What is WOMEN UNITED?
WOMEN UNITED groups represent 70,000 members across the country. Members of WOMEN UNITED speak up and unite to take action on issues that hit closest to home through giving, volunteering and advocating. The mission of United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore's WOMEN UNITED is to gather as a women’s group to engage in a hands-on approach to influence change in the areas of Health, Education, and Financial Stability within our lower four counties including Wicomico, Worcester, Dorchester and Somerset.
We are a diverse, vibrant community bound together by a powerful sense of belonging to each other, to United Way’s mission, and to the communities we call home. We empower each other to leverage our passions, ideas, expertise, and resources to transform the conditions in which people live. By investing in local solutions, we are able to positively impact our hometown.
For information on how you can engage in meaningful community empowerment, feel free to contact: Cathie Thomas cathie@uwles.org or call 410-742-5143
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Women United Events & Programs
Current
Read to Succeed
After launching the United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore’s newest affinity group, Women United, in September 2017; the group quickly set forth to support the three pillars of our United Way, Health, Education, and Financial Stability. The Women United steering committee chose to implement a reading support program aptly named Read to Succeed. By listening to the students read and helping to improve their reading skills, we are helping prepare them to go from “learning to read” to “reading to learn”. We continue to increase the number of schools serve and thus the number of children we can impact. Many thanks to those that are making a difference in these children’s lives. Sound interesting to you? Do you have 30 minutes a week or every other week to help? If so, give Cathie a call at the UW office 410-742-5143.
Girls on the Run
The next Women United hands-on project is partnering with Girls on the Run Greater Chesapeake to provide “Girls on the Run” to our area. This program was first rolled out at Pittsville Elementary/Middle School in Wicomico County. This program is a 10 week program designed to develop self-confidence and self-esteem by promoting a healthy lifestyle and exercise through running. The girls group will meet with their coaches’ after school for approximately 1. 5 hours, 2 days per week during a 10 week period and finish with a celebratory 5K. Now in its 5th season, we offer both the Girls on the Run (3-5th grades) and the Heart and Sole (6-8th grades) in 7 schools in all 4 counties we serve!
Sound interesting? Give us a call to learn how you can be involved. Sound interesting to you? Do you have 30 minutes a week or every other week to help? If so, give Cathie a call at the UW office 410-742-5143.
Secret Santa Holiday Gift Support (Emerging Leaders Project)
Past
Pajama Project
Pajama Project promotes equitable access to healthy sleep so all children can thrive. Sleep is as important for children's development as proper nutrition and exercise. Pajama Project provides children with the materials, information, and support they need to have Good Nights for Good Days. Women United, along with the local originators for this area, combined to gather a total of 2,194 pair of pajamas from 30 participating schools, businesses, and groups. After sorting them by size and gender, they were able to deliver them to 20 community agencies.
Literacy Kits
Women United continued to fulfill their mission of supporting the needs of our community, focusing on women & children, though like so many others, it was done virtually. They gathered socially distanced, to assemble over 450 Literacy Kits to be delivered to the Judy Centers ( early learning centers ) in all four counties. These kits included everything from write on/wipe off boards and foam building blocks, to foam letters and primer books! All items were made to help create a bond between child and parent as they supported the earliest learning done in the home.
Adopt-A-School
Women United partnered with the Emerging Leaders and Salisbury University Student United Way to provide support to Chipman Elementary through the Adopt-A-School program created by Kindness SBY. Women United provided puzzles for the breakroom one month, over 250 personal notes of support another month, and nutritious and fun snacks with wonderful puns attached to them and classroom supplies toward the end of the year.
Anne Street Village Pallet Homes (Annual)
Women United gathered all the items needed for a previously homeless individual to move into on of the "Tiny Homes" being provided by the city of Salisbury. From hand-created curtains to a small refrigerator. In addition to this project, Women United partnered with Piedmont HR Directors from across the country who gathered in Salisbury for training and put together one large travel bag for each individual that will move into a home. These included all of the needed personal items from shampoo to paper, pen and even a blanket and poncho. Each of these bags also included a note of encouragement for the new resident.
Trunk-or-Treat (Annual)
As part of our relationship with our Read to Succeed schools we join in the annual Trunk-or-Treat event held around the Halloween holiday.