$300,000 announced for food security, youth mental health, and more
Thanks to contributions from local donors, we are excited to announce a new round grant funding to 20 Lane County programs— an investment of $300,000 over the next two years.
The Florence Food Share team
United Way’s Community Support Award grants support programs addressing one or more of United Way’s four outcomes known to increase children’s chances for success: families are healthy and stable, kids enter kindergarten ready to learn, students are successful in elementary school, and youth have the knowledge, skills and credentials to pursue their dreams. Priority was placed on proposals serving historically marginalized communities throughout the county.
Upon receiving grant applications from programs, it was clear that food access, youth mental health, and kindergarten readiness were substantial challenges for communities recovering from the pandemic.
Food access continues to be a challenge for families, both before and during COVID-19, so a quarter of United Way’s grants will support programs addressing food insecurity, like Florence Food Share, which provides families with food and helps increase food independence in Western Lane County.
“Unfortunately, with much of the support structures established during the pandemic slowly being reduced, many of our seniors, essential workers, and families experiencing extreme poverty will not benefit from the economy reopening and still face great strife. With the collaboration and support of great partners like United Way, we can make an even greater impact in the community we serve.”
Youth mental health and wellbeing has also been a substantial concern for local communities during COVID-19, so a few grants will be invested in programs supporting the wellbeing of marginalized youth. United Way’s grant funding for Oregon Blacks in Government, for example, supports a mentorship program for Black youth designed to avoid progression into the criminal justice incarceration system.
“Blacks are in a crisis when viewed through the school-to-prison pipeline data and the goal is to eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline and change the experience for Blacks in sentencing disparities.”
A South Lane teacher leads a class of Kids in Transition to School (KITS)
Access to kindergarten readiness programs has diminished significantly as well, as many child care and kindergarten prep programs closed during COVID-19. A number of the new grants are funding early learning and child support programs, including KITS (Kids in Transition to School) in the South Lane School District, serving many Latinx and immigrant families.
“Supporting parents and providing children with tools for strong social/emotional and literacy development are critical elements of school readiness,” said Suzanne Price, Early Learning Program Administrator for the South Lane School District. “Through KITS, we are able to ‘ready' children for their K-12 journey, setting them up for success from the start. KITS has proven beneficial for the students and families of South Lane and we are so grateful to be a part of the KITS community!”
Programs Receiving Funding
As of July 1, the following 20 programs will receive two-year Community Support Award grants
Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Lane County ($10,000) - Out of school programming and child care for K-8 students in western Lane County.
CASA of Lane County ($20,000) - Recruitment of additional volunteers to meet the community need for additional CASAs.
Centro Latino Americano ($15,000) - Support for the Pilas Family Literacy Program, youth mentorship, and a community garden site serving LatinX / immigrant families.
Community Sharing Program ($10,000) - Operating support to provide emergency food and basic needs for families in south Lane County.
Connected Lane County ($20,000) - Summer STEM programming for BIPOC, unhoused and rural youth to advance career readiness.
Daisy C.H.A.I.N. ($20,000) - Increasing equitable access to perinatal services and creating career pathways for BIPOC providers.
Florence Food Share ($10,000) - Operating support to provide emergency food and basic needs for families in western Lane County.
FOOD for Lane County ($10,000) - Supporting the network of 33 emergency food pantries served by Lane County’s food bank.
Junction City Local Aid ($10,000) - Operating support to provide emergency food and basic needs for families in north Lane County.
Looking Glass Community Services ($15,000) - Operating the Station 7 Youth Shelter for unhoused and runaway youth.
NAACP Eugene/Springfield ($15,000) - STEM programming to address learning gaps for BIPOC children and youth.
Oregon Blacks in Government ($15,000) - Supporting BIPOC youth in the juvenile justice system by pairing them with a BIPOC mentor.
Oregon Community Programs ($20,000) - Providing parents with strategies to improve difficult behaviors their children are struggling with.
Pearl Buck Center ($15,000) - Preschool program for children of parents living with intellectual / developmental disabilities.
Relief Nursery ($15,000) - Therapeutic preschool program for children at high risk of abuse and neglect.
South Lane Mental Health Services ($15,000) - Mental health services for rural youth from ALICE families (asset limited, income constrained, employed).
South Lane School District: Early Learning Center ($20,000) - Kids in Transition to School (KITS) program for LatinX and immigrant families in South Lane Sch. District.
SVDP First Place Family Center ($15,000) - First Place Family Center and related programs to serve unhoused families with children.
Upper Willamette Community Development Corp. ($10,000) - Operating support to provide emergency food and basic needs for families in east Lane County.
White Bird Clinic (HOOTS) ($20,000) - to provide youth mental health crisis response and ongoing counseling.
In total, 58 programs applied, requesting over $2.6 Million in funds in this grant cycle. “These requests underscore the extensive need and continued struggle so many in our communities face as we recover from the health and economic impacts of COVID-19,” said Jared Pruch, United Way’s Director of Community Impact. “We’re hoping that, through donor contributions and strategic grant making in these key areas, that we can move our communities’ important efforts forward more quickly and effectively.”
Contributions from individual, business, and corporate donors make these grants possible. To support these programs and United Way’s broader efforts to ensure kids’ success, community members and businesses can donate, volunteer, and become sponsors of United Way’s work at www.unitedwaylane.org or by calling 541-741-6000.