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 since federal loan payments are set to begin again on Sept. 30th, 2021. 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 2021 – still awarding scholarships TBD
Women United:
Fall 2018 – Jacqueline Saracen
Fall 2019 – Kate Bilodeau
Fall 2020 – no qualified applicants
Fall 2021 – still awarding scholarships TBD
SingleCare Prescription Program
SingleCare, formerly FamilyWize, is a national prescription discount program available to uninsured and underinsured individuals and families to assist them with obtaining the lowest possible price on their prescription drugs. The average discount that consumers receive is 45%.
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 New Jersey Transit 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 ends 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. The cost of the regular shuttle is $1.00 each way and the internal shuttle is free.
The schedule is printed in English and Spanish. In 2020, ridership was 43,583. As of August 2021, there have been 22,282 riders on the shuttle this year. The total ridership since inception is 243,882.
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 six 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, and in Woolwich Township at Locke Avenue Park.
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 2020 was $37,004 and over 65% of our clients are over the age of 60 in Gloucester County.
As a result of COVID-19, AARP had to switch to a drop-off tax preparation model with limited in-person contact between the tax preparer and clients. Of the 7 sites, 3 locations opened as drop off/ pickup centers: United Way, Monroe Twp. Library and Washington Twp.
AARP volunteers are at the UWGC office site three days a week from early February through the deadline of April 15th. For the 2020 tax filing year, in Gloucester County, a total of 934 clients, of which 348 clients were serviced through the United Way of Gloucester County site. Clients from Gloucester County were served in filing federal and state returns, $1,202,398 was received in total refunds and $479,566 from UWGC clients. This service saved households an estimated $142,500 in filing fees across the county and $52,200 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 $4,027,450 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.
