Years of ServicePrograms and Initiatives
How United Way Helps
2023 Funded Agency Programs and Descriptions
Information is from Grant Requests
Funding for JULY 1, 2023 to JUNE 30, 2024
Note: Funding amounts for July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 can be found here.
The Arc Gloucester
Camp Sun ‘N Fun
The Arc Gloucester’s Camp Sun ‘N Fun respite program is designed to provide a full, independent, outdoor camp experience for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The program provides a safe and enjoyable environment while enhancing the camper’s abilities and increase socialization skills which, in turn, increases their ability to be a productive contributor to their community. For families and caregivers, this program is the only relief they receive from the non-stop, day-to-day, 24/7 care needed for an individual with I/DD. The pandemic and continued ramifications that inhibited a typical camp season the last three years were felt the hardest by these caregivers. Their one available respite was no longer an option. They began asking to reserve a 2023 session for their loved one immediately. The agency and program are doing everything in our power to move forward with returning to the full camp experience in 2023. This includes four (4) 6 day/5 night residential camp sessions, two (2) 12 day/11 night residential camp sessions, and eight (8) Day Camp sessions (5 days each).
Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence
Mentoring in Gloucester County
Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence (BBBSI) provides professionally supported one-to-one mentoring to children in Gloucester County using the BBBS model, designated as an “Evidence-Based Practice” for preventing substance abuse, adolescent crime, anti-social behavior, aggression, and delinquency among mentored youth. In Gloucester County, we offer “Community-Based” (CB) and “School-Based” (SB) mentoring. With CB mentoring, relationships are year-round; mentors (“Bigs”) interact with families and see child mentees (“Littles”) 2-4 times per month on weekends and/or after school. Activities together take place in the community. Mentoring matches commit to at least one year in the program, with many relationships lasting far longer. In our SB mentoring program, students from Rowan University volunteer and are matched to Gloucester County children who attend Glassboro Child Development Center’s after school program. Matches meet weekly. College Bigs provide Littles with a nurturing relationship, friendship and ongoing support for at least one school year. Throughout their involvement in the program, Bigs and Littles interact with and receive support from dedicated, trained, professional staff. During the pandemic, matches have been meeting virtually. Waiver forms can be signed by CB matches after a 90-day period that allows them to meet in person.
Boy Scouts of America, Garden State Council
Scouting Positive Impact
True to its Mission, the Council prepares young people to make ethical choices over their lifetime by instilling in them the core values of Scouting. Scouting provides a comprehensive structure that teaches young people to help others and teaches personal values of good character, good citizenship and personal fitness that allow them to achieve their full potential. The main area of concentration will be the underserved communities of Gloucester County, with an emphasis on promoting and recruiting young boys and girls who may otherwise not have the opportunity to join due to financial constraints. A recent study conducted by Tufts University over a 3-year period found the Boy Scouts build positive character. The study also found that the longer a youth stays in the Scouting Program, the higher the character attributes were developed. By providing quality programs for the youth of Gloucester County, they will have the opportunity to learn about citizenship, develop leadership skills, and build character that will enable them to make moral and ethical decisions in their daily lives.
Center for Family Services
Mother Child Residential
Center For Family Services’ (CFS) Mother/Child Residential Program (MCR) meets the basic needs of vulnerable women and children and empowers homeless women to achieve a better life for their families. Upon arrival, residents complete an intake form to identify their unique needs and develop an intensive case management plan. MCR offers on-site counseling, educational classes focused on baby bonding, parenting, anger management, behavioral health, domestic violence, healthy relationships, sexual violence, financial empowerment, cooking, substance abuse, housing, career and educational opportunities.
Center for People in Transition
Steps to a Career
The Steps to a Career Program assists clients in achieving self-sufficiency after experiencing the stressful situation of separation, divorce, domestic violence, being widowed, or the total disability of their spouse. The program works with clients in overcoming the psychological and physical barriers due to the crisis they have experienced and helps in choosing career paths and employability. The program assists with resume creation, conducting their job search, sharpening their interview skills, and keeping the job once they get the job.
FamCare
Special Medical Services Program
All uninsured and underinsured clients living in Gloucester County are able to receive routine reproductive health care services (RHS), cancer screening and diagnostic testing provided by the Special Medical Services Program (SMS). RHS includes gynecologic exams and age-appropriate thin prep pap tests, testicular exams for men, referrals for diagnostic ultrasounds of the breast, pelvis, vagina, and on rare occasions the scrotum. Services provided on-site include blood pressure screening, HIV and STD testing, as well as health education. Beneficiaries of United Way of Gloucester County funding are clients at or below 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL). FamCare’s ability to deliver cost-effective preventative care contributes to improvement of health outcomes for Gloucester County residents. United Way funding will ensure seamless access to preventative and diagnostic services for low-income, uninsured women and men in Gloucester County.
Food Bank of South Jersey
School Pantry at Woodbury Junior-Senior High School
The mission of the Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) is to provide an immediate solution to the urgent problem of hunger in our region by providing food to people in need, educating individuals and families about the importance of eating nutritiously, and helping residents to find sustainable ways to improve their lives. Families with children in south Jersey are increasingly challenged by a high level of food insecurity and by limited access to affordable and nutritious food. Extended periods of hunger and malnourishment in children especially impact their ability to grow and meet developmental milestones, to get proper rest, and to concentrate and learn while in school. In Gloucester County alone, about 9% of children under the age of 18 are currently struggling with hunger daily. FBSJ’s School Pantry at Woodbury Junior-Senior High School program was designed specifically to tackle the critical problem of hunger, particularly childhood hunger, in Gloucester County. The School Pantry offers a monthly food distribution program, hosted at Woodbury Junior-Senior High School, on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Open an easily accessible to all Woodbury residents…including school-age children…the School Pantry provides shelf stable products as well as proteins, dairy products, and seasonal fresh produce. In addition, FBSJ partners with Inspira Health System to provide monthly nutrition education services for residents during the Woodbury Junior-Senior High School distribution event. A registered dietician from Inspira Health is available to offer nutritional advice, food selection and dietary tips, and recipes for cooking healthy meals.
Girl Scouts of Central and Southern NJ
Girl Scout Leadership Experience
Girl Scouts look at their communities and take action to change it for the better. They make friends, challenge themselves with new experiences, write their own stories, and develop skills and confidence to declare, “I know I can do this!” These actions inform the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) and position Girl Scouting as a unique, established and tested environment for girls. The GSLE is founded on 3 foundational guidelines Girl-led activities give each member a voice to choose what they want to learn and grow. All activities include hands-on learning as a single member or troop member. The cooperative learning component comprises teamwork, respect and collaboration to plan a learning path and to overcome challenges simultaneously. Girls discover their talents and grow their self-confidence in a collaborative environment where they expand their horizons locally and globally. This prepares them to take action to make the world a better place with the help of supportive adults and troop leaders who bring these processes to life. The outcome is that Girl Scouts try new things, share their full selves, and see how good it feels to lead from their head and their heart. Girl Scouts build their life skills by participating in events, troop meetings, earning badges, mastering outdoor adventures at camp, and planning and doing community service projects.
Glassboro Child Development Centers
Camp Horizon School Year and Summer Learning Program
Our Camp Horizon School Year and Summer Learning Program at Bullock School has experienced changes this year due to the Glassboro School District selling one of its buildings and combining students differently. Our agency’s 21st Century Community Learning Center grant serves Glassboro Students in grades 3-8 after school and during summer, at no cost to families. But our Glassboro PreK-3- grade 2 students (and Gloucester County students outside of Glassboro) remain unable to access consistent funds to support attending our programs if their families do not qualify for state childcare subsidies. These low to moderate income families known as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) have been hit hard by the pandemic and without our program and this funding, it leaves a gap of about 30 Gloucester County students who would otherwise not be able to attend our school age programs. For 38 weeks during the school year and 10 weeks during the summer, we will provide Camp Horizon School Age or Summer Learning, Monday through Friday from 7am to 5pm for 30 students from ALICE families at a reduced rate of at least 50% of the state’s private cost. The program includes academic enrichment, all meals, health and physical activities including outdoor education, STEM and Arts programming, and service learning. All parents will be working or attending school or training programs.
HollyDELL
Adult Program Community Inclusion
The HollyDELL Adult Program provides adults, ages 21 and over, with moderate and severe disabilities, the opportunity to experience diverse aspects of life through direct interaction in the community. The HollyDELL Community Inclusion Initiative provides opportunities for individuals who attend the HollyDELL Adult Program to engage in a variety of activities in the local community. This allows them to work on academic, life, and social skills while participating in educational and recreational outings. Each consumer has goals listed in their Individualized Service Plan which are developed in partnership by the individual and/or guardian and support coordinator. These goals are largely related to participation in the community. Individuals in this program go into the community to participate in physical activities such as Get FIT at Rowan University, and bowling at local bowling alleys. They visit local farms where they go on hayrides and enjoy socializing by firepits. They attend shows at the Rowan Planetarium, and work on life skills while shopping at the Amish Market, the mall, and other local stores. They also engage in learning and leisure activities at the aquarium, zoo, and museums while spending time with their peers. These outings allow these individuals with disabilities to interact and engage not only with their peers, but also many typical individuals as well. This reduces social isolation and improves both their mental and physical health. Being physically active is crucial when it comes to living a long and healthy life. Having access to recreational activities, stores, and parks is essential and shouldn’t be limited for people with disabilities.
Literacy New Jersey
Gloucester County Adult Literacy Program
Literacy NJ will recruit, train, match and support volunteer tutors to work with adults in Gloucester County who struggle with literacy skills. Tutors will provide free, one-to-one and small-group instruction to Gloucester County residents in basic literacy, preparation for the high school equivalency (HSE) exam and English as a Second Language (ESL). During the pandemic, Literacy NJ expanded these services to include essential digital literacy instruction using Northstar Digital Literacy tool and this has continued during the ongoing recovery. We are so proud of our students as they navigate life’s challenges while learning to read, write and speak English, and while working toward a better understanding of the digital world. Our adult literacy students struggle with everyday tasks many of us take for granted: scheduling a doctor’s appointment, reading a store receipt, or helping their children with homework. In addition to being disproportionately affected by the pandemic and resulting economic upheaval, adults with low incomes and low literacy are more likely to lack the technology skills that are a necessity in our current job market.
Maryville Addiction Treatment Center
Community Recovery Support Services
Through our Community Recovery Support Services program, peers provide one-on-one support helping individuals to achieve and sustain long-term recovery. As a peer, their lived experience brings a level of understanding and respect that positions them well to help others who are experiencing addiction, treatment and recovery. Their focus is on SAMHSA’s four dimensions of recovery from substance abuse: 1) Health – overcoming or managing one’s diseases or symptoms and making informed choices that support physical and emotional well-being; 2) Home – having a stable and safe place to live; 3) Purpose – participating in meaningful activities (job, school, volunteerism, family caretaking, or creative pursuits) and having independent resources to take part in society; and 4) Community – engaging in relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope. Using person-centered planning, the peer mobilizes recovery support services based on the individual client’s unique needs to increase the likelihood of long-term success and reduce any change of relapse. The peer plays a significant role in connecting the client to supportive community resources that advance their wellness and recovery.
Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice
Center for Grief Support
The Samaritan Center for Grief Support has been providing counseling and support groups to the South Jersey community since 1999. Thanks to funding received from United Way of Gloucester County, our counseling and support groups continued, uninterrupted, throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, with the implementation of virtual personal and group sessions. Samaritan offers grief counseling for the loved ones of hospice patients and for individuals, couples, and families living in our community at large.
Volunteers of America, Delaware Valley
Eleanor Corbett House
The Eleanor Corbett House – Supplemental Housing Program (SHP) serves individuals who would otherwise be ineligible for housing benefits through the Gloucester County Board of Social Services or Work First New Jersey (WFNJ). During the course of their participation in the SHP, individuals served will work with case management to complete a comprehensive risk/needs assessment and an Individualized Service Plan (ISP); develop budget and savings plans; participate in Rent Smart Tenant Education curriculum; establish linkages to the community and its resources; and develop strategies for obtaining permanent housing. In providing services to this population, VOADV aims to meet the immediate needs of each family in order to lessen the impact of first-time or episodic homelessness, and to promote the stabilization, wellness and resiliency of each family unit. VOADV is also committed to ensuring that children – who are particularly impacted by unexpected changes in housing status – remain in their home school district, as per the McKinney-Vento Act. Through culturally responsive and strengths-based assessment and case planning, VOADV’s long-term goal is to assist families in achieving and maintaining economic self-support and self-sufficiency so upon discharge from the program, they are less likely to return to homelessness. In providing service to this population, VOADV aims to meet the immediate needs of each family in order to lessen the impact of first-time or episodic homelessness, and to promote the stabilization, wellness and resiliency of each family unit. VOADV is also committed to ensuring that children – who are particularly impacted by unexpected changes in housing status – remain in their home school district, as per the McKinney-Vento Act. Through culturally responsive and strengths-based assessment and case planning, VOADV’s long-term goal is to assist families in achieving and maintaining economic self-support and self-sufficiency so upon discharge from the program, they are less likely to return to homelessness.
YMCA of Gloucester County
Before & After School Program (SACC)
Based on a program developed by YMCA, the nation’s largest provider of child care, the SACC program is flexible and affordable. Choose from before- and/or after-care. Gloucester County YMCA’s School’s Out Program provides a safe and fun environment led by active, adult role models who promote prositive youth development. Serving children and youth from kindergarten through fifth grade in the child’s own school, the programs provide families with quality, consistent care before and after school hours.
