United Way of Trumbull County
295 Harmon Ave. NW
Warren, OH 44483
Phone: 330-369-1000
Fax: 330-369-5555
Stories
We LIVE UNITED For Justin
United Way of Trumbull County's 23 partner agencies provide the basis for community stability, growth and development. Thousands of individuals are touched by a United Way funded program each year. One of our partner agencies is the Children's Rehabilitation Center, a center that provides a number of services and therapies for children with developmental disabilities. The organization has been proven to change the lives of many including the life of Justin, an individual UWTC learned about when visiting the rehab center.
Justin grew up suffering from a severe stutter that prevented him from getting through even the simplest of phrases. With the help of the nurturing and dedicated staff, Justin was pushed towards success and was able to accomplish extraordinary accomplishments through high school and college. He ended up graduating as Valedictorian from Howland High School and went off to obtain his degree in Pharmacy at the prestigious Case Western Reserve University. Your dollars help support programs like this, programs that CHANGE THE LIVES OF OTHERS.
LIVE UNITED.
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United Way Shows the Joy of Reading
United Way of Trumbull County shows the true joy of Reading through their Reading Great by 8 Literacy Initiative by providing students with unique learning experiences. Final results of the 2017 UWTC ABC Reading Ready program showed an 8.35 average gain in student sound knowledge and a 3.07 average gain in word knowledge. UWTC would like to acknowledge that one student's final results showed a whopping gain of 24 points in sound knowledge! The staff of United Way of Trumbull County is extremely proud of the student's hard work this year. To read more about the UWTC Reading Great by 8 Literacy Initiative, click on the 'Our Work' tab.
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We LIVE UNITED for Joe
A Partner Agency Success Story
Joe was an individual just like you and me, working hard to make a living. As life can sometimes be unpredictable, he soon found himself without a car, steady income and eventually without a roof over his head. Joe decided to turn to United Way partner agency Salvation Army, an organization dedicated to lifting people up out of despair. He went in search of food and learned that the organization also offered hot showers. Upon his visit, Joe asked the woman at the front desk if it would be alright if he could take one. The woman at the desk responded with "of course."
As time passed, Joe worked several odd jobs to save money for a car to help him find a permanent job. He became known to the staff at the Salvation Army for his positive attitude and persistence. Joe asked for their advice on how to search for a job when you have no transportation, no computer and no telephone. The staff gladly directed him to resources that could certainly help him. Joe was grateful for their help and promised that when he was back on his feet, he would bring in his first week’s paycheck to “pay it forward”.
Enduring many obstacles along the way, Joe worked extremely hard towards his goal of getting a job and taking back his life. A year later, Joe walked into the Salvation Army with a big smile on his face. “I did it. I got a job! And I haven’t forgotten my promise.” Two weeks later Joe walked in and laid an envelope on the front desk. He looked at the woman who had been helping him through the biggest challenge he ever faced. “I am a man of my word. Please take this and help the next “Joe” who comes in asking for help”. When you support United Way, you support most successful human service agencies like Salvation Army. Agencies that serve thousands of children, families and individuals each year - making a real and lasting difference in the community.
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We LIVE UNITED for Jane & Becca
A Partner Agency Success Story
United Way partner agency Solace Center, is a supervised visitation and safe exchange program that provides support, guidance and assistance to families and children who have gone through painful experiences. Jane, a woman with custody of her sister’s children, was referred to the Solace Center while searching for a safe place for the children to visit their mother. Jane explained to the Solace Center staff that she filed custody of the children, both under 2, when she found them unsupervised while their mother was high. She explained her fear for her sister and wanted a safe, place to facilitate the visits. The staff of the Solace Center assured her that she had come to the right place.
When Jane’s sister, Becca, arrived for her first Solace Center intake, she appeared thin, disheveled and unkempt. She told staff she had been down on her luck and was working as a stripper to make ends meet. She explained how angry she was with her sister for taking her kids and didn’t understand why she was at the center in the first place. Becca informed the staff that she was checking herself into a recovery house in a few days and asked if the staff would be able to work around her schedule. Solace Center staff was happy to accommodate to her recovery efforts.
Becca began visiting with her children on a weekly basis. At first, Becca appeared angry and would make aggressive comments to the staff about her sister. As time passed, Becca’s appearance and attitude improved immensely. She began to smile more and her skin took on a healthy glow. Becca even told the staff she realized her sister was right in taking custody and that she owed her an apology.
Over the next few months, Becca and Jane began to spend more and more time going places together with the kids in addition to the Solace Center visits. Becca was able to complete her treatment and found a job at a factory, standing on her own two feet. Becca said the Solace Center played an instrumental part in her recovery process and in reunifying her with her sister and children.
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We LIVE UNITED for Hannah
A Partner Agency Success Story
United Way of Trumbull County is a proud partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters, an organization dedicated to providing children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change there lives for the better, forever.
Hannah was seven years old when her parents enrolled her in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring Program. They both had disabilities, which limited the amount of time they could interact with her outside of the home. Shortly after being enrolled, Hannah was matched with her mentor Jean and their relationship soon developed into something wonderful.
Through the years, Hannah faced many obstacles. Two months after she was matched with Jean, Hannah's mother died, unfortunately putting her family in a crisis situation. Big Brother Big Sisters was able to provide Hannah and her family with support and Jean was able to provide the emotional support Hannah needed. The years after her mother's death were filled with many challenges and Hannah ended up having to live with someone other than her father. She also lost her close friend to cancer. Throughout the years of turmoil and loss, Jean was the one constant and supportive person in Hannah's life.
Hannah's life soon became more stable. She continued to meet with her mentor once a week. She soon became more open to talking to Jean about her fears, concerns and joys. Aside from giving Hannah emotional support, Jean also exposed Hannah to entrepreneurs and other individuals with their own special talents to expand Hannah's view and expose her to possible careers. Jean and Hannah later "adopted" a homeless shelter for teenage girls. Jean's dedication in providing Hannah with a stable, caring, supportive environment allowed Hannah to grow into an incredibly well-rounded individual.
Hannah is now 14 years old and in the ninth grade. She is doing well in school and involved in extracurricular activities. She has grown into an incredibly caring, whole-hearted girl who understands the importance of giving back to the community and has developed a positive sense of her future.