Latest news with #UnitedWay
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
United Way rallying businesses to become drop-off locations for school supply drive
LAFAYETTE, La. () — Summer has started, but it's never too late to start thinking about next school year. Those at United Way of Acadiana are kicking off their 'Stuff the Bus' school supply drive. This drive makes sure families in need are given what they need to make the next school year a success. 'Families have a hard time making ends meet and buying school supplies can be an extra financial burden for them,' says Holly Cope-Lynn, Market and Communications Director for United Way of Acadiana. United Way of Acadiana collects these school supplies to hopefully provide some economic relief for both students and teachers in the area. 'Half of every household lives in economic hardship, so that's half of our students, half of our teachers,' says Cope-Lynn. Teachers are increasingly dipping into their own pockets to set their classrooms up for success. 'Teachers spends on average $800 a year in their own funds to buy these supplies for their classrooms,' adds Cope-Lynn. This school supply drive is a huge undertaking and United Way is reliant on both community help and volunteers. 'It takes hundreds of volunteer hours, it takes hundreds of volunteers,' says Cope-Lynn. 'There are multiple phases, everything from businesses signing up to be collection sites to people actually bringing in their items to donate.' Some of the items collected include paper, pens, pencils, crayons, folders, Kleenex, and hand-sanitizer. At this time, United Way of Acadiana is attempting to rally businesses to become drop-off locations for these items. They need businesses in Lafayette parish, but especially other parishes in their five-parish service zone, including Acadiana, Iberia, St. Martin, and Vermilion. 'We get the school supplies to those school districts, and we need businesses in those parishes to collect school supplies,' adds Cope-Lynn. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Eventually, at the end of the summer, when all these items are collected, they plan to fill up their entire warehouse. According to Cope-Lynn, this is not an impossible goal, especially with the success the drive saw last year. 'Last year, we collected more than $100,000 in value in school supplies,' says Cope-Lynn. 'That went to 500 teachers in our five parish areas and that helped 30,000 students and that is serious impact,' adds Cope-Lynn. The 'Stuff the Bus' school supply drive runs from June 17th through July 16th. If you are a business owner and you'd like to sign up your business to be a drop off location, you can visit to do so. United Way of Acadiana also has purchase supplies on an Amazon wishlist that can be shipped directly to their warehouse. Any additional information can be found at United Way rallying businesses to become drop-off locations for school supply drive Weather Service rehiring at offices left 'critically understaffed' by layoffs Fan reportedly struck by falling concrete at Dodger Stadium Fatal tractor crash prompts farm road safety push Senators itching for Trump green light to move on Russia sanctions Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
United Way of Bemidji Area welcomes new board members
Jun. 2—BEMIDJI — The United Way of Bemidji Area has announced Sue Hendricks and Gary Johnson as the newest members of its Board of Directors. After retiring from teaching in the Bemidji School District, Hendricks served as one of the 2024 Co-Chairs for the United Way's annual Campaign for the Community. Under her fundraising efforts, the organization raised $768,150 to support area programs. Johnson is the former CEO of Paul Bunyan Communications and recently retired after 36 years with the company. He has also served the Bemidji area as a Rotarian and board member of Greater Bemidji Economic Development. "Now retired, both have made a lasting impact on our community through their leadership and dedication to Bemidji, and we're thrilled to have them bring their passion and expertise to the United Way board," a release said. To learn more about the United Way of Bemidji Area and its work, visit
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Newman Central Catholic High School completes pasta drive to help kids
Newman Central Catholic High School has announced the successful completion of a pasta drive organized by its student clubs to support the Let's Feed Our Children program, an initiative by the United Way of Whiteside County aimed at addressing childhood food insecurity during thesummer months, a news release says. The Mary Shelly Club took the lead in this community effort, partnering with Mardi Ybarra from United Way of Whiteside County to collect donations of individually packaged pasta meals—including Easy Mac, Chef Boyardee, ramen noodles, and chicken noodle soup. These donations contribute directly to the nearly 15,000 servings of pasta needed to provide free summer meals to children throughout Whiteside County. 'Newman's students and staff are committed to serving the community, and this pasta drive is a wonderful example of that dedication,' said Paula Passini, director of advancement at Newman Central Catholic High School. 'We are grateful to the Mary Shelly Club and all participants who helped support this vital program to ensure no child goes hungry during the summer.' The Let's Feed Our Children program will continue distributing grab-and-go meals across 20 locations in Whiteside County throughout the summer, providing four free sack lunches weekly to any child 18 years or younger. For more information about the program or to get involved, contact Mardi Ybarra at United Way of Whiteside County by phone at 815-625-7973 or email mybarra@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mexican restaurant in Rockford unveils Illinois' largest margarita
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Mexico Clásico is known around Rockford for its traditional Mexican cuisine, but now it is known for making the largest margarita Illinois has ever seen. The creation comes as Mexico Clásico celebrates its 12th anniversary of serving the Rockford community. The margarita's volume came in at a whopping 6 litres. All funds raised during the anniversary event went to the United Way of Rock River Valley. 'United Way is a big organization for helping people with secondary languages, like learning Spanish,' said General Manager Mauricio Segoviano. Segoviano and staff have been working toward breaking the record for some time. 'It's something we've been working on for the past three, four months. We had to send these made from Mexico and processed to get here, so we made sure it would be the biggest margarita in the state of Illinois,' Segoviano continued. Segoviano said that the goal for the restaurant is to make people feel at home with an authentic environment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
47% of Florida households don't make enough to cover the basics — and a growing number are now 65 and up
A new report from the United Way's ALICE project reveals a troubling 47% of Florida households don't earn enough to cover basic living expenses. ALICE stands for 'asset-limited, income-constrained and employed' and refers to households that are above the poverty line but earn less than what the organization says is needed to afford the basics depending on household composition and location. This includes housing, child care, food, transportation, health care and technology, plus taxes and a contingency fund that equals 10% of a household's budget. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) The report, which focuses on data from 2023, says the average 'survival budget' in Florida ranged from $33,804 for a single adult up to $86,688 for a family of four with two adults and two children in child care. Of the state's nearly 9 million households, 13% lived below the federal poverty line while 34% were considered ALICE. The poverty line in 2023 was $14,580 for individuals and $30,000 for a family of four. In some areas, the 'survival budget' was much higher. Monroe County, for example, was among the most expensive places, with necessities costing single adults $45,948 and two adults with two kids in child care $106,608. The ALICE classification shines a spotlight on households who may earn too much to qualify for traditional aid programs but not enough to meet the rising cost of living. This includes Florida's senior households, which make up the largest portion of this group by age. 'More and more households 65 and older are now classified as ALICE,' Ernest Hooper, Chief Communications Officer at United Way Suncoast, told ABC Action News in a story published May 19. 'They're living paycheck to paycheck and not saving money.' That includes people like Leonora Gaspar, who's disabled and on a fixed income. She relies on organizations like Feeding Tampa Bay for some free meals. 'It helps a lot,' she told ABC Action News. 'The rent, it's more expensive.' Other residents in need pointed to skyrocketing food costs. 'I'm spending at least $300 to $400 just on food,' Felicia Acosta told ABC Action News. She says her husband died last year and she provides for her three grandchildren. Florida's high cost of living compounds the issue. As of May 9, ranked Florida's cost of living at 9.35% higher than the national average. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it Compared to other states, Florida's cost of living is on the higher end. For families struggling to close the gap, here are some practical steps: Call 211 for local help: United Way operates a free 211 hotline that connects people to local nonprofits, food assistance, childcare programs, rent relief and more. Apply for benefits: ALICE households may still qualify for support like SNAP, Medicaid for children or subsidized child care. Don't assume you're ineligible or that others need it more — these programs exist to help families. Revisit your housing options: If you're renting, consider renegotiating your lease or exploring income-based housing programs. Housing is often a family's single biggest expense — and the hardest to change — so start there. If possible, consider sharing housing with extended family or friends to reduce expenses. Cut food costs without sacrificing nutrition: Shop at local markets, consider bulk stores and use community food pantries as a supplement when needed. If you have children in public school, ask the school social worker about additional food and support programs. Build toward financial security: Even saving $10 or $20 a week in a high-yield savings account can provide a buffer. You can also track your spending and find areas to trim. Connect with mutual aid groups: Some neighborhoods have hyper-local support networks where community members share resources like gently used clothing, extra food, school supplies or household goods. Search online or on social media for a group near you. Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
