GREENSBORO, NC (June 6, 2022) – Today at its Annual Meeting, United Way of Greater Greensboro (UWGG) appointed 13 board members, including officers, announced nearly $5.2 million in investments supporting 53 Strategic Partnerships, Initiatives, and two Family Success Centers, and provided updates on how the organization is leveraging its historic MacKenzie Scott investment. 

Board Member Highlights 

During the meeting, 13 board members were appointed to serve new and/or renewed terms, bringing the organization’s total board membership to 32 diverse community representatives. New/renewed board members include: 

• Tracie Catlett, Head of School, Greensboro Day School 
• Tom Cromartie, Chief Financial Officer, Morrisette  
• Tim Gibson, Vice President and Resident Director Wealth Management Advisor, Merrill Lynch 
• Kathleen Kelly, Founding and Managing Partner, Compass Financial Partners, a Marsh McLennan Agency 
• Jenni Marsh, Senior Vice President of Consulting, Truist Leadership Institute 
• Davida Martin, retired attorney 
• Phil McCall, retired community volunteer 
• Heather Milligan, Senior Vice President of Life Underwriting and New Business, Lincoln Financial 
• Denise Patterson, School Support Officer, Guilford County Schools  
• Teri Shelton, Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement, University of North Carolina at Greensboro 
• Bryan Starrett, Partner, Brooks Pierce 
• Tricia Teter, Philanthropy Officer of Women’s and Children’s Services, Cone Health 
• Jill White, Senior Council at Womble, Bond, Dickenson  

Board officers were also announced and include: 

• Davida Martin, retired attorney, Chair 
• Michele Deuterman, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at ITG Brands, Vice-Chair. 
• Mike Gillis, Partner at DMJ & Company, Treasurer 
• Adam Tarleton, Partner, Brooks Pierce Secretary & Legal Counsel 
• Scott Baker, President of TowneBank, Campaign Chair  

Strategic Partnership Highlights 

During the meeting, the organization announced a total of $5,156,335 million in investments supporting 53 Strategic Partnerships, initiatives, and two Family Success Centers. Annual strategic investments are led by volunteers who select partners and programs that equip and empower people to leave poverty. This year’s investments can be found on UWGG’s website at www.UnitedWayGSO.org/Investments an include six new partnership investments:  

• The Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship, Small Business Incubator 
• Legal Aid of NC, Public Benefits Unit        
• YMCAs of Greensboro, Hayes-Taylor Early Education Center 
• Legal Aid of NC (Lead) and UNCG Center for Housing and Community Studies, Eviction Resolution Project 
• Youth Focus, My Sister Susan’s House 
• Kellin Foundation, Integrated Behavioral Health Program  

MacKenzie Scott Investment Highlights 

In December 2020, UWGG received $10 million from renowned philanthropist, MacKenzie Scott. The organization quickly dedicated itself to being a responsible steward of the largest gift it has ever received, making sure to align its use with strategic investments. During the annual meeting, UWGG provided an updated on how the MacKenzie Scott gift has been leveraged to create local impact. 

• $1 Million to support housing needs: The first $1 million was utilized in July 2021 to address local housing disparities, and to help people recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19. This funding supported five grant programs aimed at helping people secure emergency housing, transitional housing, avoid eviction, and we wanted to help people continue to live in their own homes, and even help people prepare to purchase their first home. Through this investment, we set an ambitious goal of helping 300 or more households recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19 To-date, 89 households moved from homelessness or temporary shelter to permanent housing and 441 households maintained permanent housing through home repair, eviction prevention, rental assistance, financial counseling, and case management. 

• $500,000 to support Family Success Centers Expansion: $500,000 has been leveraged to expand the capacities of United Way’s two Family Success Centers. Thanks to this expansion, the Centers will be able to hire additional coaches to support more members at each location to help members along their journeys out of poverty. Between the two Family Success Centers at Guilford Child Development and Salvation Army Center of Hope, UWGG is on pace to serving on average close to 1,000 adults and children annually. With this expansion, UWGG is confident that number will continue to grow. 

• $925,000 to support 2022-23 Strategic Partner Investments: UWGG has leveraged $925,000 to support its current strategic partner investments. As UWGG begins shifting its strategic partner investments to specifically address the community-inspired and developed Bold Goal of helping 3,000 households leave poverty by 2030, it’s crucial to make these partnerships successful.  

Additional Meeting Highlights 

UWGG also announced a new Integrated Service Delivery Network pilot project will begin on June 28. Initially, this Network will launch with core partners serving the Greensboro area and will expand county-wide over time. The Network is mobile friendly and will connect people to services and coordinators who help them identify, track, and achieve their personal goals of becoming financially stable. 

Leaders concluded this year’s annual meeting by reminding attendees that this year marks UWGG’s 100^thyear in the community. UWGG will officially kickoff its Centennial Campaign on September 1, at the Tanger Center for Performing Arts.  

The organization will follow that with a month full of activities that include a speakers series featuring Stephanie Land who is the author of the book Maid that was adapted as a top 10 Netflix series. There will be fun concerts and benefit beer at local breweries AND a big concert at Carolina Theatre featuring hip-hop legend KRS-One. 

And UWGG will end the year in December by hosting United Way Worldwide President and CEO, Angela Williams.

More about these exciting events can be found on UWGG’s website at: www.UnitedWayGSO.org/Calendar.  

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United Way of Greater Greensboro is celebrating 100 Years of Transforming Your Compassion Into Community Change 1922-2022. We create, connect, and lead community partnerships that equip and empower people to leave poverty. Our strategy builds pathways out of poverty by helping youth transition from cradle-to-career, helping adults land jobs and increase income, and providing access to basic needs and healthcare. Our nationally recognized Family Success Centers and innovative Guilford Success Network bundle services and eliminate barriers. With community collaboration and your support, we will help 3,000 households leave poverty by 2030. We are a trusted community gamechanger and you can join our efforts by making an investment, advocating, and volunteering today. More than 57,000 people are living in poverty in the greater Greensboro area. The federal government defines poverty as a family of four earning $26,500 per year. According to local self-sufficiency standards many four-member households need to earn around $60,000 to meet basic needs without subsidized assistance. www.UnitedWayGSO.org.