COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORT 2018
United Way of Northeast Mississippi: A Modern Approach to Community Change It takes a collective effort to create community-wide solutions for our region s challenges. United Way of Northeast Mississippi assumes the roles most suited to our community s needs. In some efforts, we provide leadership and staffing to organize resources and serve as a bridge between partners. For others, we support funded partners that deliver services. When appropriate, we provide services ourselves. In all work, we align our efforts and funding to create the greatest, most effective, sustainable impact for our communities. PROVIDES COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP CONVENES COMMUNITY PARTNERS KNOWS THE COMMUNITY CREATES MEASUREABLE IMPACT ENGAGES VOLUNTEERS
Adding to Our Mission: Community-Wide Initiatives In 2017, United Way of Northeast Mississippi adopted a five-year strategic plan that created a community-level focus to our investments. Because we are uniquely positioned to bring together organizations from across many sectors, we are collaborating with the CREATE Foundation and other partners to address two pressing issues in Northeast Mississippi: gradelevel reading and food insecurity. READ FIRST COALITION: THE CAMPAIGN FOR GRADE-LEVEL READING 80% of low-income children are not reading proficiently by the end of the 3rd grade United Way and the CREATE Foundation have assembled a coalition of educators, school administrators, nonprofit organizations, churches, business leaders, and community members to address three factors affecting students reading proficiency by third grade: KINDERGARTEN READINESS SUMMER LEARNING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM TUPELO/LEE COUNTY HUNGER COALITION 19% of Lee County residents are food-insecure United Way and the CREATE Foundation s Tupelo/Lee County Affiliate are working to find solutions to food insecurity and access to healthy food in our region. The coalition is working with three groups that are alleviating hunger: FOOD PANTRIES HOT MEALS SCHOOL PROGRAMS
A Caring Community Taking Action Together ACADEMIC SUCCESS 2,237 early education classes 1,255 after school care 528 character education programs 34 GEDs earned 304 scholarships 582 homework help sessions 3,751 school supplies provided 3,911 youth leadership programs 14,269 classroom project grants HEALTH & WELLNESS 574 dental visits 2,796 doctor visits 81 visits with elders 1,523 prescriptions filled 510 support groups 24,148 therapeutic rehab sessions 422 transportation for healthcare appointments 486 homes/vehicles made handicap accessible FAMILY STABILITY 38,616 food boxes for families 80,243 hot meals served 8,580 weekend food backpacks 33 permanent homes for families 3,836 nights of shelter 1,282 utility bill assistance 30 home buyer education courses 5,285 counseling sessions 25 job readiness training classes 2,658 parenting classes
Northeast Mississippi s Most Generous Workplaces TOP 20 EMPLOYEE CAMPAIGNS North Mississippi Health Services and NMMC BancorpSouth Toyota Mississippi Franklin Corporation Renasant Bank Lee County Schools Magnolia Business Centre Wal-Mart Total Tupelo Public School District Cooper Tire & Rubber Company MTD Products Tupelo City of Tupelo Plumrose USA, Inc. General Atomics Caterpillar, Inc. Omega Motion Hunter Douglas, Inc. Itawamba County Schools R.W. Reed Co. Toyota Boshoku Mississippi, LLC TOP 20 CORPORATE GIFTS Toyota Mississippi Franklin Corporation Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Southern Diversified Industries Renasant Bank Caterpillar, Inc. Acco Brands Franklin Collection Service, Inc. MTD Products Tupelo Brevard Family Foundation TOP 20 OVERALL GIVING North Mississippi Health Services and NMMC Toyota Mississippi BancorpSouth Franklin Corporation Renasant Bank Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Lee County Schools MTD Products Tupelo Magnolia Business Centre Wal-Mart Total Journal, Inc. BancorpSouth Pepsi Beverages Company First Choice Bank UPS Ground -Tupelo ITW Paslode Foamcraft, Inc. Reed Manufacturing Company Haworth, Inc. R.W. Reed Co. Caterpillar, Inc. Tupelo Public School District Southern Diversified Industries Plumrose USA, Inc. City of Tupelo General Atomics Franklin Collection Service, Inc. Journal, Inc. First Choice Bank R.W. Reed Co.
Corporate Social Responsibility IMPACT ON CLIENTS 93% WILL BE MORE LOYAL to CSR-driven companies 87% PREFER BUYING from CSR-driven companies 80% IMPACT ON EMPLOYEES of job seekers PREFER TO WORK for CSR-driven companies 60% WILL PAY 60% MORE to CSR-driven companies 40% employees in CSR-driven companies HAVE BETTER MORALE than non-csr driven companies CSR is a way for companies to benefit themselves while also benefiting society. - James Epstein-Reeves, Forbes Your corporate gift can be designated to the specific partner agency, program, or impact area that best fits with your Corporate Social Responsibility focus. UNITED WAY IMPACT AREAS ACADEMIC SUCCESS: Programs and agencies focused on education, from early childhood through high school graduation and college preparation FAMILY STABILITY: Programs and agencies focused on helping families achieve and maintain selfsufficiency, from basic needs to financial education and family support HEALTH & WELLNESS: Programs and agencies focused on keeping individuals healthy, through preventative and acute healthcare, rehabilitation services, mental health services, and support Your company can also choose to support community initiatives like READ First or the Hunger Coalition. Like your employee donors, you can choose to direct your investment exactly where you wish and support the issues most important to your company.
Opportunities for Engagement Leadership Giving is special recognition for donors who contribute $500 or more annually, whether through a workplace campaign or through direct gifts. Leadership donors set an example in the community with their commitment to philanthropy and service. United Way encourages companies to recognize Leaders and to consider a Leadership campaign to increase Leadership Giving within the company. United Way has several opportunities for your leadership or employees to serve. We need people to serve in Community Impact, deciding how donors funds are invested; on the Campaign Cabinet, building relationships with our workplace campaigns; on several committees, such as communications or special events; and on our board, which is comprised of volunteers from various industries and all 7 counties. Each summer, United Way hosts 7 Back 2 School events and provides between 3,500 and 4,000 elementary students with backpacks full of school supplies to help them start the school year prepared. Your company can choose to sponsor children, and your employees are encouraged to volunteer at the event nearest them. Groundswell engages young adults with opportunities to connect, serve, and lead throughout Northeast Mississippi. Modeled after United Way Young Leader Societies across the country, Groundswell is geared toward your employees aged 18 to 40 and provides an opportunity to become involved in the community and grow their volunteerism and philanthropy. Volunteer Northeast Mississippi is the new online volunteer hub where people looking for ways to give back to the community can find volunteer opportunities across the region and with a multitude of nonprofit and service organizations. Employees looking for one-time or ongoing volunteer service can find what they need at volunteernems.org. United Way distributes over 8,000 t-shirts each year to donors who give at least their Fair Share (one hour s pay per month) or the Average Gift ($3.75 per week). We rely on corporate sponsors to help defray the cost of these t-shirts. Sponsors logos are printed on the back of all 8,000+ t-shirts.
2018 Partners in Impact 4-H Itawamba County 4-H Lee County 4-H Prentiss County 4-H Tishomingo County Agape Health Services, Inc. American Red Cross, North Mississippi Chapter Association for Excellence in Education (AEE) Autism Center of North Mississippi Backpack Ministry of Tishomingo County Banah Pregnancy Testing Center of Pontotoc, Inc. Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northeast Mississippi Boy Scouts Yocona Area Council Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi - Tupelo Clubs Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi - New Albany Club Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Mississippi - Baldwyn Club Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Mississippi - Booneville Club Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Mississippi - Iuka Club CATCH Kids Church After School Association, Inc. (CASA) El Centro, Inc. EXCEL, Inc. ExPect F.A.I.T.H. Food Pantry Faith Haven, Inc. Family Resource Center of North Mississippi Fellowship of Christian Athletes Food Depot of Tishomingo County Fuller Center for Housing of Houston, MS, Inc. Fulton United Methodist Food Pantry Girl Scouts Heart of the South Good Samaritan Center of Union County Good Samaritan Health Services, Inc. Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Mississippi Habitat for Humanity of Pontotoc County Helpful Samaritan Food Pantry Hope Family Ministries, Inc. Itawamba United Methodist Food Pantry West Meals on Wheels, MSMSS Mission Okolona National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of NEMS, Inc. New Haven Center for Special Needs Adults NMMC Camp Bluebird NMMC Camp Breathe Ezzzze NMMC Diabetes Treatment Center Patient Assistance Fund NMMC Heart & Vascular Institute Patient Assistance Fund NMMC Hospice Patient Assistance Fund NMMC Social Work Patient Assistance Fund North MS Kidney Foundation Parkgate Pregnancy Clinic, Inc. Regional Rehabilitation Center, Inc. S.A.F.E., Inc. Saints Brew Sally Kate Winters Family Services Salvation Army Salvation Army - Chickasaw County Salvation Army - Pontotoc County Sanctuary Hospice House, Inc. Shepherd s Center of Greater Tupelo Special Education Bowling Association St. Luke United Methodist Food Pantry The Sunday Fund at Traceway Talbot House, Inc. Three Rivers Area Agency on Aging Weekend Backpack Program 213 WEST MAIN STREET PO BOX 334 TUPELO, MS 38802 OFFICE: 662-841-9133 FAX: 662-431-1888 unitedwaynems.org