The Needs Assessment Process is completed every
five to six years to raise the awareness of the public to
the health and social service needs of Rowan County, and to
serve as a guidance document in making funding decisions and
developing strategies to address the needs identified. The
methods used to gather information included:
Gathering secondary data relevant to the
health and social service indicators of Rowan County
Conducting focus group meetings of a broad
representation, including county leaders, professionals,
and citizen volunteers
Conducting a statistically representative
telephone survey of the citizens of Rowan County to gather
their input
As a result of the most recent Needs
Assessment effort, completed in 1999, the following priorities
were established and pursued:
Primary:
Education and Personal Empowerment
Medical and Dental Care Accessibility
Jobs: Creation and Retention
Secondary:
Barriers to the County's Hispanic and Non-English Speaking
Populations
Purpose: To supplement and expand the work
of local social service agencies, both non-profit and governmental,
in an effort to help people with economic (not disaster-related)
emergencies.
History: Created under the Stewart B. McKinney
Homeless Assistance Act on July 24, 1987.
Specifics: Calls for “sensitivity
to the transition from temporary shelter to permanent homes
and attention to the specialized needs of homeless individuals
with mental and physical disabilities and illness and to
facilitate access for homeless individuals to other sources
of services and benefits.
How to Apply:
Applications for agencies providing emergency food and shelter
funds are available at the Rowan County United Way office.
The local Emergency Food and Shelter Board determines how
the funds awarded to our community through the Stewart B.
McKinney Homeless Assistance Act are to be distributed. Under
the terms of the grant, programs operated by local, not-for-profit
service organizations, including local government and private
voluntary organizations, are eligible under the following
conditions:
Be a not-for-profit or an agency of
government
Have an accounting system or an approved
fiscal agent
Have a Federal Employer Identification Number
(FEIN) or be in the process of securing one.
Conduct an independent annual audit
Practice non-discrimination
For private, non-profit organizations, have
a voluntary board
To the extent practical, involve homeless
individuals and families through employment, volunteer programs,
etc., in providing emergency food and shelter services
Qualifying organizations
are encouraged to apply. New applicants must provide their
most recent audit. For more information, call the United Way
office at 704-633-1802.
Community Initiative
Grant:
The Community Initiative Grant encourages planning of innovative
new programming that addresses emerging needs and goals assessment
so that programs can be tested to make sure they yield beneficial
results.
Member and non-member agencies are eligible
for a maximum of $10,000 per grant. The eligibility limit
is two years for the same program.
Allocations
Approximately a hundred volunteers decide how
United Way dollars are spent in Rowan County. The Allocations
Process allows volunteers to serve as stewards of the community’s
money by monitoring how agencies spend.
The 100 volunteers make up eight panels. They
visit each agency to observe the delivery of services to Rowan
County residents, as well as analyze budgets to ensure that
funds are being used efficiently.
Day of Caring
Click here
to find out about this annual volunteer event. Each year,
volunteers from numerous companies across the community come
together to complete projects such as landscaping, painting,
and building for local schools and agencies.
Community Chest Fund
Rowan County United Way’s Community Chest
Fund meets urgent needs by serving as a “cushion”
or “safety net” for United Way agencies and community
partners. When a crisis arises, the Community Chest Fund allows
the United Way to respond quickly and effectively.
What The Team Does: The Rowan County United
Way Can Do Team includes volunteer employees from local industries
and city and county government who undertake essential home
improvement projects to help low-income seniors and disabled
county residents. United Way provides funding support.
Eligibility:
To qualify, seniors must be 60 or older. Disabled individuals
must have a handicap which substantially limits one or more
major life activities. In addition, the person must have very
limited personal or financial resources to address the need.
In most cases, the individual must own the home.
Types of Projects:
Approved projects, limited in scope to tasks that can be done
within a day, are those that help the person to live in a
safe and secure environment that fosters independent living.
Examples include cleaning up yard debris, repairing sidewalks
and porches, building handicap ramps, exterior and interior
painting, electrical and plumbing work, and correcting drainage
problems.
How to Qualify:
Approved human service agencies complete applications for
qualified individuals and propose the home improvement projects
to a United Way review committee. The agency representative
should be familiar with the recipient’s situation and
have his or her permission to submit the project for consideration,
as well as obtain a signature on the “hold harmless”
disclaimer and be willing to discuss the project with the
review committee and keep the recipient informed of the project
status. The agency also shall obtain permission for project
photos to used in promoting the Can Do program. Any agency
interested in being considered as a referral agency may contact
the United Way office.
Volunteers Needed:
Volunteer/project coordinators who have experience in home
improvement projects are needed to conduct home visits after
the Review Committee approves a project. These individuals
verify the project necessity and scope, prepare a list of
materials needed, and estimate the costs. The coordinator
will be assisted by the referring agency representative to
make arrangements for the home visit. Coordinators also help
facilitate the work of a Can Do team on the day the work is
scheduled to be completed.
Recognition:
Corporate sponsors, referral agencies and organizations that
sponsor Can Do teams are recognized in media articles and
at appropriate United Way meetings. Some recipients also may
be asked to participate in promotional activities.
The 211 system provides health and human
services information to callers 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week.
211 offers information in more than 120
languages.
211 is a partnership with United Way of
North Carolina to better serve local United Way agencies.
Information is accessible online.
MatchMaker
What Is the MatchMaker Program?
MatchMaker is a program which provides local companies an
opportunity to recycle surplus equipment and other items to
participating not-for-profit agencies
Why Is the Program Important?
In-Kind gifts allow not-for-profit organizations to better
serve their clients by supplementing an already tight budget.
For the company, in-kind giving helps to reduce inventory,
lower warehousing costs, and is an effective way to recycle
quality products.
Who Benefits?
Contributions are offered to participating not-for-profit
organizations on a need basis. If a donated item is needed
by more than one organization, United Way will match on a
first response basis.
How Does the Program Operate?
A company representative contacts the United Way office
and gives details of item(s) to be donated. United Way identifies
the agency which has the need for the item. Once the match
has been made, the agency director contacts the company to
make arrangements to receive the donation.
When Is the Program Available?
The program is available all year!
For more information regarding the United Way MatchMaker
Program, click here.
