100 Years 100 Stories

The United Way has enabled The Relief Zone to serve many children and families within the Frewsburg community. One specific family was a single mother that was juggling work and caring for her elementary age child. United Way funding made it possible for this child to attend TRZ before and after school programs, including tutoring and homework help. The child has ADHD, which made it difficult for the child to focus on school work, and caused some behavioral outbursts at times.

If you would have asked me 10 years ago, “what kind of impact will the United Way have on your life”, I would have never imagined the answer I will give you today. Until I joined the Wegmans leadership team in Jamestown, I truly didn’t understand the incredible impact the United Way has on our local community. For me, after my first Impact Tour with the Wegmans leadership team, I never again questioned why we, as a company, partner with them to the extent we do.

Can you imagine being 15 and pregnant? Still a child yourself, in 10th grade, with a lot of instability in your life. You might live with your mother one week or your grandma the next. Who knows where your father is. There are many younger siblings in your house so you help care for them. You’ve had to change schools 8 times (8!) so there is no consistency in your education. Attendance at school has never been a priority so the grades you do have are poor.

Infinity Visual and Performing Arts’ INSTILL Program opens doors to Infinity

Our non- residential program has been able to build a good relationship with a mother who had domestic violence issues.

The support of United Way of Southern Chautauqua County has been instrumental in the success of our Community Health Advocate program.
The following story illustrates this and represents only one of the many of people that have been helped by our program's Community Health Advocate.