United Way of Greater Chattanooga’s Post

A few weeks ago, we had the joy of visiting one of our nonprofit partners, East Lake Expression Engine! Through their after-school and summer music programs, ELEE is helping students discover their creativity and develop greater self-esteem. ELEE's programming is based on El Sistema--a cultural, educational, and social program which focuses on social engagement and youth empowerment through ensemble music education. Libby O’Neal, Founder and Co-Director of East Lake Expression Engine shared a little bit about how ELEE has expanded their impact: "We've been able to provide tutoring to 60 students weekly and hire 14 students as paid interns to lead programs for over 100 children. These teen leaders evolved from program participants to peer leaders, sharing their knowledge and talents with the next generation of musicians. The skills they gain during their time at ELEE have put many on a path to pursue postsecondary education."🎶🎉

Wishing everyone a wonderful Fourth of July!🎉 We hope you all have the chance to honor and celebrate the day. Our offices will re-open for regular business hours tomorrow.

Introducing our 2024-2025 Funded Partners!!!🎉✨ We are thrilled to be partnering with 73 incredible organizations for the year ahead! This diverse group of nonprofits is tackling projects related to early literacy, workforce development, entrepreneurship, meeting essential needs, and more. Together, we‘re on a mission to help ensure that every child can thrive and families can break cycles of financial hardship. You can learn more about our community investments process and view the full list of Funded Partners here: https://lnkd.in/gYMWQB3w

Swipe through to see our upcoming nonprofit circles! Explore, connect, and grow with fellow nonprofit leaders. Register today at https://lnkd.in/edP3AzW9 for engaging discussions and community connections! Don't miss out on valuable insights and networking opportunities. Reach out if you have any questions 😎

Today is Juneteenth - a day to be reminded of the importance of freedom for all! Commemorated as a U.S. Federal Holiday in 2021, Juneteenth signifies the day the last remaining slaves were freed. We hope you enjoy the day however you like to celebrate. Our offices will be closed today, but we'll be back in business tomorrow!

In May, nearly half of the calls to our 211 Helpline were for food requests - that's over 700 calls. Swipe to learn how you can help. Donate to or visit your local food pantry today. Check out our full list of food pantries at https://loom.ly/Q2hmI2c!

Nonprofit friends! Please don't miss the opportunity to be a part of our largest volunteerism event of the year 🤩 We'd love to connect you to volunteers to get a project done in the fall. The deadline is less than a week away! Submit your projects at https://loom.ly/7qkU4CY. If you have any questions, please reach out to our volunteerism team at volunteering@uwchatt.org ✨.

Did you catch our 2024 Celebrate Awards recap? We had a blast and are keeping the party going - we believe in celebrating and building capacity for local nonprofits year-round! Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with us. Full video is up on our YouTube channel https://lnkd.in/e7TTT-eh. Huge thank you to Tim Ivey for his fantastic video work!

Meet Melanie Flores, our Community Investments Assistant! If you've been to our office in the last couple of months, you've probably seen Melanie at our front desk! She is the first face you see walking in and is a warm welcome to all. She joined us in April and has already been so collaborative, innovative, and proactive. Melanie graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga last December and is looking forward to getting married in July! As a first generation American, she brings a unique perspective and passion for our Latinx neighbors. Her favorite things to do in her free time are read, spend time outdoors, thrift, listen to music (big Swiftie), and stay up to date on pop culture. Melanie has brought so much warmth to our team and we are so grateful she chose United Way! Welcome Melanie to the team and give her a shoutout for all the positive impact she'll continue to have here! Yay Melanie!

Announcing our 2024-2025 Campaign Chair... Wade Hinton, Esq.! As a longstanding advocate, entrepreneur, and changemaker in our community, we are beyond honored to have Wade leading the way to create positive change this year. He is a force in our region, and we can't wait for all we can continue to accomplish together. Please give a warm welcome to Wade and the rest of our fantastic Campaign Cabinet - these people are making impact day in and day out.