Success Stories

Lower Bucks Family YMCA
“When one of the YMCA Challenge Campers was asked, ‘What would you do with a million dollars?’ Alfred answered, ‘I would get a back yard.’”

Thanks to the generous assistance from Lower Bucks Family YMCA’s Challenge Camp Scholarship Program, Alfred can live his dream and participate in all the programs the YMCA has to offer: swimming, arts and crafts, field trips, making friends, and even the new “KaBoom Playground!” and it didn’t have to cost a million dollars.

YWCA Senior Shared Housing Program
A true hero of World War II, having received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and several Purple Hearts, now in his 80’s, is living alone and has Alzheimer’s. His daughter is doing ‘double duty’ in caring for her own family and visiting her father daily and is under a lot of strain to take care of him and her own family.

Thanks to the help from YWCA’s Senior Shared Housing Program, a caregiver was matched to this older gentleman and able to provide him with the care he needed, while relieving the pressure on his daughter and her family. United Way funding made it possible fore the Senior Shared Housing Program to give back in a very meaningful way to a man who had served his country so honorably.

William Penn Center Child Care Scholarship
Debbie was able to pay for child care because she was getting some help from family, but gradually she began to show signs of financial struggle. A social worker from the child care program realized she was in financial crisis due to health issues. Based on her low income and inability to work, she was offered a scholarship for her son’s placement in the William Penn Center.

Thanks to the help from William Penn Center’s Scholarship program, a family in crisis and was able to gain stability and peace of mind because this child had an opportunity to grow and learn in a safe environment and is now ready to face the challenge of kindergarten, while his mother is able to focus on attending to her health issues. “I want to thank the United Way from the bottom of my heart for letting Michael stay in The William Penn Center. You are a true blessing to me and my son.”

Good Friends, Inc.
Unemployed and in trouble, Steve took a realistic look at his situation and decided he needed help but had no resources at his command. Having burned almost all his bridges, Steve and his wife needed help for alcoholism. Their children were placed in the temporary care of other family members. Steve’s life and his family’s life in shambles and he entered our program.

Thanks to the comprehensive programs and support of Good Friends, Inc., Steve was able to create a solid foundation of sobriety, become employed on a full-time basis, open bank accounts and restructure debt, and eventually unify his family under one stable roof. His safety net became the United Way system. Now he is able to donate to it through a payroll deduction.

Family Service Association: Teen Center
At 19, Frank had lost his mother when he was very young and his father was not very supportive. He had finished high school but had no motivation or plans for his future. Frank’s self-worth was very low, and he had a history of daily marijuana use and angry outbursts toward peers.

Thanks to the help and care from the staff at Family Service Association’s Teen Center, Frank has been able to identify his value system and career options that he could pursue. With the encouragement of his father, he enrolled in Job Corps, now training to become a car mechanic and working toward an Associate’s Degree. Frank is gaining experience with healthy relationships.

Bucks County Housing Group: ITT Program
After suffering severe domestic abuse that left her with lasting health problems, Andrea and her two small children faced an uncertain future.

Thanks to the help from Bucks County Housing Group’s ITT Program and counseling services from A Woman’s Place, Andrea benefited from computer training. She also attended regular domestic violence counseling while enrolled in the program. Graduating with marketable skills, she is now earning $42,000 annually in an IT job and moved from a shelter into her own apartment. Her two children are doing well in school. Andrea is now working on repairing her credit to obtain her dream of owning a home in Bucks County.

BARC: JOBS Program
Johnny never gave up on his dream to get a job, and his perseverance has changed his life. He recently celebrated his one year anniversary working at Giant Supermarket. He performs a variety of job duties; his favorite part of the job is bagging groceries for customers. He likes getting to meet customers and takes pride in carefully bagging their groceries, making sure he places the more fragile items, such as eggs and bread, in the top of the bag. He also gathers shopping carts from the parking lot, returning them to the front of the store. Johnny’s work ethic is exemplary, and he has perfect attendance.

Thanks to the help from the BARC JOBS Program, Johnny overcame a number of challenges and was able to secure stable employment in the community. He is very proud of what he has been able to accomplish, and is a valued employee of Giant Supermarket.

Your Donation Will Buy…

$3/Week ($156/year) Provides a parent who was raised in an abusive environment with child abuse prevention, support services for post partum depression, & health screenings to promote healthy parenting (Family Service Association Caring Families Program)

$4/wk ($208/year) Allows a senior to benefit from adult day care services in a safe and nurturing environment to improve the quality of life for them and their families (Lifespan)

$6/wk ($312/year) Prevents a family from being evicted (Bucks County Opportunity Council)

$8/wk ($416/year) Provides 6 months in a halfway house for a woman recovering from substance abuse issues and her children to receive counseling, skill building & job training, and health care (Libertae)

$10/wk ($520/year) Assists victims of a home fire to receive temporary shelter, food, and assistance in finding new housing (American Red Cross Lower Bucks Chapter)

$13/wk ($676/year) Provides an adult as a role model, mentor, & friend to a youth for a year (Big Brothers Big Sisters)

$14 ($728/year) Allows a child to enjoy 5 weeks of summer camp (Head Start)

$20 ($1040) Provides job coaching, placement, and training for an adult with developmental disabilities to become a contributing & productive member in their community (BARC)