Meet United Way’s 2022 Unite Charlotte partners

Unite Charlotte was founded in 2016 by United Way of Central Carolinas following civil unrest sparked by the killing of Keith Lamont Scott, an unarmed Black man, by Charlotte police. The initiative’s purpose is to address the structural racism that exists within the nonprofit sector and in the broader community.

 

The Unite Charlotte program provides up to three years of funding and capacity-building support to local grassroots organizations led by people of color. For first-year grantees, United Way pays for agency executives to earn a certificate in nonprofit management from Duke University’s Center for Continuing Studies. In the second year, in addition to executive coaching support, through a partnership with Charlotte’s Children & Family Services Center, grantees can receive free back-office services such as finance, human resources and IT. Agencies that receive a third year of funding receive larger annual grants as well as stipends for executive coaching.

 

 

55 Unite Charlotte partners in 2022

 

Unite Charlotte First Year

 

Alluvium Inc. | Highlights and develops the positive attributes and talents of at-risk youth that will help them craft fertile and productive lives by providing research-based academic opportunities, mentoring strategies, and life skills training.

 

Brenda H. Tapia Family Foundation | Recognizes and responds to the impact rapid home price appreciation and socioeconomic status is having on owners of Habitat Charlotte Region homes.

 

Do Greater Foundation, Inc. | Empowers communities to do greater by facilitating exposure and access to creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship.

 

EmpowHERment, Inc | Empowers a continuous network of girls and women to be leaders in their community through mentorship, talent development and advocacy.

 

Exodus Foundation.org | Stops the flow of all Americans to prison through clemency efforts, with programs that stop the involvement of African-American men and women in the prison system by reducing recidivism and preventing incarceration.

 

Family Mankind | Seeks to permanently eradicate domestic violence (DV), sexual assault, child abuse, and bullying by passionately working with individuals and their families who have participated in violent behavior.

 

Heal Charlotte * | Focuses on neighborhood revitalization with a holistic approach that includes youth camps, job and career development programs, public safety workshops, and community events.

 

Healing Vine Harbor Inc. | Reduces the number of single women living in shelters or unsafe situations, providing a pathway out of poverty to ensure self-sufficiency.

 

Innovate Tech Charlotte | Provides students in grades 8-12 an understanding of innovation and leadership with technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and Blockchain.

 

Jessie’s World Inc. (DBA: Triumph Services) | Provides outpatient behavioral counseling, peer-led community support, individualized management and resource advocacy for individuals who have suffered from Acquired & Traumatic Brain Injury and are in transition from life-changing circumstances.

 

Locked Out Love Inc. | Provides opportunities for those incarcerated and their families coping with incarceration & prepare for release and reunification.

 

Money Magnets Club | Serves as a community that encourages entrepreneurship among elementary school kids and their responsible adults through business concepts, exposure, planning, and resources.

 

National Coalition of 100 Black Women – Queen City Metropolitan Chapter | Advocates on behalf of Black women and girls to promote leadership development and gender equity in the areas of health, education, and economic empowerment.

 

Our Daily Bread Foundation | Increases basic knowledge of financial money matters with a minimum of 30% of program participants. Our Daily Bread Foundation provides job skills training and other services.

 

Prodigal Son Foundation | Strengthens the community by empowering, educating, and engaging students in low-income areas.

 

Promise Youth Development, Inc. | Helps underserved youth in East Charlotte develop optimal health through education, resilience focused mentoring and anti-violence programs.

 

Que-OS (DBA: BOOM Charlotte) | Transforms the way art and culture are created and shared by connecting people to diverse causes and communities.

 

S.T.A.R.S. Math & English Academy * | Seeks to improve students’ math, English, and reading skills using a curriculum that stresses the rigors of English and mathematics, while complementing these subjects with soft skills.

 

She Built This City | Sparks interest in high-demand construction and “maker” trades among women and girls attending Title I middle schools and high schools.

 

The 100 Black Men of Greater Charlotte, Inc. | Enriches the lives of African American youth through its Four For the Future programmatic initiatives: Mentoring, Education, Health and Wellness, and Economic Empowerment.

 

The Arts Empowerment Project | Uses the transformative power of the arts as a vehicle to enrich the lives of youth who have been impacted by adverse childhood experiences.

 

The FACTS Initiative | Provides community-based mental health services to high-risk children and families.

 

The Bulb Gallery * | Provides mostly local produce, as well as health and wellness education, via weekly farmers markets to food insecure neighborhoods in the Charlotte area.

 

UMBA Bright Stars, Inc. | Provides equity in academic achievement to One Bright Star Scholar at a time through excellence in After School and Summer Programs.

 

Urban Institute for Strengthening Families | Provides opportunities for marginalized communities to thrive by supporting youth and their families and providing or connecting employment opportunities to veterans.

 

Unite Charlotte Second Year

 

Anthony Morrow Charities | Provides youth empowerment services to the community through programming focused on mind, body and spirit and that promotes mental, physical and spiritual health in youth and young adults.

 

B.E.A.M. (Building Excellence Affirming Manhood) Foundation | Offers guidance to school-aged youth through mentorship, educational opportunities like a STEM-focused coding academy and a strong volunteer network.

 

Black Social Capital Initiative | Offers mentoring and coaching for people of color with an interest in nonprofit leadership. BSCI serves and strengthens organizations and individuals who share a commitment to building great communities.

 

Block Love Charlotte | Provides job readiness training, financial stability programming and other resources aimed to help people experiencing homelessness become a part of their community.

 

Carolina Migrant Network | Offers pro-bono immigration legal services through a network of attorneys to assist detained migrants and immigrants facing removal proceedings.

 

Children of the World Learning Center | Provides high-quality, multicultural, dual-language early care and education to families of varied cultures, languages and incomes to increase school readiness.

 

Circle de Luz | Offers resources to empower young Latinas and support their personal growth through extensive mentoring, holistic programming and scholarship funds for further education.

 

For The Struggle, Inc. | Provides advocacy on behalf of communities to fight systemic issues of racial and social injustice, like supporting elderly adults living in Black communities experiencing gentrification.

 

GardHouse Limited | Offers college students of color internships, professional development and workplace experience with Black-owned businesses to help increase post-graduation employment opportunities.

 

GenerationNation | Provides K-12 civic literacy curriculums, teacher training and other initiatives for area schools to narrow civic learning gaps and build civic literacy and leadership in students from an early age.

 

Grooming Greatness Foundation | Offers programs designed to educate, enrich and expose youth to endless possibilities for their futures and help strengthen the bonds between youth and their guardians.

 

Historic West End Partners, Inc. | Provides quality programs committed to promoting and honoring the West End’s rich culture and heritage while supporting small business development and stimulating economic growth.

 

Hope Vibes, Inc. * | Offers solutions to the homeless epidemic in the Charlotte region by providing dignity through personal hygiene products, mobile laundry and shower vehicles and community conversations.

 

Lionel Lee Jr. Center for Wellness | Offers supportive services to help individuals and families meet their basic health and wellness needs and provides programs that support and empower the LGBTQ community and vulnerable groups in society.

 

National Black Child Development Institute – Charlotte | Provides capacity building resources for parents to support their children through school, with a focus on literacy and school-community engagement.

 

Our Turn, Inc. | Offers opportunities for student-led advocacy by organizing campaigns, leadership development and platforms for young people to advance education reform and education equity.

 

Premier Foundation of North Carolina | Provides holistic health programming to strengthen the physical, mental and financial well-being of communities, including Grier Heights in Charlotte.

 

Project B.O.L.T. (Building Outstanding Lives Together) | Offers services focused on addressing local housing, food and employment issues to help build a more inclusive community and improve the quality of life for underserved people.

 

The Academy of Goal Achievers, Inc. | Develops youth leaders to impact communities while preparing young adults and parents for post-secondary education and careers.

 

Wilson Oasis | Offers community enrichment programs and mental health counseling and resources to Black men facing barriers when attempting to access care.

 

Unite Charlotte Third Year

 

ASPIRE Community Capital * | Provides current and future business owners with entrepreneurship education and critical resources needed to start a business and succeed at it, from training and coaching to financial services like micro-loans.

 

Lakeview Neighborhood Alliance * | Offers neighborhood programs, events, meetings and leadership opportunities to ensure a safe, supportive and welcoming community where families can thrive.

 

Mecklenburg Council of Elders | Provides violence prevention programming, seminars and events and conducts expungement clinics to support Mecklenburg County residents, regardless of past involvement with the criminal justice system.

 

North End Community Coalition  * | Provides programming connecting neighbors to opportunities and advocates for an equitable community across Charlotte’s North End neighborhoods.

 

Profound Gentlemen | Provides teachers of color with opportunities for professional growth, character development and community leadership through local retreats, area conferences and learning cohorts to build a strong community of male educators of color.

 

Refugee Support Services | Offers intercultural programs and fosters relationships that promote refugee self-sufficiency in a way that empowers refugees to thrive in American society.

 

Southside Rides | Provides alternative vocational opportunities in auto body repair for post-incarcerated individuals and at-risk populations, teaching them self-sufficiency and entrepreneurship.

 

Stiletto Boss University * | Uses entrepreneurship as the foundation for teaching high schools girls the power of collaboration, sisterhood and community impact.

 

West Side Community Land Trust | Offers opportunities to create communities that embody equity, opportunity and wellness with a focus on providing permanently affordable housing with community-centered development in west Charlotte.

 

West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition * | Provides support for community programs that facilitate information and engagement and improve public health, economic development and education for residents in 19 communities along the West Boulevard corridor.

 

* Indicates United Neighborhoods Partner

 

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