Real Stories, Real Impact
You make a difference in so many lives.
Pamela Swartz and her family stopped getting hot water. The hot water heater for their double-wide mobile home broke late last year, and they couldn’t afford to replace it.
“We had heat; no hot water,” said Swartz, who lives in Dover Plains. “We would get it for a few moments and that would be it.”
The couple’s daughters began showering at their friends’ homes. Pam and her husband washed their hair in a sink and used sanitary wipes on the rest of their bodies...read more.
Andrea and Jeremy Hansmann of Hopewell Junction know their daughter and son are on track in their development. They’ve had Sarah, 2, and Joshua, 3, screened twice thanks to free childhood screenings provided by Astor Services for Children & Families.
“I just wanted to see where they were at in their development,” said Andrea Hansmann of her children’s’ screenings.
Hope. Security. Stability.
That’s what the Hudson Valley CA$H Coalition provides for those in need.
Through free tax preparation for qualifying seniors and lower income families, Coalition members work to find Earned Income Tax Credits for those eligible, helping to put money back in the pockets of people struggling to make ends meet.
“This program is recognized federally as the largest anti-poverty program in the United States,” said Mary Marshall, Director of Catholic Charities Community Services...(read more)
Dawn fire leaves 9 family members homeless in Beekman
Family grateful forUnited Way help
At 5 a.m. on April 23, 2009, Mary Lou and Edward Anderson were woken by their 19-year-old daughter, who smelled smoke. Edward got up to investigate. “I heard him screaming, ‘Get out of the house! Get out of the house! Call 9-1-1!’” said Mary Lou. Their Beekman home was on fire. (read more)
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See how your donations changed Michelle and Tim Watson's life.
When Tim broke his leg, he discovered that he had bone cancer, and couldn't work. In order to take care of their four kids, and make sure that Tim received the medical care he needed, Michelle had no choice but to quit her job as a Certified Medical Assistant. The bills were overwhelming - they lost their house, their car. Now, after almost two years in hospitals...(read more)
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The Blakelys needed your support, and they got it.
As first time parents, John and Clarissa Blakely thought they were doing everything right for their 6-month old daughter Gabriella. They read all the parenting books parents and friends recommended. They took Gabby for regular check-ups and followed the doctor's advice. But they noticed some issues, and did not know what to do. (read more)
Triplets Hamilton, Nora, and Nicole (names changed) were born on Christmas Eve. After their initial joy at this gift, their mother, a part-time bus driver, and father, a full-time mechanic, realized they would have to choose between health insurance and food. On top of this, one of the parents would have to leave their job as they could not afford daycare for three infants, but the mother’s job provided health insurance while the father’s did not. Thanks to the support they received from the Zion Episcopal Church Food Pantry in Wappingers Falls, the mother was able to keep her job with the health insurance, and still provide enough basic needs for their family.
Needing to fulfill a prescription for his wife, Robert (name changed) was forced to leave a pharmacy without the vital medicine because without insurance, the family could not afford it. Terrified at the consequences, Robert called 2-1-1 and found out about United Way’s FamilyWize prescription discount card. He downloaded it from our website printed the card, and returned to the pharmacy. With the discount, Robert was able to purchase the essential medicine.
Comforting spaces at child abuse center ease dark fears
“Without this help from United Way [donors] I’m not sure where we would turn.”
A friendly face; an inviting house. For victims of child abuse a welcoming environment is more than a pleasant place to be. It’s a desperately needed haven from danger.
That’s why the Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse in Poughkeepsie is painted in child-friendly colors and outfitted with stuffed teddy bears and smiling dolls. It’s why children in Dutchess County who are suffering at the hands of neglectful and malicious adults aren’t brought to a scary police station for interviewing but to the Center’s cheery rooms and comforting spaces. And it is why funds granted by United Way of Dutchess County to the Center are used to buy furnishings, paint, televisions, recording devices and more.
“We’re trying to do two things,” said Larry Weisberg, CPCA board member and Interim Executive Director. “Get the bad guys off the street and in jail and ease the trauma of the child.”
The Center also uses money donated through United Way of Dutchess County’s Holiday Helping Hand program to help fund its Special Needs Parenting Program, whereby the CPCA buys clothes, food and gifts for kids whose parents are incapable of providing basic necessities for their children.
The fact is that it’s only through a community-wide effort, like United Way of Dutchess County’s campaigns, that the CPCA is able to provide children of abuse with a safe haven and work to bring their abusers to justice. “It’s always a challenge for non-profits to raise money,” said Weisberg. “Without this help from United Way I’m not sure where we would turn.”
