Burke County United Way
Live United. United We Win.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We provide pathways to self sufficiency - empowering individuals and families to develop plans and goals to move from surviving to thriving - and youth success - providing opportunities for youth that fosters success in school, career, and beyond - with community collaboration.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Childcare Assistance Program
Our community's most pressing challenges are interwoven. A.L.I.C.E.* families often have to make difficult choices in order to get by, making it difficult to become fully self sufficient. We cover the cost of before school, afterschool, and summer childcare for eligible low-income, working families (with preference to single parents) whose income is 135% or more below the poverty level and who pay more than 30% or more of their income toward housing. During our Fiscal Year of 2022-2023, we have served 29 children in need of care; 22 families.
*A.L.I.C.E. is Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
Financial Empowerment Program
We propose to improve the financial stability of our communities’ citizens through proactive financial education classes with accompanying one on one coaching sessions by trained, Certified Financial Counselors. Services will be provided by Certified Financial Counselors who have completed training through The National Association of Certified Credit Counselors (NACCC). The training provides a “holistic approach to financial counseling and coaching, which emphasizes not only the financial side of debt-related issues but also the emotional/cognitive aspects related to destructive money behaviors. The Certified Financial Counselor designation provides financial counselors with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to teach clients how to considerably improve their financial well-being including the psychology of money, credit and banking, debt management, student loans, housing, and retirement."
Backpack Program
Every summer before school begins, we partner with Burke County Public Schools to purchase and give away 1000+ backpacks that are prefilled with school supplies to K-12 students in Burke County. Public, Charter and Homeschool students are welcome to apply.
Toys for Tots Program
Toys for Tots is a collaborative project with the Table Rock Marine Corps League in Burke County. Applications open at the end of October every year for families to apply for Christmas gifts for children aged 0-12. Volunteers gather to package and label bags of toys for each child and distribute the bags to the families at particular pickup locations in mid December. Each year Toys for Tots serves anywhere from 600-900 children in Burke County.
Read Across America
Read Across America is a collaboration with Burke County Public Schools (BCPS). 50-100 volunteers gather in March (around Dr. Suess's birthday) to read a book to an elementary school class room in Burke County. Reading aloud to students is invaluable to their development. Studies show the benefits of reading out loud include building vocabulary, improving comprehension and listening, and helps discussing difficult issues, just to name a few. (Source: Common Sense Media)
Nature Engagement Activity Trails (NEAT)
We are collaborating with Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina to bring NEAT — Nature Engagement Activity Trails — to our local parks and walking trails in Burke County. The NEAT Trailheads are designed to be installed along accessible walking trails, featuring prompts that promote engagement with one’s surroundings, support early learning, and connect families of all ages to our environment, for years to come. This program is currently in the fundraising and development stage.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of children who received school supplies
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Backpack Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of overall donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Economically disadvantaged people
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of youth receiving services (e.g., groups, skills and job training, etc.) with youths living in their community
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Childcare Assistance Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The BCUW Childcare Subsidy Program is designed to assist working families by paying for Before School, Afterschool, Summer Camp, and Schools Out Daycamp for K-12 Burke County Public School students
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
We envision a community where all Burke County individuals and families are equipped to live independently and thrive.
Our mission is to build a stronger Burke County community by empowering self-sufficiency; increasing housing stability; and fostering opportunities and success for youth.
Burke County United Way has been serving Burke County, NC for more than 60 years by focusing on finding the root causes of the biggest needs in our area; building strategic partnerships with local government, for-profit and nonprofit partners to unite people and resources; and mobilizing our community to invest dollars, time and influence toward long-term impact.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The organization has adapted its business model to meet the changes in the philanthropic market place by diversifying funding streams; facilitating community ‘listen and learn sessions’ to target needs and stakeholder interests; and enhancing donor stewardship and communication; and demonstrating and market community impact.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Burke County United Way has a very, though small, hardworking staff, supported by an active and invested board and supportive community and corporate partners. In 2018, Burke County United Way hired a new Executive Director who set a goal of increasing board engagement and and set other important goals in donor relations, and strategic planning. in 2019 BCUW hired third staff member, a marketing and administration professional, in order to increase its digital footprint and improve digital marketing efforts. As of 2023 BCUW has completed a several goals in its 2021-2024 Strategic Plan and is moving toward a more simplified message and longer-term strategic plan.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We have completed and adopted our 21-24 Strategic Plan; added board members of diverse skills and demographics to round out our board at 20 members; completed and adopted a DEI statement; hosted a Table Rock Society (donors of $1000+) event; increased giving during our annual 1BurkeGives Giving Day event by 19.5% from 2020; and solidified a marketing plan.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Burke County United Way
Board of directorsas of 02/15/2024
Mr. Alan Wood
Burke Development Inc.
Term: 2022 - 2023
Rodney Harrelson
Retired Banker
Dallas Stoudenmire
Chick-fil-A
Jean VanNoppen
VanNoppen Marketing
Ryan Lander
Morgan Department of Public Safety
Randy Burns
Western Piedmont Community College
John Hagmann
First Presbyterian Church
Sara Lecroy
Burke County Public Schools
Kim Logan
Burke County Public Schools
Pat Moll
UNC Healthcare BlueRidge
Barbara Myers
Retired - NC
Jamie Smith
VanNoppen Marketing
Tal Stephanides
Norvell Properties
Sheri Watts
Smith Miller & Buff, CPAs
Alan Wood
Burke Development Inc
Cindy Davies
Western Piedmont Community College
Connie Franklin
First Horizon Bank
Rico Guillen
Farm Bureau Insurance
Joe Tallent
UNC Health Blue Ridge
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/15/2024GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.