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Twenty-Second Annual Day of Caring Connects Area Business with Local Nonprofits

Around 30 area businesses gave more than 500 employees the opportunity to participate in this year’s 22nd Annual Day of Caring, the region’s largest single day of volunteerism, on Friday, April 22.

Volunteers spent the work day improving the community by working on projects at United Way partner agencies in Mobile and Washington counties. The events of the day highlight the impact and power of volunteerism as an integral aspect of our civic leadership.

Inaugural Hometown NFL Huddle Charity Golf Tournament a Success

On Thursday, April 7, United Way of Southwest Alabama held its Inaugural Hometown NFL Huddle Charity Golf Tournament at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove. Thirty-nine players, including 8 current or retired NFL players, spent the day on the course and helped bring awareness to the close partnership between United Way and the NFL that has existed for more than 40 years.

Collective Power & Community Impact Focus of United Way’s Annual Meeting

In front of an audience of roughly 150 community leaders, volunteers, supporters, and other community partners at United Way of Southwest Alabama’s (UWSWA) annual meeting and campaign celebration, Don Keeler, UWSWA 2015 Board of Trustees Chair and Vice President of Human Resources at Austal USA, thanked the community for their continued support of United Way through a year of transition and highlighted the collective power of United Way and its 49 partner agencies.

Mobile’s Airbus Flying Challenge Disembarks for 2015-2016 School Term

On Friday, April 8, Airbus Americas Engineering Mobile and United Way of Southwest Alabama (UWSWA), in partnership with Mobile Area Education Foundation (MAEF), the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center (Exploreum), and Mobile County Public School System (MCPSS), held a day-long closing event for the Airbus Flying Challenge, a thirteen-week-long mentoring program funded by the Airbus Foundation that focused on character development and STEM activities for students at Palmer Pillans Middle School.

Busting Myths of Free Tax Preparation

If you have preconceived notions about the VITA and TCE programs, you might be surprised to learn the truth about these commonly held myths:

Celebrating National VITA Awareness Day

Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) has designated March 15, 2016, as National VITA Awareness Day. In celebration, United Way of Southwest Alabama is spreading awareness about the state and federal income tax preparation opportunities available for free to individuals and families with a 2015 household income of $54,000 or less.

United Way Embarks on Creating New Five-Year Strategic

In February of this year, United Way of Southwest Alabama (UWSWA) began the process of developing a five-year strategic plan in order to better serve the needs of southwest Alabama and accelerate growth. At the conclusion of the process, several bold goals will be identified to guide the work of United Way in the near future.

March Volunteer of the Month

This month’s Volunteer of the Month comes to us from one of our partner agencies in Clarke County, Alpha Women’s Resource Center. Alpha Women’s Resource Center does not perform or make referrals for abortion, but offers free and confidential services to pregnant woman including pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, educational opportunities, and ongoing prenatal resources. Diane Pruitt, Executive Director of AWRC, nominated this honoree after her 5 years of loyal service to the center. Congratulations to Mary Evangeline (Vangy) Johnson, United Way of Southwest Alabama’s March Volunteer of the Month!

United Way United Way & Mobile Baykeeper Team Up for Coca-Cola’s Serve Your City Initiative

United Way of Southwest Alabama (UWSWA) in partnership with Mobile Baykeeper participated in this year’s Coca-Cola #ServeYourCity2016 initiative, a National Day of Service.

SPARC Students Tour UWSWA Partners

On Wednesday, January 20, 2016, members of Student Philanthropists Actively Reaching the Community (SPARC) toured several UWSWA partners, in order to increase awareness of UWSWA and its partners, while also teaching Mobile County high school students about community needs, fundraising, and grantmaking. This program is designed to raise student awareness of community needs, while engaging them in raising and distributing money to address these needs.