Archives: Stories

Prior to her 13 –year tenure at Virginia Department of Health (VDH), Dr. Triggs worked with non-profits in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From 2004 to 2017, Dr. Triggs served in multiple capacities at VDH, including Public Health Nurse, Health Equity Specialist and Rural Health Program Specialist. Dr. Triggs retired from VDH in 2017.  Dr. Triggs has presented to groups throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and nationally….

For many of us, the thought of doing one’s income taxes has all the allure of attending a root canal (your own). In my mind, those who volunteer to do other people’s taxes would appear to have a leg up on sainthood. Cara Cardotti and her family have made that sort of good work a family affair.

A diverse network of nonprofit organizations is important, but corporate leadership will make or break a community’s ability to thrive. In our region, we are fortunate to partner with dozens of local and national corporations who support their local United Way by running a workplace fundraising campaign, providing volunteers and sponsoring important United Way programs.

Most parents of young children understand the importance of early education. Not many have a clear plan for how to pay for tuition, which often costs 1,000 a month or more. Bonnie found herself in that exact situation when her twins, Lilli and Leo, were born in 2014. Then she learned that United Way was launching a Kindergarten Countdown Camp in her area.

As a former teacher, Dorothy understands what it takes to help a child succeed. When her grandson, Cameron, started to struggle in school, she sought help to keep him on track and engaged in his academics. What started as difficulty in comprehending lessons led to a decrease in Cameron’s self-esteem and caused him to struggle to relate to his peers….

Ashley knew she needed help. It was 2015, she was pregnant, and she had recently left a physically and verbally abusive relationship. That’s when Ashley found Quin Rivers, a United Way-funded partner in New Kent, VA. Ashley shares her story of how United Way was able to help her and her children during that difficult time.

Her first exposure to United Way came when she was an undergrad at James Madison University, where she served as an intern for United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. In that role, Mollie participated in the grant making process, joined the team on site visits and sharpened her interest in nonprofit management. “I really liked how United Way identified…

Meet Debra, a 63 year-old Chesterfield County resident who has dealt with multiple financial hardships over the past few years. With medical issues, a bankruptcy filing and a sudden job loss, taxes were always complicated, stressful and expensive. Then she found United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.

A Grace Place closed unexpectedly in March 2018, which left more than 120 adults with disabilities without a care program. United Way worked with SOAR365, then known as Greater Richmond ARC, to find a solution that would help these families. Linda Adams shares her story of how United Way was able to turn the situation around and help her son, Justin.