Better Together
Collaborations
For over six decades, United Way of Southwest Alabama (United Way) has joined forces with the Southwest Alabama Labor Council AFL-CIO (SWALC) to forge a strong partnership aimed at enhancing the quality of life within the community. This collaboration is rooted deeply in a shared commitment to community service, a cornerstone of both organizations’ values and missions.
Community service not only forms the foundation of the labor movement but also represents the evolving spirit of unions to support working families and uplift community life as they grow. Through their enduring alliance, United Way and the SWALC concentrate their efforts on mobilizing resources and uniting local stakeholders to foster healthy communities, youth opportunities, financial security, and community resiliency.
SWALC Members contribute significantly to these initiatives by taking active roles on nonprofit boards and committees, hosting fundraising drives to support the unemployed and underemployed, and facilitating educational programs aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of union members.
Each year, United Way honors this deep-rooted partnership by presenting two prestigious Labor Awards in memory of distinguished labor leaders Red Leachman and W.O. Mozingo. Leachman served as the first Labor Liaison for UWSWA, and Mozingo, often regarded as the father of the labor movement in Southwest Alabama, was a longstanding member of the United Way Board of Directors.
For those interested in more details about this impactful partnership, please reach out to Leslie Schraeder, United Way’s Marketing Specialist & AFL-CIO Labor Engagement Liaison, at (251) 433-3624 or via email at lschraeder@uwswa.org.
The Alabama Association of Nonprofits is a community-focused partnership that enhances the success of nonprofit professionals and organizations across Alabama. It provides valuable resources, networking opportunities, and educational programs aimed at professional development. The Association’s efforts are centered on three main areas:
Educate
Offering regular, quality educational programs for individual and volunteer leaders within nonprofits.
Advocate
Acting as a unified voice to raise awareness about nonprofit policies and promote the sector’s impact throughout the state.
Elevate
Running the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute (NELI) to improve strategic and operational effectiveness within organizations.
This organization is committed to building a stronger, more effective nonprofit community in Alabama through continuous support and improvement.
Opportunity Nation is a bipartisan, national campaign led by the Forum for Youth Investment. It brings together over 350 organizations from various sectors to promote economic mobility and close the opportunity gap in America. The campaign envisions a United States where every individual, irrespective of their birthplace, has equal access to opportunities for success throughout their life.
The work of Opportunity Nation is underpinned by the Opportunity Index, the first online tool that provides a snapshot of available opportunities based on one’s location. This Index evaluates critical economic, educational, and civic factors that influence opportunity levels. A notable component of this is the high school graduation rate, which is crucial for enhancing opportunity and enabling upward mobility.
By leveraging a data-driven, bipartisan, and cross-sector approach, Opportunity Nation aims to address inequalities and create a robust foundation for the future success of America’s youth, ensuring they can thrive in various life stages.
The South Alabama Coalition of Non-Profits (SACNP) is a collaborative network of non-profit organizations based in South Alabama. As a member, the United Way joins other non-profits in a shared commitment to enhancing the operational effectiveness, advocacy, and public awareness of the non-profit sector in the region.
Key objectives of SACNP include:
Increasing Effectiveness
SACNP strives to enhance the efficiency and impact of non-profit organizations, aiming to optimize resources and improve service delivery across various sectors.
Advocacy
The coalition is proactive in advocating for the needs and rights of service recipients as well as the non-profit sector as a whole. This includes lobbying for favorable policies and support at various governmental levels.
Public Awareness and Support
SACNP works to raise public awareness about the critical role non-profits play in community development. The coalition seeks to boost public engagement and support through various outreach and educational initiatives.
Members of SACNP provide a wide array of services that significantly impact community life in South Alabama. These services span healthcare, environmental conservation, education, and the arts. SACNP’s efforts ensure that every community member, whether directly or indirectly, experiences the benefits of the coalition’s work, highlighting the pervasive and essential nature of non-profits in enhancing community well-being.
