"Building relationships to support our community with

collaboration, compassion and purpose."

Today is the Day...the Catawba County United Way's Small Businesses Love Big grant cycle is now open.

Applications are due - Sept. 6.

Grant Criteria:

• Asking for a grant between $2,000 and $5,000.
• The non-profit agency and its program being funded is focused on helping Catawba County residents.
• Program impacts individuals/families in need in one or more CCUW impact area: health, education, income.
• Provide proof of 501c3 status.
• Provide impact report after use of funds, including demographics.
• Not currently receiving funds through the annual CCUW grant process. 

Thank You to this year’s local Small Business sponsors of this grant cycle:

• Tastebuds Popcorn Hickory,
• Keever’s Key and Repair Service,
• Lockman's Body Shop,
• Catawba Valley Insurance Agency,
• First Choice Realty,
• Nothing Bundt Cakes,
• Carolina Insurance,
• Broome Insurance,
• John L. Hyatt DDS MS,
• Moss-Marlow Building Co., Inc.,
• Morgan Law, PLLC (Hickory),
• American Fire & Security,
• VIP Laundry Conover,
• A Signco,
• Countryside Pet Hospital,
• RLI CPA,
• Emerald Health DPC,
• Homefield Athletics,
• The Gardner Group.

(The following is the second in a two-part series about the Rapid Rehousing program in Catawba County.)

BY JOHN BAILEY

jbailey@ccunitedway.com

In the last year, NC 211 received nearly 1,000 calls for help with housing in Catawba County. Among those calls were 299 for emergency shelters and 370 for rent assistance.

The local Rapid Rehousing program is one resource available to help, and leading this initiative is Chasity Houck, Homelessness Response Manager at the Western Piedmont Council of Governments.

Houck, along with her team, work every day to connect the homeless to some form of shelter in four counties: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba.

The United Way recently sat down to talk to Houck about how Rapid Rehousing works and its impact in Catawba County.

The focus of Rapid Rehousing is to provide help to families/individuals facing homelessness. Along with housing, this includes connecting them to other wrap-around services like healthcare, food resources, transportation. Examples of qualifying criteria includes being unsheltered or a survivor of domestic violence.

Partnerships with other agencies are key to the team’s ability to connect families to local services. They regularly work with Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley, Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry and Ashure Ministry, among others.

“A lot of times we’re working with people for whom housing is not always the first thing their needing. We encourage them to enter substance abuse treatment programs if needed,” Houck said. “Even if they say no initially, every time we talk to them, we go back to it.”

From Catawba County Public Health

Summer is quickly coming to an end and children will be headed back to classrooms across Catawba County very soon. One way to ensure they are healthy and ready to return is through routine vaccinations and health assessments. North Carolina requires vaccinations for children and teens entering Kindergarten, 7th and 12th grade.

Rising kindergartners and children entering public school in North Carolina for the first time should also have a health assessment completed by their child’s health care provider.

“It is important for children to start off the school year healthy and present in the classroom,” Catawba County School Health Supervisor Marianne Vogel said. “Being caught up on routine vaccinations provides the best protection against many childhood diseases that can cause severe illness and absences from school.”

School nurses are available as a resource in each school across the county. For families who do not already have a primary health care provider, school nurses can help them find one or locate a vaccine provider. 

Call Catawba County Public Health’s Immunizations Clinic at 828-695-5881. ­­­

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 (10:30 a.m.) 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.

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