United Way of El Paso County (UWEPC)

Community impactunited Way of El Paso County is a local nonprofit focused on addressing the needs of our community by tackling the underlying issues affecting families and individuals. By focusing on four areas - education, basic needs & health, and financial stability -- United Way is providing the building blocks for a good quality of life. United Way believes: 1) every child should enter school with the skills they need to learn, be reading at level by third grade, and graduate on time; 2) all families should be stable, healthy and live in a safe environment; 3) all individuals and families should be afforded the opportunity to move toward economic self-sufficiency.we are working to create long-term, lasting change in El Paso by: 1) recruiting individuals and organizations that bring the passion, expertise and resources needed to get things done. 2) developing and implementing our place-based neighborhood strategies. 3) rigorously evaluating every program/initiative/project to determine what works and what doesn't.4) always looking for the best practices that demonstrate success.5) working with diverse stakeholders to replicate those successful practices community wide.

El Paso United family resiliency centerin the wake of the august 3rd mass casualty event, the agency was entrusted to stand and lead the El Paso United family resiliency center (frc), founded to support individuals who were directly or indirectly impacted by the tragedy.since its opening on december 19th, 2019, the frc has partnered with local agencies to connect El pasoans with support to facilitate their healing journeys. The frc team is comprised of dedicated resiliency navigators who support individuals and families to service their specific needs. Navigators provide referrals for counseling, financial planning, legal guidance, and spiritual care while also working to dismantle mental health stigma. In addition to connecting El pasoans to valuable resources and services, the frc team conducts outreach and education to further promote mental health wellbeing within the community.the agency accomplished this is by creating the United & resilient podcast, which gives us the opportunity to interview mental professionals, hear from local leaders, and speak with El pasoans about their thoughts and experiences, providing listeners with an insider's perspective on the topic. Between 2022 and 2023, resiliency navigators provided more than 744 referrals, serving more than 296 adults and 101 children.

Parents as teachersthe parents as teachers (pat) program is an evidence-based home visitation program that supports early childhood development by teaching parents and caregivers about important milestones and school readiness. Once enrolled in the program, families receive personalized visitations from our parent educators with an emphasis on parent-child interaction, development centered parenting, and family wellbeing. Parents and caregivers enrolled in the program also gain access to exclusive events, a resource network comprised of local organizations and services, and more.pat hosted a variety of events and activities to provide families and caregivers with resources, skill development, and foster connections between the families enrolled in the program. Between july 2022 and july 2023, parent educators conducted 1,793 home visits, both in-person and virtually, serving 214 children and 200 families. Last year, more than 500 resources were provided to these families.

Community buildingagency works to create a thriving community. We connect El pasoans to programs and resources; work with diverse stakeholders for greater impact; and provide opportunities for corporate social responsibility, volunteerism & civic engagement.agency accomplishes our goals by bringing people together convening subject experts, business leaders, donors, neighborhoods and members of local nonprofit agencies to help identify the community's most critical social issues. In forming these partnerships, the agency believes it is better able to address the underlying causes of problems in the community.expenses: $109,422 educationhealthy kids backbone organization the agency serves as the backbone organization for the Paso del norte health foundation's healthy kids priority area. Through our backbone work, the agency provides support and coordination of all healthy kids efforts, which aims to improve health outcomes by engaging disconnected youth in quality out of school time programs for children and youth between the ages of 5 and 17. The boost network through the borderland out-of-school time network, the agency serves as an intermediary, convening programs and partners within this network. The network is comprised of individuals and organizations who are committed to improving summer and afterschool programs available in the borderland region for children of all ages. Our combined efforts have evolved to adapt to the demands of the pandemic, offering both in-person and virtual events and initiatives. Between 2022 and 2023, the boost network was comprised of 52 ost providers, with six steering committee members providing oversight for the network. In 2022, 191 individuals attended boost quarterly meetings. Expenses: 201,774 grade level reading initiativethe agency's grade-level reading initiative works to ensure every child in El Paso is able to read at grade level, fostering school success through strategic book distributions and efforts at the book nook at sunland park mall. In an effort to build children's personal libraries, the agency's team successfully distributed nearly 2,500 quality, age-appropriate books to children throughout the community between 2022 and 2023. We attended twelve kid-friendly events that allowed us to meet new families and distribute books to children on a broader scale. Partnering with the sunland park mall team, the agency helped open the book nook on the mall's top level. The book nook serves as a safe space for families to gather to read, play, and spend time together. To further engage families of young children, United Way and the sunland park mall team host first fridays at the book nook every first friday of every month, complete with themed readings, crafts, and activities. First fridays at the book nook started in august of 2021 and served as another opportunity to distribute books to children and families.expenses: 11,014 basic needscovid 19 responseel Paso United community resiliency center (crc)in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic, city and County officials identified the need to stand a center to support El pasoans struggling financially due to the hardships brought on by the pandemic. The agency was entrusted to serve as the backbone for the center, overseeing and leading resiliency efforts and referring El pasoans to services.operating virtually, the crc successfully connected El pasoans to housing stability resources, such as rent, mortgage, and utility assistance. In turn, helping individuals to pay for living expenses at an uncertain time when job losses and pay cuts were on the rise. Once connected to the crc, individuals are referred to resiliency navigators who work closely with them to learn their individual needs and develop a personalized plan to make gains towards recovery and resiliency. Further examples of community partner assistance include connecting households to resources for food insecurity, mental health and wellness, healthcare, workforce and job-skill building.between 2022 and 2023, the crc made nearly 3,300 referrals, supporting more than 1,915 households throughout the borderland.expenses: $ 2,910,242 senior funda collaboration between the area agency on aging, the El Paso times, and United Way, the senior fund helps cover the cost of items and services that are not fully covered through social services. Last year, the El Paso community raised more than $28,000 to provide items and services including toiletries, bathroom remodels, dentures, hearing aids, and more. Expenses: $24,963efsp - emergency food and shelter programthe emergency food & shelter program (efsp) supports those experiencing hunger and homelessness throughout the El Paso community. Our United Way administers and helps facilitate efsp with a local jurisdiction board to assist organizations and essential programs offering provisions and housing to those most in need.through efsp, United Way also administers funds to support the community during emerging needs, including large influxes of migrants. An average of 10 organizations have been awarded almost $30 million to support and provide humanitarian assistance with regard to migrant services.expenses: $15,151 healthunited Way of El Paso County supports a healthy community by funding and leading mental health and wellness services. Through our community impact fund, we fund critical programs providing mental health services to El pasoans, including children. Our United Way also serves as the backbone for El Paso United, which connects El pasoans to quality resources and services, supporting their mental wellness in the aftermath of the august 3rd tragedy.expenses: $3,615financial stabilitycaring homes initiativeto better support small businesses providing home-based childcare services in elpaso, our United Way created the caring homes initiative (chi). Launched in 2022, the program aims to build the capacity of small, minority-owned childcare businesses by connecting entrepreneurs with resource navigation and financial assistance to stabilize or grow their businesses. Chi advocates for the future generations of El Paso by supporting small business owners in their financial and managerial capacities, providing mentorship and guidance, and increasing access to and improving childcare services to meet safety and quality standards oflicensure.the caring homes initiative is made possible thanks to grants from the rockefellerfoundation, wells fargo foundation, pnc foundation, and Texas mutual allowingus to support small local home-based childcare businesses.expenses: $165,961community engagementyoung leaders society (yls) and rise with ylsthe young leaders society is comprised of young professionals looking to further their philanthropic endeavors in order to support their community and make a bigger impact on the city they love. Yls members gain access to high-quality events, professional development opportunities, and volunteer opportunities throughout the city. In 2023, we had the pleasure of once again hosting our engage young professionals leadership summit in person, drawing more than 200 yls members to the day-long event. This year's theme, the power of intentionality, encompassed the art of leading a life filled with intentionality to exceed in establishing a professional, personal, and philanthropic legacy-all while maintaining a balanced lifestyle. The summit featured a distinguished keynote speaker, karla martnez de salas, editor in chief/head of editorial content at vogue mexico and latin america. Engage also featured two curated panels on intentional philanthropy and intentional balance, as well as opportunities for networking and mentorship. Yls members also gain exclusive access to the realize board training program by yls cohort. Offered over the course of three saturdays, young professionals undergo a series of courses to learn more about how to further their impact on the community through nonprofit board governance. A value of $1,300, yls members can complete the program for free. In 2022, a cohort of 25 individuals completed the program. As a stepping stone to our esteemed young leaders society, our donor network, rise, serves to support the philanthropic journeys of budding young professionals. Members of rise gain access to an exclusive event as well as one yls event per year, further engaging the community and connecting with other young professionals. As of 2023, rise has a total of 135 members.expenses: $38,874

Volunteerelpasoorgvolunteerelpaso... is an online database that connects El pasoans looking to support their city with needs in the community. Organizations in need of volunteers can post the details to the database, allowing individuals hoping to give their time to search for opportunities that meet their interests. This database has been of special importance as we navigated the covid-19 pandemic, the august 3rd mass casualty event, and multiple migrant influxes. Between 2022 and 2023, there were a total of 11,820 volunteer profiles, with 224 agencies posting needs. In this past year, 1,331 needs were met.expenses: $6,410realize board training in partnership with the Paso del norte health foundation, United Way delivers therealize board training program that helps prepare board members-or those interested in serving on boards-to successfully lead a nonprofit board and support the El Paso community. The program is taught by local boardsource certified professionals. The nine courses focus on helping board members learn about roles and the individual responsibilities of serving on a board, fiscal oversight, the board's role in fundraising, facilitating dialogue between board members, working with ceos, and more. Realize courses include nonprofit board governance, fiscal oversight and accountability, fundraising, and more.this past year, through a specially curated realize x yls program, 25 members of the young leaders society completed all nine courses of the board training program. United Way also piloted get on board, an effort to match realize x yls graduates with local non-profit boards. Seven recent realize x yls graduates were matched.the lunch & learn series offered on average twice a month is designed to provide a valuable curriculum to those who currently serve or are interested in serving on a nonprofit board during their lunch breaks. Over the past year, 18 realize lunch & learn sessions were offered and more than 195 individuals participated. Realize board training is also available to individual boards of 10 or more members.expenses: $93,516americorps vistaas a national service program, americorps vista is designed to build the capacity of organizations working to empower individuals and communities. Through the hard work of our americorps vista members, we've supported the El Paso County housing authority, ut health of houston-el Paso, and United Way. Between 2022 and 2023, americorps vista members completed 13,100 hours of service for the community.expenses: $24,986designationsdonors to the United Way of El Paso County may designate all or part of their contributions to specific non-profit agencies. For 990 reporting purposes, these designations to specific agencies are reported as revenue as well as program expense. United Way of El Paso County does not provide fiscal or program oversight for funds designated to a specific agency. The uwepc honors these designations made to the agencies. State, city and County employee campaign designations are made to each member organization by distributing a proportionate share of receipts based on donor designations to each member agency. Organizations receiving donor designated contributions undergo screening to verify compliance with provisions of the patriot act and current status as a 501(c)3 organization.expenses: $204,822