community Impact Report
To receive more frequent impact updates, check our emails and follow us on social media. As always, thank you for your gifts, which allow us to create meaningful, impactful change.
We wrapped up much more than holiday presents for local children and families as 2022 came to a close. Check out how we gave the gifts of help, hope, and opportunity to people across our region this quarter.
lives improved with the
help of corporate volunteers
$36,000+
raised for
The Way Home project
Black Panther premiere:
media highlights
uwcm.org
Home is Where our Heart Is
When the pandemic worsened the housing crisis, United Way responded with its Relocation Program.
The program serves Baltimore City tenants whose needs cannot be met by other eviction prevention or rental assistance programs. In its first year:
highlights
Impact
Highlights
Media
Highlights
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I finished strong due to the Family Center support. My relationship [with my child] and parenting is so amazing because the staff always helped me overcome any hardship! They gave me advice on how to be a great mother in any situation.
Always keep that energy, love, care, patience, etc. with the babies and mommies because that makes us feel amazing. To me, when I saw how y’all treat [my child] and myself, I felt so loved, supported, and motivated!
Our work was featured across many news outlets this quarter. View all media coverage on our news page.
October-December 2022
Rising Up for Rent Relief
United Way’s STEP (Strategic Targeted Eviction Prevention) Program provides rental assistance to at-risk households in vulnerable communities by using data to identify priority zip codes or “hot spots” with high rates of COVID, evictions, and structural/racialized poverty. Lump-sum payments are made directly to landlords that help as many as 100 households at once. Since its 2021 launch in Baltimore County, the STEP Program has expanded its reach to Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Harford, and Howard counties. More than $70 million has been distributed to pay past-due rent and utilities for more than 9,000 households through September 2022.
The Power of Partnerships
Our partners play a huge role in supporting the needs of our neighbors in Central Maryland. This quarter:
1,900
950
students in our
Neighborhood Zones
received school supplies
182
individuals successfully relocated to new homes
35 Years... Already?!
In celebration of the Meyerhoff Family’s contributions to United Way and the upcoming 100th Anniversary, our Tocqueville Society celebrated its 35th year anniversary with a night of connections, conversations, and laughter. We are incredibly grateful for the work we have done together to have changed lives forever in the region we call home.
Caw to Action:
United Way joins statewide call to Maryland leadership for additional rent relief funding:
local leaders to join
board of directors
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new CLIFF Dashboard
100% of individuals and families remain housed
49 households received security deposits & 3 months of rental assistance
25 households received security deposits & 6 months of rental assistance
Awards
Honoring Greater Baltimore’s Top Philanthropists and Volunteers
We celebrated and honored our top philanthropists at our Toast to Tocqueville event hosted by McCormick & Company this past fall. Among those honored were KCI Technologies (Organization of the Year), Mike and Ann Hankin (Philanthropists of the Year), and the Fine Family of Holly Poultry (the Mark Furst Volunteers of a Lifetime).
Undercounted and Overlooked
A recent United Way ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) report reveals that 50% of Marylanders with disabilities are living in financial hardship, with income that doesn’t meet the cost of basic necessities like housing, child care, health care, transportation, and a smartphone plan. Check out the interactive report here.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Premier
The Way Home Move-In Day
Toast to Tocqueville
Caw to Action at ShareBaby
Awards
Holiday Pop-Up Markets and Toy Drives:
OneMain Financial created 200 Financial Literacy Kits
Argo assembled 100 stress-relief kits
T. Rowe Price:
Wrote thank you notes to 500 teachers in our
On Track 4 Success schools
Created 500 toiletry kits for individuals in our Neighborhood Zones
Assembled hygiene items for women at My Sister's Place Women's Center
Thanked 500 veterans from our Veteran Treatment Court programs
McCormick & Company:
Packed 1,400 comfort kits for individuals in our Neighborhood Zones
Round Up to Make Communities Stronger
We’re in our 10th year of our Round Up partnership with grocery store Harris Teeter, which has raised more than $231,000 for United Way of Central Maryland since 2012.
800 students attended
our special premiere
of Black Panther:
Wakanda Forever
35 apartments were filled with home goods for people transitioning from homelessness
3.6 million volunteer
time devoted to
Caw to Action
450+ kids
received gifts for
the holidays
our Impact
of 9
Breaking down barriers for young men of color
In partnership with I am MENtality, we launched
Young Men United, an innovative, equity and economic advancement initiative to help young men of color achieve their academic and vocational dreams.
One film. So much impact.
We sparked the dreams and imaginations of nearly 800 local students and a special premiere showing of the film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Our exclusive screening brought together students from six Baltimore City public schools and Morgan and Coppin State Universities. It also featured a visit from Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott!
“It’s truly appreciated that United Way has brought together nearly 1,000 high school and college students from throughout Baltimore to enjoy this film and celebrate our culture.”
- Mayor Brandon Scott
Wish wish wishing for children in Howard County
Joined by Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, Howard County officials, local executives, and partners, we celebrated the opening of our third Family Center, which serves as an early learning home for up to 76 infants and toddlers and provides resources and services for families and individuals in the area. Among the participants was children’s book author, Sandra Magsamen, who read from her book, I Wish Wish Wish for You, which illuminates the power and purpose of wishes.
Making their way home
Our Leaders United membership group raised funds
and set up apartments for 35 individuals transitioning
to stable, supportive housing at the Sojourner at
Oliver apartments in East Baltimore as part of
The Way Home Project. Residents won’t have to worry about outfitting their new homes – volunteers purchased housewares and stocked the apartments with all the things that make a house a home.
No fumbles here!
The rain didn’t stop our 2,000 volunteers from showing up Caw to Action, a statewide event held in partnership with the Ravens. Along with our virtual volunteers, 60,000 hours were donated to improving lives and neighborhoods. The day also featured visits from 17 players, cheerleaders, and Sashi Brown, the president of the Ravens.
Giving the gift of joy
We gave 4,000 people across our Neighborhood Zones in Columbia, Poppleton, and Brooklyn/Curtis Bay reasons to smile this holiday season. Donors and volunteers supported our Holiday Pop-Up Markets, donated to our toy registry, or supported a family.
Visit our media section to see the holiday cheer!
Justice for all
We partnered with Civil Justice, Inc. to bring access to legal representation to Baltimore area residents at risk of eviction. The program piloted in Baltimore City, where there are more than 140,000 eviction filings each year, but only 125,000 rental units. Check out these media features: WBAL & Public News Service.
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Raising awareness
Lisa Hamilton, president & CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Franklyn Baker, our President & CEO, shared their common concern and real data to tell the story of how struggling Maryland children and families are faring. Read their commentary here.
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Realities of Inequity session
Our 11th Realities of Inequity session focused on access to healthy food. Local leaders discussed systemic and policy issues at play, barriers to food access in both urban and rural communities, and innovative solutions to provide nutritious food to those in need. Check out this article to hear more from one of the panelists.
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KCI Technologies
Organization of the Year
Mike and Ann Hankin Philanthropists of the Year
The Fine Family of Holly Poultry
Mark Furst Volunteers of a Lifetime
One in 100
Our president and CEO, Franklyn Baker, was named to The Daily Record’s Power 100 list of leaders who are responding in significant ways to address the social challenges of our state.
On Top! (Again!)
For the second year in a row, United Way of Central Maryland has been named a Top Workplace by The Baltimore Sun. Our dynamic team continues to provide what’s needed, where it’s needed in Greater Baltimore.
A True ICON!
Our Chief Operating Officer, Martina Martin, who has served in the United Way system for four decades, was honored with an ICON award by The Daily Record for her notable successes and demonstration of strong leadership both within and outside United Way.
211 is #1
The Maryland Department of Human Services awarded the 211 Maryland United Way Helpline the COVID-19 Response Award for its work in connecting people to emergency food.
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