses arise so they can continue to work and support their children...read more. YWCA of Alliance provides women the tools to success The Adult Services programs at the Alliance YWCA are all designed with one end-goal in mind: to help Stark County women get back on their feet. Through the program, women are provided with a safe place to live through a transitional housing program, clothing through the Women’s Clothes Closet, if needed, and just about any other service necessary to help women ....read more.
Emergency and Disaster Services Shelter provides home and hope for Stark County resident She survived hurricanes in Florida and Louisiana and decided enough was enough. She came home to Ohio. Health problems and nearly a dozen surgeries forced Deb to quit working once she moved to Stark County. She then spent the next several months living with a cousin, sleeping on an air mattress on the floor...read more.
Seniors and Disabled Arthritis program helps build mobility and friendships for area seniors Hundreds of individuals suffering with arthritis in Stark County and Northeast Ohio are finding the relief they need through the Arthritis Foundation Northeast Ohio Chapter’s Chronic Disease Control programs. This year, United Way of Greater Stark County is investing more than $414,000 into programs that allow those with disabilities and senior citizens to maximize their ability to live in a safe environment with independence and dignity. One such program is the Chronic Disease Control program....read more.
Access to Healthcare Health Services program provides care to uninsured, underinsured Hundreds of thank-you letters can be found in the offices of Planned Parenthood of Stark County, most of them thanking the staff for treating clients with dignity and respect and for providing services on a sliding fee scale. “As long as we’re receiving those letters, we’re serving a need in the community,” said Elizabeth Bowen, regional director of development for the newly created Planned Parenthood of Northeast Ohio...read more.
|