Donations to United Way stay LOCAL, helping to meet the immediate needs of our neighbors throughout Beaufort and Jasper counties to build a strong community.
• United Way partners with local nonprofit organizations to address community priorities and create positive, lasting change by focusing on Education, Basic Needs, Economic Mobility and Health.
• Funding decisions are made LOCALLY by volunteers and community members who donate to United Way of the Lowcountry.
• United Way meets strict requirements for accountability and results by using local volunteers to serve as board members and on various committees.
• United Way’s internal HELPLINE (843.524.4357) serves as a safety net, providing information and referrals to link people with local resources and services to meet their needs. Last fiscal year, United Way provided 7,056 referrals to our neighbors in need through HELPLINE.
• United Way and Beaufort County partner to provide 2-1-1, which is a free, confidential referral and information service complementing our HELPLINE. 2-1-1 connects people with local resources after business hours, on weekends and during natural disasters. It can be accessed by dialing 211, texting 211211 or online at SC211.org.
• United Way offers Charity Tracker™, which is a web-based, shared case management tool, free to local nonprofits to help detect patterns of need in our community to address the root causes of individual and family challenges.
• United Way’s Read Indeed program provides one-on-one, in-school tutoring at schools and sites throughout Beaufort and Jasper counties as well as provides free books and supplies for students. During the 2021-2022 school year, 18,000 books were distributed to Pre-K and Kindergarten students as well as students attending summer reading camp in Jasper County.
• Women United’s Operation Backpack works with school social workers to provide more than 1,000 backpacks full of school supplies to local children in need each school year. Women United’s newest initiative, Mimi’s Closet, is creating teacher supply closets filled with essential school and personal supplies for underserved students to use during the school year.
• United Way partners with the IRS and Beaufort County to offer free tax preparation through the Lowcountry VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program. Thanks to a group of dedicated VITA volunteers, 1,797 Lowcountry residents received more than $2.6 million in tax refunds last tax season.