Women United Empowers Local Teens with Mental Health Tools and Support
On Nov. 16, United Way Emerald Coast’s Women United hosted a transformative EmpowHER Seminar at the Boys and Girls Club of South Walton. Presented by Eglin Federal Credit Union, the event provided local teens with essential mental health resources, empowering educational tools, and a supportive community to foster self-confidence and resilience. Designed to address the growing need for mental health support across Okaloosa and Walton counties, the seminar featured interactive workshops facilitated by
Forever Warriors Partners with United Way Emerald Coast to Launch Grants for Military Support Programs
In honor of National Veteran and Military Families Month, Forever Warriors (FW), established by Step One Automotive Group (SOAG), is excited to accept applications for Cohort #2 of the Forever Warriors Foundation Grant Program. With $40,000 in funding available, grants will support programs dedicated to enhancing resiliency, well-being, and reintegration for military service members, reservists, and veterans in Okaloosa County. In September, Forever Warriors selected Cohort #1 grantees and awarded $56,000
United Way Unveils New Brand Strategy to Reflect Its Transformative Approach Forward
Today, United Way Emerald Coast (UWEC) joins United Way Worldwide (UWW) to announce a refreshed brand to reflect the organization’s reach and impact in communities as one of the world’s largest and oldest privately funded charities that helps more than 48 million people annually, including 82,467 of those in the Emerald Coast area. “The global brand refresh is a significant milestone in our organization’s 137-year history and represents our commitment to evolve and innovate in order to meet the changing
United Way Emerald Coast Celebrates Achievements and Impact at 2024 Annual Meeting
United Way Emerald Coast (UWEC), a local non-profit dedicated to improving lives and building stronger communities, successfully concluded its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, July 30, at The Place on Beal in Fort Walton Beach. The sold-out event brought together more than 120 stakeholders including donors, volunteers, board members, elected officials, community leaders, and partners. The Annual Meeting served as a platform to celebrate UWEC’s accomplishments over the past year and engage with supporters,
United Way 40 Under 40 Nominations Open
United Way Emerald Coast's 4th Annual 40 Under 40 Awards, presented by FPL, are just around the corner! It's time to nominate the rockstars in our community who are making a difference at their workplaces and beyond. Submit your nomination here.
Local Organizations Improve Teens’ Mental Health
United Way Emerald Coast's Women United hosted their second EmpowHER Teen Mental Health Seminar presented by Eglin Federal Credit Union Saturday, Nov. 4 at Walton High School. This event is part of a series aimed to empower local teenagers with mental health resources and education. Women United selected Defuniak Springs as the location due to the high caseloads carried by counselors and the stigma surrounding mental health in the area. The event featured interactive workshops and presentations from
United Way Emerald Coast Partners with Okaloosa County School District
The Okaloosa County School District has partnered with the United Way Emerald Coast to help build a foundation of early literacy, social-emotional development, and mentorship. ReadingPals is a statewide early literacy initiative that provides volunteer mentors for local students from voluntary prekindergarten to third grade who may need extra help. Once a mentor passes their background screening, they undergo training before getting placed in a classroom where they work at a 1:2 ratio. For more
Step One Automotive Group Partners with Local Organizations to ''Stuff the Bus'' with Essential School Supplies for Students in Need
Step One Automotive Group, a leading automotive dealership network with locations across Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, proudly announces its successful participation in the community-led "Stuff the Bus" initiative. Focused on providing essential school supplies to students in low-income families, Step One Automotive Group transformed its various dealership locations into donation stations for the duration of the campaign. In a partnership with the United Way Emerald Coast and United Way of West Florida,
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and HCA Florida Twin Cities Hospital Collect More than 3,000 School Supplies
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and HCA Florida Twin Cities Hospital joined HCA Florida Healthcare hospitals across the state throughout July to participate in the organization’s first statewide We Show Up for Our Schools month of service. In partnership with the Okaloosa County School District and United Way Emerald Coast, HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and HCA Florida Twin Cities Hospital collected more than 3,000 supplies for students and teachers in our community ahead of the new
Fish Window Cleaning of Destin Celebrates Anniversary of Meaningful Partnership
Fish Window Cleaning®, the nation’s premier window cleaning service, is thrilled to announce its Destin, Fla., location is celebrating the first anniversary of its meaningful partnership with United Way Emerald Coast. For the past year, the crew has been offering free window cleaning to the charity as a way to give back to the community. It is one of the many initiatives of Fish Window Cleaning Franchisee Danica LaFaire, who is always looking for ways to integrate her company into the local
The United Way Emerald Coast Emerging Leaders 40 Under 40 Seeks Nominations
The United Way Emerald Coast Emerging Leaders 40 Under 40 award seeks to recognize Okaloosa and Walton counties’ top young leaders who are excelling in the areas of leadership, community involvement, and professional accomplishment. Know a rockstar individual? Nominate them by July 17th 40 Under 40 | United Way Emerald Coast (united-way.org)
Thank you to everyone who participated in Volunteer Week!
Collectively, we volunteered 1,160 hours working on 27 projects this week and built 1,000+ resource kits to be distributed to our community. Congratulations to our award winners: Mary Farruggia - Volunteer of the Year; Life Enrichment Senior Center - Volunteer Partner of the Year; Susan Cota - Presidential Service Award, Gold (500+ Volunteer hours); Charlotte Slay - Presidential Service Award, Silver (200+ Volunteer hours); Juanita "Nina" Flores - Presidential Service Award, Bronze (100+ Volunteer
Women United Makes a Difference in Local Teens' Lives
United Way Emerald Coast's Women United hosted their first EmpowHER Seminar on Saturday, April 22nd, at Crestview High School. The event aimed to empower teenagers with mental health resources and education. Women United selected Crestview as the location for the event due to the high caseloads carried by mental health counselors in the area. The seminar featured interactive workshops and presentations from partner organizations donating their time to support the cause. Participants had the opportunity to
Okaloosa County School District Partners with United Way Emerald Coast on ReadingPals Program
The Okaloosa County School District has partnered with the United Way Emerald Coast to help build a foundation of early literacy, social-emotional development, and mentorship. ReadingPals is a statewide early literacy initiative that provides volunteer mentors for local students from voluntary prekindergarten to third grade who may need extra help. Once a mentor passes their background screening, they undergo training before getting placed in a classroom where they work at a 1:2 ratio. For more
United Way Would Love Your Help!
Each year, we recruit volunteers to serve during our Community Investment Process. Volunteering is a rewarding experience where you’ll be responsible for reviewing grant applications from our non-profit partners, listening to presentations, and determining where the dollars we’ve raised will have the greatest impact. This opportunity is open to anyone who has made a donation (of any amount) to United Way Emerald Coast this fiscal year (July1, 2022 – now). If you haven’t yet made a gift, you may visit
United Way Emerald Coast Presents Volunteer Week
Volunteer Week: April 16th – April 22nd, 2023 Learn morehere Sponsorship Opportunity: Looking for ways to align your brand with making a difference in our community? Put your brand in front of hundreds of local volunteers and businesses. Sponsorships start as low as $500. SPONSORSHIP DEADLINE: MARCH 10 Project Submission Deadline: Are you a non-profit, school, or community organization with a project that could use some manpower? Our volunteers are here to help. Submit your project request
United Way Emerald Coast presents Volunteer Week: Day of Caring and Our 2nd Annual Volunteer Celebration!
Volunteer Week is an opportunity to honor the individuals that donate their time and dedication towards tackling issues in our community. Join us in a week of volunteerism through hands-on and virtual opportunities to support some of our region's nonprofits and end the week with a luncheon as we celebrate YOU and your impacts! Download our flyer here, check out the sponsorship opportunities here, or sign up to volunteer here! Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, United Fidelity Bank.
