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From United Way of Central Alabama
The recent 2021 merger of Chilton County United Way with United Way of Central Alabama has been a very beneficial transition as doors opened for local Chilton County United Way agencies affected by COVID-19 to apply for a $50,000 grant from United Way of Central Alabama.

The Chilton County Emergency Assistance Center and the YMCA of Chilton County each were awarded a grant.

“We would not have been able to survive the COVID crisis without this grant,” Terry Collier, Emergency Assistance Center director, said. “The money we received made the difference between staying open or closing our doors. The money from this grant will continue to help feed people in our community thru our food bank, help low-income households with emergency dental extractions and emergency medicine prescriptions.”
YMCA Director Lori Patterson said the funding will help the Y’s programs for children.   “We are so appreciative for the grant funding that we have received from United Way of Central Alabama,” Patterson said. “The funding has allowed us to decrease tuition for our afterschool program participants. This is especially helpful to families who are experiencing hardships due to COVID. In addition, the funding will enable us to begin a ‘before school care’ program which is planned to start February 2021.”
CCUW Board Chairperson Mary Mell Smith stated “We have been very excited that our Agencies are already benefiting from the new Transition to UWCA.”
Newly appointed UWCA Board member Yolanda Fox and CCUW  Fortuna will be
working closely with the CCUW agencies to help make this transition go smoothly for them and that their needs are provided for as much as possible thru this transition.
Established in March 2020, the Community Crisis Fund has provided grants to nonprofit organizations in Jefferson, Shelby, Walker, Blount, St. Clair and Chilton counties providing basic needs assistance, mental health support, and workforce support to the unemployed. Those needs include domestic violence intervention, utility, rent, and mortgage assistance, and employment placement services.
“We realize this is going to be a marathon,” said Drew Langloh, President and CEO of United Way of Central Alabama, Inc. “It is not a few months, and we are done. This is going to run at least until the end of 2021. We are making sure we are providing support in a meaningful way.”
United Way of Central Alabama serves Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, Walker, Blount, and St. Clair counties by providing solutions for the most critical needs in the community. Through it’s partner agencies and community initiatives, UWCA improves lives and community conditions by building and mobilizing resources. United Way fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community. For more information, visit www.uwca.org.