Forces of Philanthropy: United Way of Greenville County

United Way of Greenville County

Website: unitedwaygc.org

Address: 105 Edinburgh Court, Greenville, SC 29607
Phone: 864-467-3333

Facebook handle: facebook.com/unitedwaygc
Instagram handle: @uwgreenvillesc
X (Twitter) handle: @UWGreenvilleSC
YouTube: @uwgcnetwork

Established: 1922
Number of employees: 40
Geographic service area: Greenville County

Mission Statement

Mission: We mobilize people and resources to improve lives, strengthen the community and advance equity for the benefit of all.
Vision: A Greenville County where all people have access to the opportunities to achieve their full potential.

Impact

United Way of Greenville County’s How We Win strategy focuses on four essential pillars critical to breaking the cycle of poverty in Greenville County: education, housing, transportation and child care. These interconnected systems lay the foundation for a thriving community where every person can reach their full potential.

Thanks to the generosity of the community, last year United Way:

• Invested more than $3 million in 48 partner organizations to ensure more families have access to affordable housing, more students are receiving the educational support they need to succeed, and more people are connected to reliable transportation and childcare options that enable them to work and provide for their families.
• Made more than 42,000 connections through United Way 211 to help individuals in need of assistance with housing, utilities, food and disaster assistance.
• Partnered with Airbnb to house 200 people displaced by Hurricane Helene.
• Provided more than $700,000 in Community Relief Fund grants to 38 local service agencies to expand food security, housing stabilization, and emergency health and wellness support in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
• Collaborated with community stakeholders, including service providers, business leaders, local government, the faith community and more to create a bold new plan to address homelessness through Greenville Together: A Home for All.

Leadership

• Meghan Barp, president and CEO

Board of directors — Executive Committee 

• Karen Baynes-Dunning, chair, Baynes Dunning Consulting
• Adam Murphy, vice chair, Michelin North America
• Saria Saccocio, immediate past chair, Essence Healthcare
• Jim Akerhielm, treasurer, JENK LLC
• David Lominack, secretary, TD Bank
• Julio Hernandez, community impact committee chair, Clemson University

Board of directors

• Gary Bernardez, AMECO
• Bryan Brown, Greenville Housing Fund
• LaCheryl Coleman, educational specialist, Legacy Early College
• Bryant Davis, city of Greenville
• Elizabeth Davis, Furman University
• Jessica Donan, EY
• Stephen Edgerton, The Caine Cos.
• Yukichi Hagins, Yukichi Hagins Realty
• Whitney Hanna, Greenville County Schools
• Blaine Hart, CBRE
• Annmarie Higgins, PAI Pharma
• Henry Horowitz, Oxford Capital Partners
• Cal Hurst, Southern First
• Mike Kelly, Master Power Transmission
• Ray Lattimore, Marketplace Professional Staffing
• Ashton Lawrence, Mariner Wealth Advisors
• Amy Linsin, Prisma Health
• Dr. Phyllis MacGilvray, USC School of Medicine Greenville
• Joanie Martin, BlueInc Strategies LLC
• Tami McKnew, director emeritus/retired partner, Fox Rothschild
• Jeff Miller, ITW Hartness
• Jamie Moon, Institute for Child Success
• Young Nguyen, QuikTrip
• Carlos Phillips, Greenville Chamber
• Rhiannon Poore, Forge Search + Consulting
• Sue Priester, community volunteer
• Burke Royster, Greenville County Schools
• Katie Schuba, UBS Financial Services Inc.
• Minor Shaw, Micco LLC
• Susan Shi, community volunteer
• Carl Sobocinski, Table 301 Hospitality
• Erin Thompson, Messer Construction Co.
• Wendy Walden, Greenville Technical College
• Donnice Wilkerson, retired, Michelin North America

Fundraisers and events

• Stronger United Awards Celebration
• Women United Summit
• Hands On Greenville Day
• An Evening With… African American Leadership
• Night at the Drive
• United Way School Tools
• Project Joy

Volunteer opportunities

• African American Leadership
• Women United
• Young Leaders Society (under 40)
• ReUnited (older adults and retirees)
• Martin Luther King Day of Service
• United Way School Tools
• United Way Project Joy
• United Way Hands on Greenville Day
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

Giving Opportunities

Give online at unitedwaygc.org/donate. Interested in organizing a workplace campaign? Join hundreds of local companies who choose United Way of Greenville County as their premier partner to help create change and strengthen our community. Contact us at info@unitedwaygc.org to get started.

Additional impact

How We Win investment highlights

• 800 children enrolled in quality preschool and after-school programs
• 580 people stably housed
• 585 parents/guardians able to maintain employment thanks to child care
• 327 people increased their earnings
• 300 people earned industry-recognized credential or certification

School tools: 5,000 Greenville County students started the school year with new backpacks, school supplies and community resources.

Project Joy: United Way’s Project Joy supporters and volunteers made sure that nearly 600 Greenville County kids spent the holidays with gifts under their trees.