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Increasing Affordable Housing

Affordable housing is a cornerstone of economic development. Our partnership with the Fairfield County Collaborative Fund for Affordable Housing works to:

$935,000 in Funding to Emergency Relief Providers

In response to the continued need in the community for basic need services such as food, shelter and emergency financial relief, United Way of Coastal Fairfield County in partnership with the GE Foundation is providing almost $1 million to support agencies providing those services. The Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund was created last year in response to the large number of individuals and families in our communities who saw their financial stability shaken by reductions in work hours and job loss. This year, United Way of Coastal Fairfield County was able to leverage the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Funds with additional funding through Connecticut’s TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) ARRA Emergency Contingency Fund program.

FamilyWize Card Helps Area Residents Save Almost $180,000

United Way of Coastal Fairfield County has joined with hundreds of United Ways in partnering with FamilyWIze, a not for profit, to help people save on prescription medications. Since the program's inception in late 2008, United Way of Coastal Fairfield County has helped residents save an average of 34% per prescription. A total of 8,926 claims have been submitted yielding total savings of nearly $180,000 for area residents.

Dinner Celebrates Volunteer Tax Preparers

On Wednesday, May 5, 2010, United Way of Coastal Fairfield County honored 76 volunteer income tax preparers from the Bridgeport/Norwalk area at a dinner at the Norwalk Inn. This event celebrated the end of another successful tax preparation year. Nearly 3,300 returns were prepared and refunds of more $4,000,000 came back to community residents in our 12-town region.

Housing, Education & Healthcare Conference

On Wednesday, April 28^th, 2010 The Partnership for Strong Communities hosted Housing: The Hub of Public Policy 2010, part of a series at the Lyceum in Harford, CT. The conference focused on the effects of unaffordable, substandard and unstable housing situations on children's health and educational advancement. Policymakers, researchers and community members convened to discuss goals, accomplishments and next steps towards housing stability and its connection to children's health a

Legislative Breakfast Focuses on Preventing Homeless/Housing Cuts in State Budget

United Way of Coastal Fairfield County was pleased to host a legislative breakfast on homelessness in Fairfield County on April 9th at the Barnum Museum. The event was presented by the Southwest Connecticut Continuums of Care (Greater Bridgeport Area, Norwalk/ Fairfield and Stamford/ Greenwich), and more than 200 participants and elected officials gathered to learn about updates on homelessness trends in Fairfield County and the state. Experts from statewide and national advocacy organizations spoke about housing needs. Those personally affected by homelessness spoke about

Project Homeless Connect

On March 11th, Project Homeless Connect welcomed homeless neighbors into the life of the community by connecting them with valuable resources. This annual event changes the way services are accessed and achieves quantifiable results for people experiencing homelessness. The fifth annual event was a day-long opportunity for the homeless individuals living near the United Congregational Church to connect with health and dental care, barber and beauty services, food and giveaways, shelter information, employment information, behavioral health services, legal services, and hygiene p

Community Response Small Grants Funding- Income

First Round of Funding

YWCA Darien-Norwalk-New Directions
$4,000 is being provided to increase the number of sessions in the New Directions program and provide a limited number of scholarships. This economic empowerment program is for women following divorce, widowhood, and/or domestic violence.

Mercy Learning Center-Literacy and Life Skills

Access to Basic Needs

basic needs

Our region continues to face significant challenges. Unemployment remains at a 26-year high. The demographic of those in need has expanded, forcing them to choose between putting food on the table and paying the rent. United Way’s work in providing access to basic needs support includes:

Income

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OUR GOAL

Is to grow Family Economic Success by helping working families increase their income, build assets and achieve financial independence.