Bank of America recently awarded United Way of the CSRA a grant, which will support United Way’s Leading Families Forward Initiative. The initiative is the organization’s blueprint for lifting struggling families out of poverty through investments and partnerships in four focus areas: Childhood Success, Youth Success, Workforce Development, and Access to Resources across a 12-county service area in the CSRA.

The Leading Families Forward Initiative takes a multi-step approach that transforms local lives from childhood to adulthood and beyond. Investments ensure children ages 0-11 enter school ready to learn and are prepared for success during primary years; youth ages 12-24 gain the knowledge, skills, and credentials to obtain family-sustaining employment; families improve their earning potential and financial well-being, and have access to resources that help them achieve their education, financial, and health goals.

“United Way of the CSRA is creating opportunities for local individuals and families in need to attain stability and thrive,” said Ora Parish, President, Bank of America Augusta / Aiken. “We are grateful to partner with the organization as they continue to improve quality of life and advance economic opportunity in the region, and look forward to seeing how the Leading Families Forward Initiative shapes our community for years to come.”

In addition to this grant, Bank of America generously provided United Way with numerous shipments of face masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer. This personal protective equipment (PPE) was distributed to nonprofits across the CSRA to help keep staff and those they serve healthy and safe throughout the pandemic.

Last year, United Way impacted the lives of more than 265,000 people living in the CSRA. A portion of this impact is due to the CSRA COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, which touched over 112,000 local families in the areas of food, shelter, basic needs, physical and mental health, educational enrichment, childcare, and more. To view United Way’s 2020 impact report visit www.uwcsra.org/2020-impact-report.

For more information, contact: Brittany Burnett / President & CEO United Way of the CSRA 706-922-8923/ [email protected]