With nearly 50 musicians vying for the grand prize, Sing United just crowned a champion! James Island-based band Gritty Flyright took home the top prize in a spirited final Monday night against Berkeley High School senior Shyleah Booker.

If you missed it, listen to one of the songs that got Gritty Flyright and Shyleah to the finals!

Gritty Flyright is a Charleston collective that taps into multiple instruments including guitar, saxophone, harmonica, percussion, fiddle and banjo. Founder and singer/songwriter Wes Liston leads the eclectic group of talented musicians by merging elements of Blues, Country and Soul to present an authentic and undeniable sound.

Gritty Flyright will receive a package of prizes donated by sponsors, including the opportunity to perform with Sofar Sounds, opening for an upcoming show with Firefly Distillery and Ear for Music, $2,500 cash prize, produced music video, private photoshoot and an electronic press kit including website, domain and one-year hosting.

Spring is bringing optimism as COVID-19 reported cases are declining in South Carolina and vaccines are now widely available to anyone age 12 and older. Getting our region back in financial shape is an ongoing challenge.

Trident United Way's Resource Connection Centers in Berkeley and Dorchester Counties report typical past due rent requests were in the one to two month range prior to COVID-19. Now, many clients report being three to 10 months behind.

Trident United Way VP of Evaluation & Public Policy Jonathan Rauh reports the hospitality industry will not have a full rebound this summer. Rauh says many travelers may not return to pre-pandemic spending levels and restaurants continue to navigate a new reality.

Our 211 Helpline is busy with the majority of requests for help with utilities and rent. As the graphic below shows, the needs keep setting records even as COVID-19 new cases drop. 

Thanks to generous donors, Literacy United is generating results in its first year at Mt. Zion Elementary on Johns Island. Specialized monthly teacher training pulls everything together in what principal Anna Mims calls "a very effective intervention."

Ms. Parker's first grade class included two children who started the year as non-writers. Literacy United small group intervention sessions helped these two students to do letter and word work, writing words in their Elkonin boxes and sentences. (Elkonin box is phonemic segmentation practice - pictured above)

Trident United Way and our dedicated partners are helping Mt. Zion in a variety of ways:

The partnership of Trident United Way, CCSD and University of Florida Lastinger Center will continue through the 2022-2023 school years.

Please consider buying a book for our African American Leadership Council's 6th annual book drive. This link allows you to buy a book and volunteers will get them to schools in need.

You can also drop off a new or gently used book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at these Charleston locations:

Dedicated volunteers fuel Trident United Way's community improvement efforts. They come from a variety of personal and professional backgrounds. Volunteers are the glue that keeps our community together.

We recently celebrated our volunteers during National Volunteer Appreciation Week, including a special webpage.

If you or someone you know would like to volunteer with us, please reach out by emailing volunteer@tuw.org.

Trident United Way, along with partners MUSC Health and Roper St. Francis Healthcare, fuel Healthy Tri-County (HTC), a multi-sector regional initiative designed to improve lives in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties.

HTC recently worked with Tri-County dieticians on issues related to barriers to food access and give them access to resources to help their clients.

Dieticians conducted scenarios on meal planning for clients with tight budgets. Some groups had last minute barriers to give real-world examples of finding solutions for clients in times of crisis.

Experts from the Lowcountry Food Bank and Charleston County Schools also shared resources with the goal of providing a healthier life to people throughout the Tri-County.

To learn more about the Charleston Trident Dietetics Association, visit their Facebook page.

This past year, we have shared many stories of perseverance and people coming together to serve. I do not have enough space in this column to thank so many who have risen to take on this challenge.

But I would like to recognize a person who has selflessly given 30 years of service to Trident United Way, our Associate VP of Community Impact: Cathy Easley.

Her passion for service and long institutional knowledge makes our community service actions the best they can be. She is in direct contact with community partners who serve people with various needs for assistance. 

A few tears and hugs later, Cathy summed up her time this way: "I cannot even describe the honor and privilege it has been to be at this incredible organization for 30 years. The people I’ve met, watching this community be so invested in changing lives and making lives better and working together to make those lives better, it’s been an honor to be part of that.”

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