United Way of Henderson County fights for the education, financial stability, health, and basic needs of every person in Henderson County. By bringing together a wide variety of organizations, people, and resources, we are changing conditions in our community and improving lives.
Click here to view Henderson County 2025, UWHC’s ten year plan for improving our community over the next decade.
Health
We all have a stake in creating a healthier community, one where our neighbors lead long, active lives and are able to enjoy living in such a beautiful place. And Henderson County is ranked as one of the fifteen healthiest places to live in North Carolina! However, we are not immune to some of the significant health risks that plague other communities across the country.
Everyone in our community wants to enjoy good health, but not everyone has equal access to healthy foods and to safe places to move their bodies. We know that poor nutrition and a lack of exercise contribute to increased risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, and reduced life spans. By supporting efforts to increase access to and education about healthy eating; as well as projects that promote and support physical activity for all residents, United Way is helping to create a healthier Henderson County.
Our middle and high school youth face a complicated landscape today, and it’s never been more dangerous to make poor choices with life and death consequences. But United Way knows that when we equip our youth with skills, knowledge, and support, they can and will succeed. We are committed to reducing the use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco among our youth, and to preventing teen pregnancies. By focusing our efforts on this critical age group, we know we can improve the future for everyone in Henderson County.
Education
We all want to live in a community where students get a great education that prepares them for college, careers, and a good life. Here in Henderson County, our school system is among the best in the state! However, we recognize that some kids in our community don't have the resources they need to be successful in school, and United Way is committed to providing opportunities to help those children be their very best.
We are working across the community to help get young learners ready before they even get to Kindergarten. We know that students who are ready to learn have a much better chance of succeeding throughout their school years, and even into adulthood! Through investments in improved access to high quality preschool and outreach to young children who are not in formal childcare settings, we are helping to prepare the youngest Henderson County residents with the skills they need to be successful in Kindergarten and beyond.
As in most communities across North Carolina and the United States, our children who come from disadvantaged homes struggle to keep up with their peers academically. In fact, students who live in poverty tend to score about 10 percentage points behind their peers when it comes to reading on grade level. United Way believes that by providing high quality afterschool and summer programs, along with caring adult mentors, we can support these students and help them achieve their goals.
Financial Stability
A thriving community means one where everyone has the chance to achieve financial stability. As our local economy begins to recover from the pandemic, we know that many in our community are falling behind and struggling to support themselves and their families. United Way believes that when we help our neighbors gain the skills and opportunities they need to succeed, we build a better Henderson County for everyone.
We believe by giving people the skills they need to increase their incomes, pay down their debts, and manage their money, we create a ripple effect that improves life for everyone in Henderson County. Poverty is a real problem in our community, even if we don’t see it every day. United Way is committed to helping the most vulnerable among us to get on their feet and build a solid future.
Henderson County is a wonderful place to live, with our fabulous outdoor resources, great schools and hospitals, and friendly neighbors. But working families in our community face a significant shortage of affordable, decent, safe housing. We know that affordable housing is one of the key stabilizing factors that enable people to create a good quality of life, and we simply need more of it in this community. United Way is working with our partners to increase the availability of this critical housing resource so that everyone in our community can have a great place to call home.
Basic Needs and Crisis Services
United Way knows that when people are living in crisis, when their basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter are not being met, it’s hard for them to focus on building strong, sustainable lives. Especially now, as our community continues to recover from the COVID-19 crisis, we believe in supporting basic needs and crisis services in Henderson County to help the most vulnerable among us to take control of their lives and create a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. And when we reach out a hand to one, we can influence the condition of all.