SPOTLIGHT: United Way of the Midlands

Name of organization: United Way of the Midlands

Year established locally: 1925

Top local executive:  Sara Fawcett, President and CEO

Contact information:  
1818 Blanding St.
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: 803-733-5400
Website: www.uway.org

Corporate giving contacts:
GB Olsen, Vice President, Resource Development
1818 Blanding St.
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: 803-758-6992
E-mail: GB Olsen

Average number of volunteers in 2020: United Way recruited 2,881 volunteers who gave a total of 28,795 hours, which is worth approximately $783,808.

Total operating budget 2020-21: $8,577,696

Percent of revenue dedicated to program services: : On average, 85 cents of every dollar we raise goes to program services.

Geographic area or specific population served: United Way of the Midlands partners with agencies, businesses, community leaders and individuals to determine and respond to the critical human service needs in each community we serve. With these partners, we provide programs and resources to improve the education, financial stability and health of people in Calhoun, Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg and Richland counties. 

Greatest need  
The needs in our community have sharply increased and will stay elevated for some time to come, so if you are able to give, please do so at uway.org. We need virtual volunteers to read to kindergarten through second grade students through our Midlands Reading Consortium at www.uway.org/mrc.  

2021 Top achievements:

Thanks to donors who supported our COVID-19 Response Fund, we provided direct help and support to more than 14,000 individuals and families affected by COVID-19, more than 10,000 of whom were accessing help for the first time. This was in addition to more than 48,000 people served by our Community Impact grants during the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

United Way strives to have children ready for school, reading by third grade and involved in programs and services that maintain and improve their academic success.

• More than 20,000 parents demonstrated increased knowledge about their children’s development through school readiness and parent engagement programs
• More than 690 children were tutored through United Way’s Midlands Reading Consortium program.
• 1,837 students participated in quality in and out of school time programs.

United Way-supported programs placed more than 1,000 people experiencing homelessness into housing, including 80 youth ages 17-24. 

United Way and hospital partners established WellPartners to serve Richland, Lexington and Fairfield counties.  Services provided through WellPartners include eye and dental care for adults and dental care for children.  All services are provided to people who are under insured or uninsured and have limited income. 

• 1,152 adults visited the eye clinics and received eye care and/or corrective lenses in 2019-2020.
• 951 adults and children  had their dental needs met, for a total of 21,884 treatments

2022 Goals:

After the immediate COVID-19 crisis fades, individuals and communities will be far more digital. If we can continue to build new bridges between community need and resources, we’ll be able to lead society’s response, recovery and rebuilding from COVID-19. Moving forward, we will continue to work together to create a new normal in our society where all individuals and communities have the resources and opportunities that they need to succeed. Our outcomes will continue to focus on helping young students read on grade level by 3^rd grade, reducing the stigma of trauma and build resilience among children and youth through Resilient Richland, and providing free dental and eye services to children and adults in the Midlands at our WellPartners clinics.

2022 Fundraising events:

Visit our website to see our upcoming events at www.uway.org/events

2022 Corporate Giving Opportunities:

United Way welcomes individuals and organizations to increase community capacity to care for itself through individual, leadership and major gifts, corporate gifts and sponsorship and employee giving.

2022 For information on:

Corporate Giving, Workplace Giving – GB Olsen, 758-6992, golsen@uway.org; Legacy Gifts, Major Gifts – Maria DeHart, 733-5449, mdehart@uway.org; Individual/Retiree Giving – Katie Levkoff, 733-5120, klevkoff@uway.org; Leadership, Affinity Groups, Sponsorship and Co-Marketing Opportunities – Becky Morrison, 733-5419, bmorrison@uway.org