"Building relationships to support our community with

collaboration, compassion and purpose."

By John Bailey

Catawba County United Way

For Renee Neal, becoming the Catawba Alliance for Recovery’s new coordinator is all about following her passion for helping others.

Catawba Alliance for Recovery (CAR) announced hiring Neal during the agency’s recent June meeting. The Catawba County United Way has been a partner of CAR since its beginning and is the fiscal sponsor for the organization.

The Alliance was started in 2019 as a way for the community and service providers to come together in the county to provide better and more consistent services for those in recovery or in need of recovery.

The group is focused on encouraging self-advocacy for individuals, families and support systems through their unique journey and reducing stigma about substance use and brain health issues, according to the organization’s website.

Neal, who was retired, has been involved with CAR since its inception and more recently was the group’s treasurer.

“I have three passions, recovery, mental health and homelessness,” Neal said. “In my former career, I worked with individuals who were in that realm of need, and I became very passionate about trying to help them find recovery, find peace, find a better life.”

The Council on Adolescents of Catawba County recently announced teen pregnancy rates have continued to decline, thanks in part to the Healthy Youth Education Program funded by Catawba County United Way.

The latest statistics from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services report Catawba County had 99 teen pregnancies in 2022, down from 122 in 2021.

The teen pregnancy rate, defined as the number of pregnancies per 1,000 females aged 15-19, has fallen significantly over the past ten years. This trend is a testament to the combined efforts of education, community programs and increased access to contraception.

“Investing in education and healthcare access for young people is yielding tangible results, benefiting not only the individuals, but society as a whole,” COA Executive Director Jordan Ledford said.

The Council on Adolescents (COA) is the leading agency for puberty and reproductive health education in Catawba County and serves approximately 5,500 students annually through the Healthy Youth Education Program.

This program provides integrated, sequential, age-appropriate, medically accurate and interactive puberty and reproductive health and safety education.

The COA contracts with Catawba County Schools, Hickory Public Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools as well as several private schools, to provide these state-mandated programs at significantly reduced costs. The ultimate goal of these programs is to decrease teen pregnancy rates across our community.

Key Findings:

• Historical Decline: The teen pregnancy rate has decreased by 60% over the past ten years, reaching an unprecedented low.

• Educational Impact: Comprehensive sex education programs in schools have contributed significantly to this decline by providing teens with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions.

• Community Programs: Local and national initiatives aimed at supporting teens and encouraging healthy lifestyle choices have shown positive outcomes.

“While we celebrate this achievement, we remain committed to addressing the disparities that still exist,” said Ledford. “Our goal is to provide every young person with the tools and knowledge to make informed decisions about their health and future.”

Everyone's favorite United Way boxer is fired up. Duke found a box and realized it's time to start planning his collection for the annual United Way School Supply Drive.

Is your company or agency interested in joining Duke and becoming a collection site?

Call John Bailey at the United Way - 828-327-6851 or email jbailey@ccunitedway.com.

Have you been helped by a local nonprofit who is also a Catawba County United Way community partner?

We’d like to hear your story.

These will be shared in our weekly newsletter and through our various social media channels.

The stories may also be compiled for press releases shared with local media outlets.

We've all heard the phrase - "It takes a village," and in the non-profit world it's true. The Catawba County United Way enjoys building relationships with its community partners and sees how much greater our impact is because of our collective efforts every day.

Below are some upcoming programs and events from just a few of those partners...please share, and if you're interested, the Catawba County Interagency Council meets the second Thursday every month at the United Way office - 2760 Tate Blvd SE in Hickory.

Call 828-327-6851 for more information or email jbailey@ccunitedway.com.

NC 211 is the United Way of North Carolina's health and human services information line.

For help - Call NC 211 by dialing 2-1-1 or (888) 892 1162 or visit THIS LINK.

Open 24/7, 365 days a year.

Catawba County United Way is one of several community partners who help fund this program every year.