Featured Agencies:
American Red Cross - Blue Ridge Piedmont Chapter
American Red Cross Blue Ridge Piedmont Chapter serves nearly 1 million people in 12 counties across Western NC.
Services include:
- Blood drives and bio-medical collections
- CPR, First Aid, AED Training
- Financial Support and Resiliency Training for members of the Armed Forces
- Response to and recovery from natural disasters (esp. house fires)
Did you know that Cleveland County is ranked 3rd for the number of responses to house fires? United Way funds go directly toward client assistance who are recovering from a house fire. Clients receive a pre-paid assistance card to pay for expenses as needed.
Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland County
Here at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland County, we provide a safe place to play, grow, and learn while empowering youth to excel in school, become good citizens, and lead healthy, productive lives.
Services include:
- After-school and summer programs for ages 6-18
- Total of 8 program sites, including a Teen Center
- 582 students served in 2023 across all sites (including 300+ in summer programs)
“Our mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.”
Did you know United Way funds help the Boys & Girls Club offer scholarships to low-income students? 10% of kids are sponsored, on scholarships, or use discounts.
Community Math Academy - Serving Cleveland and Gaston Counties
The purpose of the Community Math Academy is to help students develop a positive attitude toward math, increase their math skills, and strengthen their math concepts.
Signature Programs include:
- Bright Scholars (Grades 3-6) - A 3-week program for students struggling with math.
- Step Ahead Advanced Math (Grades 7-9) - A 3-week Advanced Math session.
- S.M.A.R.T (Students Making Their Abilities Rise to the Top - Grades 5-6) - An extended weeklong program that encompasses Robotics, Science and Physics, Advanced Math, and Coding.
- High Risers Virtual Saturday Academy (Grades 3-6) - An 8-month Saturday Academy that focuses on the needs of students struggling in math. Targeted groups include past and present Math Academy participants, as well as students from Graham Elementary. A student may be enrolled at any time.
"Now, I actually like math. I will do my best when I return to school and will listen to my teacher. I will study for my math tests so my brain is like a machine to me at school." - Student Testimonial
Did you know that Community Math Academy was started in 2008 and is available entirely free to participants at all 17 schools in the county? All thanks to donations and support from organizations like United Way.
Foster Grandparent Program - Based out of the United Way Office in Shelby
The Foster Grandparent program, offered through AmeriCorps, connects role models to young people with exceptional needs. AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers who serve in the Foster Grandparent program provide the kind of comfort and love that sets a child on a path to a successful future.
Senior participants render emotional support and reinforcement as well as being tutors and mentors to children professionally assessed as being at-risk. These settings include the Cleveland County Schools, Boys & Girls Club, Cleveland County Head Start, and not-for-profit daycare centers.
Did you know AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers report better health and longevity having served their community? In 2022, Foster Grandparents in North Carolina served more than 1,740 young people with special needs.
Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity
Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity was affiliated in 1987 and built its 1st house in 1988. Habitat has built individual homes and has been involved in community development in the Ezra Bridges Neighborhood, Vermont Village, and now Young Oak Square. Our neighborhood projects exemplify the impact Habitat wants to make all over Cleveland County.
Additional Ways to Support Habitat:
- Volunteer - All who believe that everyone needs a decent, affordable place to live are welcome to help with the work, regardless of race, religion, age, gender, political views, or any of the other distinctions that too often divide people.
- Visit the Habitat ReStore - Located at 323 W. Grover Street, Shelby, NC 28150, you will find a wide array of home improvement products, cleaning supplies, and more.
- New for 2024: Check out the ReStore booth at Back Road Pickers in Fallston. All proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity in Cleveland County’s work to make homeownership a reality for families in Cleveland County.
Did you know 33 of the 34 Habitat houses built in Cleveland County are still owned by the original owners? There is a rigorous application process for a Habitat house, including 200 hours of sweat equity, and houses are sold at cost with zero interest.
Hearts and Hooves
Provides a non-pay-for-service program, any of the students at North Shelby School who have signed paperwork from their parent/guardian and cleared with their Medical Doctor may participate.
Highlights:
- United Way is the core funding source for Hearts and Hooves and covers their operational costs
- They provide on-horse therapeutic riding for students as well as groundwork and use of an Equicizer (mechanical horse)
- Students are learning communication, behavior, and motor skills during each lesson
Did you know that Hearts and Hooves is always looking for new volunteers? A background check and full-day training is required, but no prior experience is needed!
Kings Mountain Crisis Ministry
Provides temporary assistance to individuals and families in financial crisis. They facilitate the distribution of food and clothing and give financial assistance for rent, utilities, medicine, fuel, and gasoline.
2023 Statistics:
- 4,236 households were assisted with utility bills in, 71 were assisted with rent
- 4,650 people were provided with food from their food pantry
- 133 families were provided with clothes from the clothing closet
- 42 families assisted in the purchase of gas or kerosene
Did you know that the Kings Mountain Crisis Ministry is located at the Kings Mountain YMCA? The majority of their food donations come from local grocery stores (Food Lion, Wal-Mart, etc.).
Life Enrichment Center - Based in Shelby and Kings Mountain
Life Enrichment Center offers quality, compassionate adult day care, and support services to meet the needs of families and their loved ones. Anyone over the age of 18 with any diagnosis is eligible.
Services include:
- Quality care that includes daily activities for older adults as well as young adults with special needs.
- Breakfast, home-cooked lunch, and an afternoon snack for each participant
- Personal Care (bathing, shaving, hair care, pedicures, etc.) and Physical Therapy
"You do not know how coming here has changed our lives!!! I would drive hours each way to bring my Dad here! He cannot wait to get to Life Enrichment Center!" - Dana – Daughter of Veteran Daniel
Did you know United Way funds help offset the cost for Life Enrichment Center families? United Way funds help provide services to members of the community who are low-income and most vulnerable that often don’t have other options.
VIA Health Partners - Including Wendover Hospice House (Shelby) and Testa Family Hospice House (Kings Mountain)
VIA Health Partners' mission is to relieve suffering and improve the quality and dignity of life through compassionate hospice care for those at end-of-life, palliative care for those with advanced illness, and community education.
Services include:
- Both Hospice and Palliative care - Serves over 200 patients daily
- Comfort-oriented care focused on quality of life for patients with a diagnosis of months, weeks, or days to live
- Quality care is not only provided in hospice homes, but in the patient's home, assisted living community, long-term care community, and hospital.
Did you know United Way funds help VIA Health Partners offer services to patients regardless of their ability to pay? Grief services are also free and open to the community.
Washington Outreach Ministries - Located in Cherryville
Washington Outreach Ministry's food pantry serves everyone from low-income families, single parents, senior citizens, unemployed individuals, disabled veterans, the working poor, and anyone else in need of assistance.
Started in a church basement in 1995, and then into a 1,100-square-foot building that Washington Outreach quickly outgrew, they now operate out of their current facility on Capernium Road in Cherryville. The organizations now feed 15,000 people a month and offers a summer feeding program for kids which provides two hot meals a day and enrichment activities.
Did you know that 1 in 3 persons have prediabetes, the 4th leading cause of death in Cleveland County for ages 40-64? Know your risk, it can save your life. The DEMAC (Diabetes Education Maintenance And Control) healthcare class, is led by Washington Outreach Ministry in partnership with Healthy Together Cleveland.