United Way of Southern Maine

Goal 1: Give kids a strong start. Children will lead our communities tomorrow and we need them healthy, educated, and resilient. It takes all of us working to ensure that even the youngest children in Southern Maine have a strong start so they read at grade level in third grade. We know that until third grade, children are learning to read. After third grade, they are reading to learn. It is critical to their lifelong success. Success Measurement: By 2027, reduce the reading proficiency gap to no more than 10 percentage points between all third-grade students and students from populations with historical inequities. UWSM funding that supports Goal 1 enabled, among other things: 1. 81 individuals in Southern Maine earned their Child Development Associate Credential. 2. 92% of children (402) in United Way-funded programs met developmental milestones before kindergarten. 3. $285,270 invested in early childhood education centers and $90,000 to train and consult with early childhood educators in managing challenging behaviors. Additionally, United Way of Southern Maine invests in or supports the following collaborative efforts toward this goal such as: Brick & Beam Society, a Giving Circle of United Way of Southern Maine, is a collaboration of young adult professionals investing their time, skills, and finances to impact the Thrive2027 goal around early childhood education. They focus their funding on STEM and literacy programming for under-served kids in Southern Maine. Funding supports organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine, Portland Community Squash, and Gateway Community Services which have a combined reach of 220 students. Each of these unique, but comprehensive programs aim to increase student access to enriching, safe after school programming. Count ME In is an innovative partnership of schools, parents, youth, and community organizations working to improve elementary school attendance. They work with 254 school staff members from 10 schools to increase their capacity to achieve and maintain high-fidelity implementation, which includes generating annual attendance data reports to inform their efforts. Coordinating with local and State agencies, they impact policies and practices that reduce chronic absenteeism. Biddeford Ready! (BR!) is a collective impact project developed to address school readiness in children 0-5 in Biddeford. BR! has three areas of focus: 1) access to quality early learning opportunities, 2) increased awareness of the importance of school readiness, and 3) identification and mitigation of the impacts of adverse childhood experiences. UWSM serves as the backbone of this collective impact project. Volunteer Reader is a United Way of Southern Maine run program that has expanded to 14 school sites in the 2023 2024 school year. We have had 70+ community members trained to volunteer on a weekly basis in a local school, focusing on individualized literacy support for students. Each school works with their students and volunteers to facilitate meaningful sessions where students practice important skills and build confidence and relationships alongside their reading buddies.

Goal 3: Help us all live longer, better lives. Today, too many lives are cut short due to barriers to health, such as untreated mental health issues and substance use disorder. This is why we work to ensure that everyone in Southern Maine has opportunities to live healthier lives to reduce preventable premature death. Success Measurement: By 2027, reduce preventable premature deaths by 10%. UWSM funding that supports Goal 3 enabled, among other things: 1. UWSM funded 10 programs that strengthen access and delivery of behavioral and physical healthcare. One of the greatest challenges in Southern Maine is access to services and the ability for organizations to meet the growing demand for treatment. The funding provided by UWSM allows partner organizations to meet this increasing need. 2. Through a partnership with the Maine Chapter of the National Associatoin for Mental Illness (NAMI) 107 professionals in Southern Maine were trained, free of charge, on Mental Health First Aid. In this training participants learn to recognize warning signs of mental health problems, learn about depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis, and addiction disorders. Participants then create a 5 step action plan to assist someone developing a mental health problem or who is in crisis. 3. $10,000 per Goal Cabinet for a total of $30,000 was invested in training for community partners on the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. Through the community investment process UWSM funded 8 programs that prevent, identify, mitigate, and treat ACEs. Preventing ACEs can help children and adults thrive and potentially reduce the risk for conditions like depression, asthma, cancer, and diabetes as well as reduce risky behaviors like smoking and heavy drinking in adulthood. 4. 4,656 callers were referred to mental health and addiction resources in Southern Maine by UWSM supported 211 Maine. UWSM is proud to partner with United Ways of Maine and the State of Maine to provide free and confidential connections to local services including domestic violence, addiction treatment, health care, mental health resources, and financial assistance through the 211 program.

Goal 2: Empower neighbors to thrive - not just survive. When people have the educational and employment opportunities to become financially stable, they can pay their rent on time and put food on the table. They are also better able to save for emergencies, buy a house, pay for college, and save for retirement. This is why we work together to ensure more individuals and families in Greater Portland are more financially secure through improved education and employment opportunities. Success Measurement: By 2027, 70% of households pay less than 30% of their income on housing. UWSM funding that supports Goal 2 enabled, among other things: 1. UWSM investments helped more than 835 households maintain or access safe temporary or permanent housing. 2. 1,362 individuals increased their wages. 3. 526 households received free tax preparation through CA$H Greater Portland. These individuals and families saved $122,304 in income tax preparation fees and received $740,043 in federal and state income tax refunds, including $138,699 in federal Earned Income Tax Credits. Additionally, United Way of Southern Maine invests in or supports the following collaborative efforts toward this goal such as: 1. Funded by Women United, an individual giving group of UWSM, The Opportunity Alliance's Project WIN (Women in Neighborhoods) is a collaboration that works with a group of single mothers and their children living in Portland's East Bayside neighborhood. Project WIN helps parents pursue employment skills and education goals to improve their own economic security and stability, while simultaneously ensuring their children are on a path at an early age to foster a love of learning. The program served 16 single-mothers and 49 children. By focusing jointly on the development of both mother and child(ren), Project WIN engages families using a two-generation approach. Women United supports this initiative because they know children and families do better when they both have every opportunity to succeed in school, in work, and as a family. 2. United Way of Southern Maine serves as the backbone for the Greater Portland Workforce Initiative (GPWI). GPWI is a collective impact collaborative that builds on the existing work and experience of 16 community organizations and connects with the public workforce system to create a dual-customer pipeline aligning with the needs of jobseekers and employers. To achieve this, the GPWI identifies sector-specific opportunities for sustainable employment, engages employers for input into the core and occupational skills required for increased employment of jobseekers with barriers to employment, provides individuals with barriers the skills and supports necessary to enter into the identified pathways, and provides employers with access to qualified jobseekers. Among their various projects, the GPWI offers a Bridge to Childcare Development Associate program and piloted a Childcare Business Incubator in partnership with Portland ConnectED and CEI, Inc., in Greater Portland. Participants experienced decreased barriers to training and employment, gained knowledge of career pathways, earned recognized credentials, increased income, and gained access to employment benefits and job retention supports. The Bridge has shown remarkable success, received incredible support, and is recognized as a best practice. 3. United Way of Southern Maine serves as the administrator for the Local Boards of the federal Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP) for Cumberland and York Counties. This program is designed to help communities respond to local emergency food and shelter needs. EFSP funds to help local existing programs, such as food pantries and shelters, expand their capacity to serve those in need. Local funding decisions are made by the Local Board, which sets priorities, advertises the availability of funds, makes funding recommendations, and provides technical support to recipient organizations throughout the grant period. In FY 23, EFSP awarded $98,080.00 to organizations in Cumberland County and $12,866 in York County through Phase 40. In FY 23, Special Funding Requests in Cumberland County brought in $3,614,857.53 to support nine community organizations providing frontline services to the recent influx of new arrivals in our community.

1. 211 Maine is a free, confidential program that provides information and referrals to people of all ages across Maine to local services. 211 Maine is based in Maine and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by phone, text, and online. 211 Maine connects people to resources such as heating and utilities assistance, access to food pantries, housing and shelter, and mental health services through a toll-free telephone number (211), a text option (898-211), and a robust online directory at www.211Maine.org. 211 Maine is a partnership of the United Ways of Maine, the State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services, and The Opportunity Alliance as the contact center partner. Last year, 211 Maine Specialists fielded approximately 77,480 calls, providing information and referral services, as well as operating specialized initiatives like the Gambling Helpline and fielding general questions about browntail moth caterpillars on behalf of Maine CDC.2. Keep ME Warm is a statewide partnership of the seven United Ways in Maine and the ten Community Action Agencies (CAPs) to raise funds to supplement fuel assistance programs in Maine. Keep ME Warm is the only statewide fuel assistance fundraising effort in the state. United Way of Southern Maine is the custodian of the Keep ME Warm Fund and is responsible for collecting, distributing, and reporting. Funds contributed to the Keep ME Warm Fund are distributed based on a formula developed by United Ways in Maine and CAPs based on federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) distribution percentages and population. CAPs receive 50% of the funds, United Ways receive 25%, and 211 Maine receives 25% to fund emergency overnight assistance through 211 Maine. Donations to Keep ME Warm Fund provide emergency heating assistance. CAPs use the funds to help households that might not be eligible for limited federal, state or local fuel assistance programs. United Way funds support additional organizations and agencies in their communities that can help those in need of fuel assistance. 211 Maine aids in the distribution of funds for statewide overnight emergency fuel assistance for people who have no heat and have children or elderly family members in their household. More than $740,000 was raised for heating assistance through Keep ME Warm last year. United Way of Southern Maine estimates that more than 1,660 households were helped, directly benefiting approximately 2,760 people. 3. Designations are donor-directed contributions to health and human service organizations. Donors to United Way of Southern Maine's campaign may direct all or a portion of their contribution to specific nonprofit agencies that provide health and human services. Each agency's nonprofit 501(c)(3) status and compliance with the USA Patriot Act is verified before funds are distributed.4. Volunteers play a vital role in improving people's lives and in helping United Way of Southern Maine reach our organizational goals. We know meaningful community solutions require more than just money, programs, or policies. The kind of real and lasting change that benefits everyone is only possible when people from all walks of life are willing to roll up their sleeves and go where their time and talent is most needed. United Way of Southern Maine is helping to support Thrive2027's (our community's commitment to three 10-year, community-wide goals, www.Thrive2027.org) success by guiding its vision and strategy, aligning partners, and sharing best practices. United Way of Southern Maine puts people at the heart of transforming their communities by calling on them to utilize their full range of assets - time, talent, and treasure. We believe volunteer efforts are the backbone of the community and strengthen the connections that create positive changes that benefit everyone. They help build the capacity of local non-profit agencies by enhancing and expanding the agency services to meet community needs. United Way of Southern Maine works with our corporate partners and others in the community to identify and recruit volunteers to fill identified needs in our schools and local nonprofits. These volunteer opportunities include readers, tax preparers, skills-based volunteers, and volunteers who are responsible for evaluating and decision-making recommendations for our community grants/investments. Through a collaborative effort with the United Ways in Maine, United Way of Southern Maine offers a statewide, searchable listing of volunteer opportunities at https://uwsme.galaxydigital.com/. This valuable tool allows organizations to post volunteer opportunities and individuals to perform a customized search. In addition to hosting and administering the site, we offer technical support to volunteers and non-profit organizations. United Way of Southern Maine organizes a variety of community events, including an annual food drive, Day of Action, Volunteer Reader Program, literacy kit assembly projects, warming kit assembly projects, and much more. Custom volunteer opportunities focused on engaging our corporate partners have become one of our fastest growing points of volunteer engagement. In fiscal year 2023 1,138 volunteers from corporate partners participated in custom volunteer projects. For volunteers who seek to have a longer-term, strategic impact on their community United Way of Southern Maine multiple committees and cabinets such as the Emergency Food and Shelter Program committee, Community investment committee, Resource Development cabinet, and many more. The committees and cabinets were supported by over 270 volunteers in the fiscal year 2023.