Meet United Way’s 2022 United Neighborhoods partners

United Neighborhoods was launched in 2017 by United Way of Central Carolinas to change the odds for people living in the Charlotte region’s most disinvested neighborhoods. For 2022, the Lakeview neighborhood joins two other United Neighborhoods pilot communities – Renaissance West and Grier Heights. Five additional neighborhoods receive smaller grants designed to increase their capacity to assist their neighbors and develop neighborhood leaders. These neighborhoods are Brookhill, Hidden Valley, North End, Smithville and the West Boulevard corridor.

Working with lead partners in each community, United Way funds and guides the work toward achieving the collective goal of building thriving neighborhoods. Needs of these communities are identified by residents and addressed by a coalition of community stakeholders that includes schools, nonprofits, government officials, churches, hospitals and businesses.

34 UNITED NEIGHBORHOODS PARTNERS IN 2022

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.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas * | Creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth, ultimately, bridging the gap for opportunity for all youth to achieve their full potential.

Brookhill Community Resource Center | Offers community services, resources and opportunities for residents to live safe, healthy and productive lives that pave the way for sustainable futures financially, physically and emotionally.

Care Ring, Inc. * |  Empowers individuals with limited resources to establish and maintain good health. Our vision is that all residents in the community have access to timely, affordable and high-quality basic health care.

Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy  * | Pursues justice for those in need. Our vision is to build a just community, where all people are treated fairly and have access to legal representation to meet basic human needs of safety, economic security, and stability.

Charlotte Speech and Hearing Center, Inc. * |  Provides access to superior speech-language and hearing services that empower and transform lives.

Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg * | Surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

CrossRoads Corporation, Inc. | Provides a holistic approach to community development, economic mobility and neighborhood preservation through partnerships and youth, fellowship and housing programs that address critical needs in Grier Heights.

Digi-Bridge | Aims to equip shareholders with the means to foster optimal use of technology in the learning environment, ensuring that all 21st century learners have opportunities to succeed in the digital age.

Faith Memorial Community Outreach Center | Engages, educates and empowers the residents of the Lakeview community to become strong families through faith-based character development, child and family stability programming and civic awareness training.

Florence Crittenton Services * | Promotes health and hope for tomorrow’s children by providing comprehensive health, education, pregnancy prevention and social services for single pregnant and non-pregnant adolescents, women, and their families.

Freedom School Partners | Provides a culturally diverse curriculum and summer enrichment opportunities to give children the resources they need to support their academic, social and emotional needs and inspire a love a reading and learning.

Girl Scouts, Hornets’ Nest Council * | Builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region * | Brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.

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.

Hidden Valley Community Development Corporation | Provides a channel for financial resources to be invested into Hidden Valley, to pursue economic development and to support social, advocacy and educational activities that will enhance economic development in the community.

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.

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

Loaves & Fishes/Friendship Trays, Inc. | Helps meet our community’s food insecurity needs by providing nutritious groceries and prepared meals to people in need.

Mental Health America of Central Carolinas, Inc. * | Provides help, offer hope and promotes mental wellness through advocacy, education and prevention in Mecklenburg and Cabarrus Counties.

My Brother’s Keeper Charlotte-Mecklenburg County | Ensures every boy and young man of color has every opportunity to achieve, by situating ourselves as a backbone organization of a collective impact effort.

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

POP’S Passion, Inc. | Provides life changing resources to families and communities in need.

RAO Community Health | Educates, advocates and supports diverse and underserved populations including the minority and LGBTQ+ communities, through compassionate and quality care.

Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte, Inc. | Mobilizes community volunteers and contractors to provide repairs that make homes safer and healthier for our neighbors in need.

Renaissance West Community Initiative | Offers a holistic, place-based approach to neighborhood redevelopment that includes mixed-income housing, a cradle-to-career education continuum and wrap-around services including health, after school, academic, recreation and job training programs.

Smith Family Foundation (Smith Family Wellness Center) | Provides medical and counseling services in a combined facility for families that are facing personal and family struggles and challenges, helping to address both physical and emotional needs.

Smithville CommUNITY Coalition | Offers a vision aimed at improving Smithville, the East Catawba Avenue corridor and Cornelius through economic development, housing, job training and programming for children, youth, families and others.

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.

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

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.

The Learning Collaborative | Offers a tuition-free, high-quality preschool education through a unique partnership with children, families, parents, staff and the community to prepare underserved children and their families to succeed.

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.

Youth Development Initiatives | Offers evidence-based after school programming to give disadvantaged youth the guidance and life skills training necessary to finish high school prepared for college, vocational school, the military and/or a job.

* Indicates Impact Grant partner

** Indicates Unite Charlotte partner

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