Strategic planning showed resources and barriers
by Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director – United Way of Charlotte County
In a simpler time, Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote in her memoirs about receiving an orange for Christmas as a child. My heart is warmed by her gratitude at such a simple pleasure, something we undoubtedly take for granted now (especially living in Florida). Receiving a basic item of food as a Christmas gift definitely isn’t quite the norm in 2022 as it was in the 1880s, yet sadly there are many in our community who could express equal gratitude upon having their basic needs met for the holidays.
Reflecting on this past year, I lean heavily on the strategic planning work that was done this summer with a wide range of community partners, our United Way of Charlotte County (UWCC) team and a group of national consultants trained in results-based accountability.
Charlotte County has an abundance of available resources for those in our community who could use assistance meeting their basic needs – food, clothing and shelter – as well as other needs, such as health care, utility payments or childcare. Help can be found at Senior Friendship Centers, the Department of Health, the Boys & Girls Clubs, the Salvation Army, area churches or at our local United Way (that’s us!).
We learned that while help exists, barriers abound. Many individuals are unaware of the resources that exist, are unsure if they are even eligible for those resources and are unprepared to navigate the systems necessary to access them. Communication and navigation difficulties were at the forefront of conversations during our strategic planning sessions.
The next layer of barrier comes after we tackle communication and navigation issues. The services that exist for Charlotte County residents, while abundant and varied, are still not sufficient to meet the need. It was noted by several partner agencies that there is a limited geographic reach (i.e., gaps in underserved areas of the county), limited capacity overall and transportation barriers for those with the greatest need. Some specific gaps that were identified included specialty medical care, sufficient quality childcare options and financial literacy education.
We also reflected heavily in these meetings on the foundational element of education. The consensus was that we need every child to be ready for kindergarten, reading on grade level by third grade and to have adequate transitions between the grades to ensure a continuous, solid flow of learning. We agreed that educational success for our youngest residents is a community issue that must be owned collectively, as a step just above those basic needs.
At United Way of Charlotte County, our mission is to mobilize the power of our community to break the cycle of poverty. We are grateful for the insight we received from the community partners who participated in our strategic planning sessions and are confident in the steps we need to take as a community to move forward.
Yes, we took a step back this fall with the onslaught of Hurricane Ian, but the generosity of a community united has brought an influx of funds, resources and generous helping hands to help us collectively regroup and begin moving forward once again. The needs have not changed but have simply been magnified following the impacts of Ian. Senior isolation and the need for human connection were a critical need identified prior to the storm and has now greatly increased in Charlotte County in the last two months.
This strategic process will inform our funding and mobilizing priorities over the next three years, as well as how we respond to Ian recovery needs.
My desire is that while we remain grateful for the orange in our stocking, we intentionally and urgently look to a future filled with so much more. If you are in a place where you can give back, give hope, please consider supporting our United at Work fund by donating at unitedwayccfl.org/unitedatwork. For those who have basic needs that still are unmet following the hurricane, you can get help, get hope, at unitedwayccfl.org/gethelp.
For more information about United Way of Charlotte County’s mission: Mobilizing the power of our community to break the cycle of poverty, please contact Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director. She can be reached at director@unitedwayccfl.org.