United Way of the Greater Capital Region

Our entire team looks forward to this event every year. In this season of gratitude, we are truly appreciative of the continued support and generosity of the entire RPI community!

Did you know over 8,600 Capital Region children under the age of five receive a free book in the mail every month, thanks to United Way’s partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Nearly 1,800 of those kids live in Albany County alone! This morning, we joined our friends at the Albany Public Library to enroll even more local families in this program, which inspires a lifelong love of reading amongst the youngest residents who call our community home. Thank you to the team at the library’s North Albany branch for hosting such a fun event, and to our partners at EdTrust-New York and the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, who are helping ensure all children across the state have access to inspiring early childhood literacy programs like the Imagination Library. Want to sign up your child or support the Imagination Library through a donation? Visit unitedwaygcr.org/dpil to learn more.

Nearly 17% of children in New York live in poverty, while an additional 35% are part of ALICE households—families who work hard but still struggle to make ends meet. Altogether, 2.1 million kids across the state are growing up in households that face challenges affording basic necessities. Today at the State Capitol, United Way of the Greater Capital Region joined our partners from across the state to raise our voices in support of policies that will End Child Poverty, including income support for NY families, healthy school meals for all NY children, refundable tax credits, and stronger public benefits. Thank you to our friends at the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy for bringing together such a dedicated coalition of community partners. Visit NewYorkCan.org to learn more.

Following yesterday's Jubilant Birth Albany announcement, United Way proudly hosted "The Power of Cash." This panel brought together experts from the public and nonprofit sectors to explore the transformative impact direct cash transfer programs have on families and individuals across New York State. From reducing poverty to empowering families, this discussion showcased real solutions for real challenges. We'd like to thank everyone who joined us at The Blake Annex yesterday, especially our panelists and moderator! Moderator - David Lombardo, Host, Capitol Press Room WCNY TV/FM Panelists Julia Davis, Director of Youth Justice & Child Welfare, Children's Defense Fund - New York Dorothy (Dede) Hill, Director of Policy, Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy Joan Hunt, Executive Director, Greater Hudson Promise Neighborhood Inc Candi Griffin-Jenkins, Director of Bureau of Social Determinants of Health, NYS Office of Children and Family Services Denice Ocana, Youth Action Researcher & Organizer, Children's Defense Fund - New York

Learn more about yesterday’s Jubilant Birth announcement here: https://lnkd.in/ejB2yUjJ

This afternoon at The Blake Annex, United Way of the Greater Capital Region came together with our partners to unveil a groundbreaking program to support maternal health and birth equity in Albany County. ???????????????? ?????????? ???????????? will provide $1,000 per month for 12 months to 25 low-income, pregnant women in the community. In addition to the unconditional cash supplement, each participant will be invited to access a range of prenatal, birthing, and postnatal support services provided by our partners at BIRTHNET INC, CEK RN CONSULTING INC, and the March of Dimes.? Jubilant Birth is made possible by a diverse coalition of financial sponsors, whose generous investments were critical to launching this pilot program in the community. We are grateful for the support of the Carl E. Touhey Foundation ($325,000), Highmark Blue Shield of Northeastern New York ($175,000), Hudson Valley Credit Union ($5,000), and the office of Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy, which provided a $200,000 grant through the Albany County American Rescue Plan (ARPA). Thank you to all of our partners, who are helping us build a healthier Capital Region where all have access to the care and services they need to thrive. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/ejB2yUjJ

At United Way, our partnerships go beyond grant-making—they're about learning, growing, and collaborating with nonprofits to deliver programs that make a real difference in our community. Today at The Blake Annex, our Director of Learning and Evaluation, Heather Senecal, led our first Monitoring and Evaluation session with Mission Accomplished Transition Services and Young Futures, Inc. These incredible organizations are empowering youth by offering programs that inspire and prepare them for success in school, careers, and life. We're excited to strengthen our collaboration with Coach Carmen, James, and their dedicated teams to build a thriving Capital Region where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

This morning, our President & CEO Peter Gannon made the drive to Orange County for the Office of the NYS Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Rural Roundtable, which explored the ways partners in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors can work together to build opportunities for local farmers, their employees, and residents who call rural communities home. We were pleased and grateful to head home with nearly $8,000 in unclaimed funds for the former United Way of Columbia and Greene Counties, which our organization merged with almost five years ago. These funds will have a direct impact on the well-being of local families and individuals by supporting programs in these two communities. Thank you, Comptroller DiNapoli, for your continued support of United Way!

At yesterday's Annual Meeting, we were thrilled to welcome Alan Alexander from NBT Bank and Kathy Leyden from CDPHP to United Way of the Greater Capital Region's Board of Directors. Alan and Kathy have been longtime United Way supporters and we are excited for the leadership, expertise, and fresh perspectives they'll bring to our team. Welcome, Alan and Kathy! We also bid farewell to several dedicated board members whose terms have concluded: Kylie DeWeese, Frank Koncewicz, Brian O'Grady, MBA, CHIE, and Romel W.. Your years of commitment have truly strengthened United Way and left a lasting impact. Thank you for your service and dedication!

At past annual meetings, we've spotlighted the important work of our nonprofit partners in the community. This year, we took it a step further—?????????????? ?????? ?????? — with a powerful panel discussion featuring our corporate, community-based partners, and board members, exploring United Way's collective impact across the Capital Region. Moderated by Certified Health Coach and former TV News Anchor Dr. Benita Zahn DPS,MS, CHWC, NBC-HWC, this inspiring conversation highlighted perspectives from Coach Carmen Duncan of Mission Accomplished Transition Services, Sam Trimboli from Price Chopper Supermarkets-Market 32, and Rev. Michael-Aaron Poindexter from the Regional Food Bank. Thank you to our panelists and audience for engaging with us this morning and for??????????????? ?????? ???????as loyal supporters and partners of United Way! Together, we’re working toward a Capital Region where all can thrive.