To improve people's lives by mobilizing the caring power and resources of our community; to provide local non-profit agencies with needed financial, professional, and strategic support; and to ensure that contributions fund programs that effectively move people from crisis to independence.
One Community. One Commitment. One Contribution.
UWSCC believes in the transformative power of education. We fund ten (10) nonprofit programs that move the clients to independence through education.
At the adult level, we are proud to fund an adult literacy program for non-English speakers whose lives are transformed when they master reading, writing, and speaking English. Their families' finances improve as they become eligible for better-paying jobs. A number of successful area businesses are now owned by graduates of this Adult Literacy Program.
Parents struggling with children born with disabilities need both educational advocacy and support services. A UWSCC-funded program provides those services.
We have four excellent school districts in southern Chester County, graduating wonderful children. Many of those children receive mentoring, tutoring, and guidance for achieving their dreams through after-school programs we fund. We even support a mentoring program specifically for teen mothers, helping them fulfill their future dreams and learn to be better parents simultaneously.
Education changes lives and your donations support that.
One Community. One Commitment. One Contribution.
In a perfect world, everyone has savings built up to handle what life throws at us. However, in reality, many of our neighbors live one circumstance away from financial disaster. Illness, job loss, divorce or the car breaking down can cause household finances to go into a tailspin in families living paycheck to paycheck. And, even in a perfect world, you can't predict when you might be a victim of crime which strikes out of the blue.
UWSCC funds nine (9) nonprofit programs that act to intervene in a crisis. The majority of basic needs assistance is used for homeless prevention when families fall behind on rent. Low wages paired with high rent continue to be an issue with low-income families in southern Chester County. Our programs' caseworkers provide long-term support for building household stability with these families through one-on-one counseling and workshops, teaching them to improve self-sustainability. Oxford currently maintains a higher rate of homeless than Kennett Square.
Struggling families can also access help with heating oil and electric bills and use our 2 funded food cupboards in Kennett and Oxford.
Crime attacks people, regardless of income level. UWSCC funding provide easy access to help for domestic violence victims and their families. 524 victims were helped in both the Kennett and Oxford offices in 2016. Many of our southern Chester County victims also face language barriers, along with a lack of knowledge about the legal help available to them. Domestic violence victims has access to a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter/safe house, trauma counseling for both adults and children, and legal advocacy and representation.
Over 660 southern Chester County residents were victims of crimes last year - ranging from homicide, sexual abuse, incest, and teen and adult sexual assault. A UWSCC-funded program helped them receive counseling and accompaniment to medical and legal proceeding.
UWSCC is proud to support neighbors in their time of crisis with programs that offer immediate aid. Your donations allows us to provide that help.
One Community. One Commitment. One Contribution.
We can't reverse the clock when it comes to aging or disease. We just have to deal with certain situations and UWSCC funds sustainability programs for our seniors to access to improve their lives. We also fund health and dental services for under-insured or uninsured families to improve their health and counseling services to improve their spirit. When we are healthier as a community, everyone benefits.
When we talk about stability programs, we are referring to programs that help stabilize families... programs that provide daycare scholarships for low-income families so they can afford quality childcare or programs that provide work-appropriate clothing and job counseling so women can work. If you can't afford the uniform at a job, even if it is as simple as nursing scrubs, or receptionist-appropriate attire for the office, you will not get the job.
