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Chatham Success Network

United Way is committed to ending and preventing poverty for 2,000 people in 2,000 days (by 2030). To bring this vision to life, we are proud to announce the launch of the Chatham Success Network (CSN), an innovative, community-driven initiative designed to provide families with the support they need to thrive.
Empowering Families Through Collaboration

Beginning with Siler City Elementary, where poverty rates are significantly higher than the county average, the Chatham Success Network brings together a powerful network of community partners to provide seamless, wraparound services for families in need. These partners include:

  • Chatham County Department of Social Services
  • Chatham County Schools & McKinney Vento Program
  • Chatham Literacy
  • Communities in Schools
  • Partnership for Children
  • Salvation Army of Chatham
  • United Way (backbone support, family engagement resources, and evaluation services)

Making an Immediate Impact

Since the program’s launch, Maria Soto, the Chatham Success Network’s Family Navigator with Communities in Schools, has already enrolled the pilot program’s first clients. With personalized guidance, these families now have direct access to case management, education, housing assistance, and employment support, helping them access tools to achieve lasting stability.

Strengthening Our Community Together

The Chatham Success Network is more than a program; it’s a transformational partnership. By working together, agency representatives are better equipped to provide holistic support and break down barriers for families. Weekly partner meetings foster collaboration, problem-solving, and collective impact, ensuring no family falls through the cracks.

Already, families are feeling the difference. They express confidence in reaching their goals, knowing they have a dedicated support system behind them.
“True power lies in collaboration,” says Tych Cowdin, Executive Director of Communities in Schools. “When people come together to share ideas, they inspire new solutions, and collective wisdom paves the way for meaningful change.”

Join Us in Creating Change

Launching the Chatham Success Network is just the beginning. As we work toward our Bold Goal, we invite you to learn more, get involved, and be part of the solution.

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Mental Health First Aid 2024

Just as CPR helps you assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches you how to assist and support others who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge.

Eleven people attended the MHFA training, representing community members, Chatham Housing Collective Provider Subcommittee members, and members of the larger housing sector in Chatham County. The training was facilitated by two facilitators from Vaya Health

MHFA trainees learned the following over the course of their day:

  • Common signs and symptoms of mental health challenges.  
  • Common signs and symptoms of substance use challenges.  
  • How to interact with a person in crisis. 
  • How to connect a person with help.  
  • Expanded content on trauma, substance use and self-care. 

Vaya Health provided the free training, with United Way planning the day, providing lunch and managing signups. Thank you to everyone who attended!

Views: 138

Giving Tuesday – Thomas’ Story

Today is Giving Tuesday, a global day of generosity where individuals come together to support causes that make a difference. It’s a day to turn compassion into action, creating hope and opportunity for those who need it most. Thomas’ story is a powerful example of the life-changing work made possible by your support. Join us today — because your generosity fuels hope, resilience, and a stronger community for all.

A Lifeline for Thomas: United Way’s Role in Restoring Stability and Hope

Individuals and families in Chatham County are being evicted weekly with nowhere to go. This was the case for Thomas. Thomas was diagnosed with stage four bone cancer and no longer able to work. With no income and unable to pay rent, he was evicted, homeless, and living out of his truck.

Thomas was a few years shy of social security income, and hung up in the red tape surrounding his disability status. He lived in his truck for several months during the heat of summer, driving to Southern Pines for cancer treatment several times each week. The cancer was in his spine, and a truck during the summer months offered little comfort and only a few hours of sleep each night.

Multiple agencies assisted Thomas with food while he was living in his truck, and eventually he was moved to a hotel, where he was able to have a caregiver. Because of apartment waitlists, Thomas’ hotel stay was extended to three months, paid for by multiple nonprofits in Chatham. Eventually Thomas was moved into a two bedroom apartment with his caregiver, where he’s now been for one year.

Thomas’ journey demonstrates the impact of Chatham County’s collaborative network of service providers, led by United Way. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of multiple agencies, Thomas’ needs were addressed with both dignity and urgency. His story highlights the significance of tackling systemic barriers and serves as an example of how United Way fosters meaningful change through strong partnerships.

Please support United Way so we can continue leading and creating collaborative, sustainable solutions for Chatham County residents like Thomas. Your generosity fuels meaningful change and helps build a stronger, more connected community for everyone.

Want to make a difference for people like Thomas? Donate today:

  •  $25 provides food for several days
  • $50 provides an overnight stay in a hotel
  • $100 provides a utility deposit
  • $500 provides a deposit for a rental home/apartment

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United Way Executive Director Guest Speaker at Chatham Chamber’s Annual Event

United Way Executive Director Katie Childs was asked to speak on housing challenges and United Way’s role in creating collaborative solutions in our community at the 2024 Chatham County Chamber of Commerce’s State of Chatham annual event. Childs began United Way’s housing work in the winter of 2021 with the creation of the Chatham Housing Collective, which is now managed by United Way’s newest employee, Daisy Butzer, our Impact Manager. Housing is just one of the focuses of United Way’s Bold Goal Program – ending and preventing poverty for 2,000 people in 2,000 days. To learn more about our Bold Goal, visit www.unitedwayofchathamcounty.org/boldgoal.

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Meet the Bold Goal Family Navigator

Meet the Bold Goal Family Navigator, Maria Soto

We are happy to announce Communities in Schools of Chatham County (CIS) has hired the Bold Goal Family Navigator, Maria Soto.

The Bold Goal Pilot Program focuses on families in Siler City, using Siler City Elementary School as a gateway to provide comprehensive support. With 86% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch and 85% from racial/ethnic minorities, the program targets households seeking to improve income and social determinants of health. 

Maria will collaborate with case managers to create and implement family support plans, with services wrapping around entire households.

Maria has served the Chatham community in various ways since 1988, and we asked her a few questions to learn more about her role and how she believes the new program will be received in the community.

Question: What do you most look forward to as the new Family Navigator?
Answer: To help individuals and families navigate systems of care and improve their quality of life. 

Question: With your experience in Chatham, how do you think families will react to this new coordination of services you will be providing? 
Answer: Families are likely to react positively to the new coordination of services provided by the Family Support Navigator through Communities in Schools of Chatham County. 

  • Increased Hope and Empowerment: Families may feel more hopeful and empowered as they gain access to resources, support systems, and guidance tailored to their specific needs.
  • Trust and Collaboration: Relief from Navigational Challenges: Many families struggle to access and navigate complex systems of care. The Navigator’s guidance can alleviate stress, particularly for those facing systemic barriers like language, transportation, or lack of awareness.
  • Building Social Connections: Community gatherings and other opportunities to expand social networks can help families feel more connected, supported, and less isolated.

However, some families may initially express hesitation or skepticism, particularly if they have had negative past experiences with similar programs or systemic institutions. Building trust through consistent communication, cultural sensitivity, and transparency will be key in addressing these concerns.

Question: What do you think of the United Way’s Bold Goal and this new, collaborative service delivery United Way is leading between agencies?
Answer: United Way’s Bold Goal—to end and prevent poverty for 2,000 people in 2,000 days—is ambitious, but it reflects a proactive and focused approach to addressing systemic poverty. This initiative reflects United Way’s and Chatham County’s commitment to tackling poverty at its roots while empowering families through coordinated, sustainable support. The Family Support Navigator role aligns perfectly with this vision by bridging gaps in services and helping families achieve self-sufficiency. 

For more information on the Bold Goal Program, visit our website

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UWCC Awarded $30,000 grant from Chatham County Government for Bold Goal

United Way was awarded $30,000 from the Chatham County Government’s annual nonprofit funding allocations for our Bold Goal work. The United Way Bold Goal project will end and prevent poverty for 2,000 people in 2,000 days, employing a strategic approach focused on collaboration, system change and targeted interventions.

We are continuing to design and will soon finalize our Bold Goal pilot program with our design cohort. Our design cohort partners include: 
  • Chatham County Department of Social Services
  • Chatham County Schools and the McKinney Vento Program
  • Chatham Literacy
  • Communities in Schools
  • Partnership for Children
  • Salvation Army of Chatham
  • Uplift Chatham and Central Carolina Community College
The Bold Goal program is unique because no other agency is taking a collective approach to aligning services across sector and institution to meet a single community outcome. The direct service component of this work will be carried out by several community partners. However, the backbone organizing, and community convening is only being done by United Way of Chatham County. In fact, this was specifically the role United Way was asked to play during the four-month listening tour that was completed in 2023.

We are committed to the continued work of ensuring greater opportunities for households experiencing poverty in Chatham County, and we look forward to sharing details on our pilot program this fall. 

Views: 269

United Way Receives Grant from Pittsboro Rotary Club

Many thanks to the Rotary Club of Pittsboro for a $1,000 grant to purchase supplies for the unsheltered. The supplies will be distributed by Chatham County’s Street Outreach Coordinator, which is funded by United Way and a federal grant managed by Central Pines Regional Council. 

Views: 244

Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) Presents Chatham County Housing Action Plan to Board of Commissioners

United Way staff attended the Chatham County Commissioners meeting Monday, May 6, and we heard from two of our partners – Minnesota Housing Partnership and Partnership for Children. 

Minnesota Housing Partnership presented the 2023 Chatham County Affordable Housing Plan to the Board, which has been in the works since 2023. United Way led Chatham Housing Collective is cited throughout the collaborative plan, and we look forward to continuing partnerships and increasing awareness and resources to residents and future residents of Chatham. For a current timeline of what the CHC has achieved since its 2022 inception, visit www.unitedwayofchathamcounty.org/housing. 

Chatham County Partnership for Children presented its fiscal analysis and gave an update on the state of early childhood education and childcare challenges they are facing. They have a great plan in place to improve the childcare crisis in Chatham County, which includes childcare employee subsidies to improve hiring numbers and retention. Visit their website to learn more. 

Views: 300

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