Black River United Way Inc

“Related party: past board chair recuses herself from any banking votes.”

“South state bank manager past board chair”

“The ceo and finance manager reviews the form 990 and recommend its approval to the full board of directors.”

“Each year officers and board members are required to disclose any conflicts of interests and sign an assurance to that effect. Any conflicts so disclosed are investigated and resolved. During the year, if any other conflicts are made aware to management, it would pursue and resolve those issues with the office or board member in question.”

“The president & ceo, finance manager and executive board work together annually to develop the annual operating budget, including any salary and benefit changes. Any new employee positions would be budgeted and approved as part of this process.”

“The president & ceo, finance manager and executive board work together annually to develop the annual operating budget, including any salary and benefit changes. Any new employee positions would be budgeted and approved as part of this process.”

“The organization's latest audited financial statements and form 990 are available on its website. Governing documents, form 1023 and the conflict of interest policy are available at request from the organization.”

“For more than half a century, black river united way has brought together people and resources to tackle complex issues and drive sustainable, positive change. From strengthening local resilience, to advancing youth opportunity, we have partnered with local communities to co-create solutions to these pressing challenges, taking a comprehensive approach, and listening and responding to local needs. Black river united way is leading georgetown and williamsburg counties to sustainability by empowering the lives of its community members. We empower our communities by working collaboratively to improve early childhood success and ensuring our community members are prepared for disasters. Community focused we are committed to working with and for the citizens of georgetown and williamsburg counties. Commitment to access we will provide equitable access and awareness for our community to the programs that support bruws purpose by removing barriers and leveraging resources. Collaborative we ensure that our work complements those organizations that support and share in bruws purpose in making our community stronger. Credibility we will build and maintain trust by creating processes and procedures that ensure transparency, accountability, and integrity as we fulfill our goal of producing the greatest community impact. We focus on local needs to provide local solutions.”

“The waccamaw region for childhood success is our tri-county response to early childhood needs in georgetown, horry, and williamsburg counties. Black river united way focuses on georgetown and williamsburg counties (united way of horry county focuses on horry county). This initiative focuses on kindergarten readiness and early grade reading, birth 3rd grade, and promotes working collaboratively between schools and communities that are committed to the success of every child. Through our waccamaw region for childhood success initiative we work in partnership with local school districts, child development facilities, and early education partners to support students struggling in reading, prepare rising learners for kindergarten, and empower families, caregivers, and teachers to help children read, learn, and thrive. Waccamaw region for childhood success bruw's 3rd annual kinderwaves kindergarten transition camp took place june 10th - 13th at 6 local elementary schools, with 42 pre-k children. Through the theme of an oceanic safari, kinderwaves introduced local pre-k students to a love of reading, structured classroom settings, science and mathematical thinking, hands-on learning activities, and relationship building. The camp ended with a family fun day at beck recreation center featuring a stilt-walker and balloon artist, a hands-on tour of a fire truck from the georgetown fire department, snow cones from the georgetown county sheriff's department, free concessions, and a triple p parenting workshop parenting class. Triple p (the positive parenting program) is one of the most trusted parenting programs across the globe, utilized in over 30 countries. This evidence based program is a parenting and family support system designed to prevent and treat behavioral and emotional problems in children up to the age of 12. In 2023-2024, bruw provided triple p parenting classes to 115 caregivers black river united way has been able to offer this program to our community since 2019, thanks to the partnership of the childrens trust of south carolina. Since 2015(through 2024), black river united way has been the recipient of an americorps south carolina grant, providing an opportunity for americorps members to serve georgetown and williamsburg counties. After nine successful years of impact, in july bruw's americorps program focused on early literacy reached its conclusion. Through americorps sc, black river united way leveraged: 969,248 in matching funds to generate 2.68 mm in program support 204 americorps members to serve at 12 elementary schools, 2 child development centers, and 5 after school programs 76,140.75 hours of volunteer time to tutor 1,479 students, improving 576 to reading on or above grade level and supporting 541 studentsf academi improvement in reading we are so grateful for our incredible partnership with the americorps south carolina program and the south carolina service commission. Though these funding partnerships have ended, their impact lives on through each child supported to third grade reading success. Black river united way hosted its annual summer enrichment program, summer sail, in partnership with tidelands health and brown's ferry outreach from june 4 to june 26, 2024. Through the summer sail (science and inquiry learning) program, community volunteers and local elementary schools work with students to maintain their skills and competencies in reading and math over the summer, eliminating summer learning loss. 32 students in kindergarten through 5th grade were assisted through the four week program. Students were assessed at the beginning and the end of the program in math and reading. Student assessments showed a 1.5% improvement on average over the summer, demonstrating the effectiveness of summer sail in stopping the "summer slide". United to read is an annual reading event where volunteers read to elementary school children. In 2024, 92 volunteers read to over 3,000 children in pre-k, 1st, 2nd, and specia”

“Every community deserves the opportunity to prosper. At black river united way we work with our neighbors to build resilient communities that are ready for any challenge. Through disaster preparedness and recovery and health and human services, we are strengthening the foundations of communities for a more sustainable and secure future. Black river united way is the lead agency of the winyah bay coad (community organizations active in disaster) / long-term recovery group, spearheading the effort to help our community be ready for disaster and activating a the speed of need when our residents are impacted. Through our leadership of the coad, we leverage our community networks to facilitate compassionate, comprehensive aid, ensuring all human needs are met. See below activation chart to understand how we partner during disaster. Our impact includes the following: equipped 824 students to be ready for disaster through training and disaster starter kits through partnership with dsm-firmenich and georgetown county emd. Collaborated with the georgetown county emd to conduct the wb coadfs first hurricane table top exercise to prepare for disaster. Utilized the coadfs training and collaboration to save a home from mold damage during a severe weather event.”

“Community support black river united way provides overall support to our communities through three (3) programs: sc 211 (human services hotline) and emergency food and shelter program (efsp). The emergency food and shelter program supplements and expands ongoing work of local social service organizations to provide shelter, food and supportive services to individuals and families who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, hunger and/or homelessness. 76,324 distributed to 4 agencies to support emergency food and shelter needs. Black river united way is there when our communities need us. One way that happens - in 99% of the u.s. And across canada - is through 211. This confidential 24/7 call center connects people with locally available help. 211 in georgetown and williamsburg counties received: 1,163 calls, and made 3,426 service referrals.”