Direct Services

Manage Your Student Loan Debt

Savi is a new benefit that was recently launched by United Way to help individuals plan for and manage their student loan debt. Check out @bysaviusa to learn how to seek help with repayment plans, loan forgiveness and any other questions. Or, visit this site to take control of your student loans with Savi.

UWGC & Women United Scholarship Program

In the autumn 2017 season, the United Way of Gloucester County and Women United established a scholarship fund to benefit students at Rowan College at Gloucester County on an annual basis. The scholarship fund is one of the ways the United Way of Gloucester County is supporting the educational endeavors of local students. Applicants must reside in Gloucester County, maintain a 2.75 GPA, be a full-time student completing a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester, and actively volunteer. Applicants of the Women United scholarship must be female.

Below is a list of our scholarship recipients at Rowan College of South Jersey, by year.

United Way:
Fall 2018 – Jacqueline Saracen
Fall 2019 – Kate Bilodeau
Fall 2020 – Haley Marrero
Fall 2022 – Juliana Harris
Fall 2023 – Xachil Joachin Martinez

Women United:
Fall 2018 – Jacqueline Saracen
Fall 2019 – Kate Bilodeau
Fall 2020 – no qualified applicants
Fall 2022 – Kelly Lupton
Fall 2023 – Grace Nelson

SingleCare Prescription Program

This national program (formerly FamilyWize) is a free prescription savings card that is used by uninsured and underinsured individuals and families to receive a discount in the high cost of prescription medications. The goal is to have everyone receive the medicines that they need at a reduced cost. There is no paperwork to complete, no individual information is given and no financial or residential requirements are needed. The savings card is acceptable at all national stores where prescriptions are filled. In our community, more than 16,000 residents have been able to save a combined $2,000,000 using the SingleCare Card.

Transportation – Pureland East West Shuttle

United Way of Gloucester County is working with representatives from the County of Gloucester, Cross County Connection, South Jersey Transportation Authority and Heart of South Jersey, with the financial support from the Pascale Sykes Foundation for the Pureland East-West Community Shuttle. This shuttle provides low cost, easy access transportation along the route 322 corridor to the Pureland Industrial Park, as well as to other needed organizations for access to employment, supportive services, programs, medical, retail, etc. The shuttle connects with ten NJT bus routes. Gloucester County has public transportation running north and south, but there was no options for residents who are dependent on public transportation to go east and west, unless they take multiple transit routes and transfers.

The shuttle started June 1, 2015, runs Monday to Friday for the day shifts, with 11 stops starting at the Avandale Park & Ride, through Williamstown, Glassboro, Mullica Hill, Swedesboro and end at the Pureland Industrial Park. A stop at the new Inspira Medical Complex, in Mullica Hill, began in November of 2019. There is also an internal shuttle throughout the Industrial Park to take the employees to their specific worksite. Since January 2022, this program has switched to a fare free system. Prior to 2022, the cost of the regular shuttle was $1.00 each way and the internal shuttle has always been free.

For the full year of 2016, the total ridership was 27,747; for 2017, the total ridership was 40,025; for 2018, the total ridership was 45,637; for 2019, the total ridership was 52718; for 2020, the total ridership was 43,583; for 2021, the total ridership was 31,675; for 2022, the total ridership was 31,255. As of July 2022, there have been 18,803 riders on the shuttle this year. The total ridership since inception is 279,046.

NJ 211

United Way of Gloucester County has been a proud supporter of NJ 211 since 2005. Every day of the year this statewide information and referral service provides New Jersey residents with an easy way to get connected to help with essential health and human services, including affordable housing, utility assistance, healthcare, senior services, food and other vital programs. We know that when people need help and don’t know where to turn, NJ 211 is the place to start. With a database of over 10,000 programs and services and live assistance available at any time of the day or night, help is here. There are several ways to get connected to a resource specialist: Dial 2-1-1; text your zip code to 898-211; or chat online at www.nj211.org. If you prefer, you can do your own searching by going to www.nj211.org and accessing the very same database. All services are free, multilingual, confidential and available 24/7.

Born Learning Trails

The Born Learning Trail is an interactive trail designed to boost school readiness in preschool children through a series of 10 engaging activities, resulting in increased language, reading and problem-solving skills.

As of now, there are eight trails installed in Gloucester County – the Autumn Pasquale Memorial Park in Clayton, the Wing-Dickerson Park in Woodbury, the William Wilt complex in Mullica Hill, the West Deptford Park in West Deptford, in Swedesboro at Swedesboro Lake Park near Lake Narraticon, Locke Avenue Park in Woolwich Township, Township Line Park in Logan Township, and Dr. Robert N. Renlund Memorial Park in Glassboro.

AARP Tax Aid Program

This is a tax assistance program for low, moderate, and fixed income households. United Way was instrumental in obtaining multiple grants enabling the program to purchase laptops, printers, and additional equipment for all seven of the AARP sites, which file online. The average adjusted gross income of our clients in 2022 was $41,897.

Gloucester County was able to conduct in-person tax preparation at 7 sites this year. Participants were directed to the United Way of Gloucester County website to sign up for an appointment and could drop off their documents and wait in the conference room while their tax returns were prepared. The 7 sites included: United Way, Mullica Hill Library, Glassboro Senior Center, Deptford Senior Center, RiverWinds, Monroe Township, and Washington Township.

AARP volunteers are at the UWGC office site two days a week from early February through the deadline of April 15th. For the 2022 tax filing year, in Gloucester County, a total of 3,204 clients, of which 446 clients were serviced through the United Way of Gloucester County site. Clients from Gloucester County were served in filing federal and state returns, $1,727,570 was received in total refunds and $280,337 from UWGC clients. This service saved households an estimated $640,800 in filing fees across the county and $89,200 just for participants from United Way of Gloucester County site. Since the inception of the program in 2009, the initiative has saved County residents over $5,120,650 total in filing fees.

Day of Action

The United Way of Gloucester County and the Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce worked together to unite local volunteers for the annual Day of Action, an event that mobilizes the caring power of volunteers to make a meaningful impact in the community.

On and around June 21, thousands of people across the globe volunteer with United Way to fight for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. This “Day of Action” serves as a reminder that when people unite for the greater good, every day is a day of action. United Way Day of Action is a snapshot of what United Way does all year long – engaging individuals to work together to build stronger communities.