Scott Embry of United Way Talks Literacy, Trust and Why 1 in 3 Neighbors Need Help

Peter: welcome to the Carolina Cabinet. I'm Peter Pappas, and my guest today is Scott Embry, director of and CEO of the United Way of Crumley County. Scott spent years in this market as director of advertising at the Fayette Observer. He moved away, came back home, and took the helmet United Way in twenty twenty four. United Way does not take state or federal money. It runs on solely local generosity. And Scott says one in three Cumberland County residents was served last year. So Scott, thanks for being here today. And Peter, thank you. It's so good to be here. It's been a while. It's been a year or more since you were on the cabinet last and we were in different digs. That's exactly right. I think at least those digs worked a little easier than what we're dealing with today. Because I you know, the so I don't have my producer Jim here today either. He he fortunately came back when we did the live watch party the other night and he kept me away from the technical things. So he kinda you know, he's pretty good at that. So you were away from Fayetteville for what about seven years? Seven years. Yeah. So what what pulled you back in? well, you know, Fayetteville, I moved around a lot for my career, you know, not military but in the media industry. but My time in Fayetteville really made an impression on on me and my family. it's a it's a community where we felt like we plugged in quicker and better, maybe than any place we've ever lived. And we've lived some pretty cool places. And right before I moved back, about a year before, so it was in twenty twenty three, I decided I was gonna get out of the the newspaper media industry and I wanted to move back to Fayetteville. So we started started looking around and told Misty, my wife, I said, Hey, why don't you start looking, see what kind of opportunities there in Fayetteville. and you know, then my my son in law though is the youth pastor at our church at first church. Okay. And he and my wife had moved here too. So that kind of got my wife on board with that too. And since we've been here, we've had our first two grandbabies and you know, we just we we like the community. We think it's a real welcoming community. One of my favorite things is there's just so many different cultures in Fayetteville, and then you layer on the military, which, I didn't grow up in a military town. My family's not military. And to you get to share a restaurant with military personnel. And it it's pretty cool, to to be here and live and you know, just just have have a life here. Well, where did you grow up? I grew up in Butling Green, Kentucky, right around that area. Country boy. Well, yeah, I always liked the Army brats because they were very eclectic. They had been places and they saw things and they brought a perspective that I think enriches our does enrich our community. It's like you said. now, what were some of the other areas that maybe were on the short list before you move back here? I like I like to brag to people that we really do like Fayetteville. Yeah, yeah. Well, you know, I Spent some time in Newbourne, North Carolina, which I I really do enjoy that. I've spent several years in Charleston, South Carolina and Chattanooga, Tennessee, and then eastern Tennessee was my last stop around the Johnson City area there, the the Tri City area. So, you know, they're all real. Those are some pretty pretty heavy contenders. I I'm definitely you're definitely gonna have to attribute it to the family tie that brought you here for sure. Yeah. so what's so you came from the the go go lifestyle of selling ads and media stuff. I don't know if you were selling ads, but media stuff in newspaper. what's the big difference now that you had to shift downshift and start asking people to donate money? What was the biggest challenge for you? Well, you know, I think the biggest challenge for me was just the fact that you're sh you're changing products. And before everything I would sell would be a tangible something you would get, whether it was a a traditional print campaign, which I didn't do much of that my last 10 years, I was in the digital space, or building a website or doing a social media rebranding. So there was always something tangible that they got that they got in return for their investment. And while I think the product that I sell now is far superior to anything that I've ever done before and certainly way more impactful. Sometimes it's hard for people to really get a grasp, if you will, of of what we're doing with their investment because we touch so many lives in this community. And Peter, one of the things that is is kind of mind-boggling to me when I first come, people would say, Hey, come and give us a United Way update. We'd like to hear about meal packing, so food insecurity, or we want to hear about the Dolly Pardon Imagination Library. Or we want to hear about what you're doing with early childhood education or homelessness. So my first really a probably a full year and a half here, I'm giving updates and I'm starting to realize every time I talk to a group of people, I'm talking about something entirely different, which If you go back to marketing one on one one one, controlling that narrative being very consistent. Certainly not. Well, because you have so much to offer. That's right. So I think that continues to be the biggest challenge is being able to resonate with people. because the United Way work, you know, is so incredible. And my entire career as a media executive, I gave to the United Way, including when I was in favor. Okay. And so I did it because I was busy working my career and didn't I knew there's a lot of need in the community, but I used the United Way to help meet that need, plus my local church. And man, I it didn't take long after being in this work to where I validated all of those concerns. It really is. For eighty seven years, the United Way here in Cumberland County, man, that body of work. I I feel kind of like I'm carrying a mantle, if you will, and I just don't want to mess it up. No, well I think you have the talents and skills to not mess it up. I think you're doing just fine. So I do want to go back to before I get too far away from it. In your introduction I said that one in three Cumberland County residents was served. So that's you're touching about a third of our community with your services and programs. Okay. Yeah, yeah. So well before we get too deep, where's what part of town is your office in? we're right downtown. We're on Dick Street, right across from the courthouse. Okay. Well I gotta ask you. Let's see. would you rather go to a woodpeckers game or a show with the crowd? Whoo, depends on depends on what's played. Okay. But I am a big fan of the woodpeckers. Any good coffee spots downtown? I know we lost some. We lost some, but I I am a I am a fan of Vagabond. Okay. Yep. I am very consistent. Every time I go in there and often I do a lot of my meetings over coffee at Miller's Brew, which is just up Haymo Hill a little bit, but they are such an awesome organization and we fund them. Absolutely. So I really like to go there and see what's happening. So that's probably my normal spot would be Millers Brew. Okay. Okay. So what do you think the the best thing about Fable is that people don't get credit for or don't give it credit for? I think it's the the the servant spirit. That's what I would call would describe Fayetteville. And I and I I have to believe it's tied because we have so many military connected families here. But this is a community that will step up and help you. If you if you'll just be brave enough to ask, you know, that they're re they're ready to jump in and serve. And it's special. It's special. I've been in a lot of markets and even in the newspaper, you're always really closely connected to the markets. It's what I loved and what kept me in that business so long. But Fayetteville's just got something extra, is what I would say. And and it really is my mission to advocate for that extra. Okay. Well, you're carrying the mantle, so you know, don't mess it up now. So so most people know the name of United Way. but tell us in plain terms what you think or what what does the United Way of Cumberland County actually do on a daily side? So when you go punch like when you clock in or whatever. You walk in the office, what does your day look like? What do you actually do? Yeah, our mission is pretty simple. we're here to improve lives. The way we do that is unique from any other nonprofit in this community. yes, we s we do run some programs for this community, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The 211 Help Hotline, the Literacy Council, we we are big part of that. We run that. but we know that our most effective way to get things done is through collaboration. Okay. So we're the only like really nonprofit in this community that funds other nonprofit programs as well as our own, if that makes sense. If there's a program in our three pillar areas, which is education. healthcare, basic critical needs and financial stability. If there's nonprofits that are doing some exceptional work, our donors don't want us to go do that work. They want us to go help them do more of that good work. Sure. And that creates a really fun day to day because I get a chance to work with really the entire nonprofit community in Cumberland County. And there are some incredible passionate driven people that have become really close friends of mine and we do a lot of good work together. so so it it is really cool. Okay. So about investing in partner agencies so how do you have an idea like how many you work with? Yeah so you know it changes from year to year. but it it ranges somewhere between 12 to 17 Usually that's that's about what we're we're go we're typically that's where we land is what I will tell you. a lot of that is heavy into basic critical needs. We feed a lot of people, but we don't have a food pantry or a soup kitchen. So we we are very intentional about partnering. We don't like the idea of people going to to bed hunting. So do you do you have partners that do have yes, absolutely? Yeah. Okay. So that's that's what we do. In fact, through the meal packing event We're we're giving food to almost every food pantry in Cumberland County. So while we have partners we work with on a month to month basis, w we're interested in, you know, expanding that circle of hope, if you will. Okay. Okay. So I've I've heard you say a hundred percent of what you raise stays in Cumberland County. So I always assume it's United Way. You guys are paying some big CEO someplace, some big old cushy jobs. how much Is it really staying here? How does it stay here? Yeah. Well, if you think about the United Way, there is a United Way worldwide and their CEO probably does pretty good, but they also raise billions of dollars, So when you put it into that perspective, you know, that their their money probably isn't comparable to what we do. We're we're we're like a franchise, is what I will tell you. So we pay our dues and we submit our reports. We get to use the logos, the branding, the resources that they provide. But we are one hundred percent self sufficient. And in fact, you know, a lot of people don't understand this, that there's a ton of United Ways that have just gone away the last 10 years because, you know, you've got to be more aggressive on the fundraising side because you don't get state or federal funding. And you only exist on the generosity, for me to say yes to an a program that needs to be done, someone has to say yes to donating to the United Race. So it is that way. And, the nonprofit business is is not for the light at heart, is what I will tell you. It is it is a business and you've gotta be hustling to in order to be able to have resources to meet the needs. And when you lose sight of that. There's not an there there's not another revenue source coming in for us. So, it it it is really critical that that we we share our story and we give everybody possibly the opportunity to join and help us do the work that needs to be done. Okay. yeah, I mean it's it's it's incredible work, it's important work. But it doesn't just happen organically. It really has to be somebody intentionally finding the partnerships, putting the program together, developing the resources to fund those programs and then reporting on how they work. I mean like a real job. A real job. Like a real job. Okay. So I'll talk just a little bit of shop because I'm curious now. when you give money to a local nonprofit, are there guidelines? I'm sure there are, but tell me about guidelines or Are you checking the books of who you give the money to? How does that get followed up with? Are you just blindly saying, here, you get some and you get some? Is it like an Oprah episode or what? Talk to me about it. It is absolutely the best thing we do as an organization for our community. yeah, you're you're you're not gonna get United Way funding unless you've been thoroughly vetted and not by the United Way staff by ourselves. Now we do follow up, but we have a about 50 to 60 on our community impact council that meet with every organization that we give money to, evaluate the program, review their RFPs, and then we continue to stay in the stay in it with them. So every quarter they're accountable to go through a quarterly report where we're looking, how did you spend the money? Are we getting what we thought we were going to get? Because they tell us what they're going to do with it. And if we're not, are we making adjustments on what to do? Because not everything's, foolproof. Right, right. and and that's the reason why, Peter, we do business with the same nonprofits year after year is not because they're obligated to for United Way funding. It's because after you do business a while and you develop a trust and you know that they're gonna spend those donor dollars in a way that you're gonna be proud of. it makes a ton of difference. So when you talk about the United Way network, you know, it is it is organizations that are high functioning, they've got a board, they got a track record, they have accountability on the accounting side of things and they're measuring impact. Exactly. So that that's the thing, measuring the impact of what they're doing. Because I I think all too often I've seen nonprofits say, well we we hired a director and what but everybody kind of forgets, okay, but how many Homeless blankets did you give out? what was the mission and how far did they accomplish that? I think sometimes gets lost. because we have a lot of good people here and we have people that you see homeless folks. You don't want I don't want to steer you religiously or whatever, but if not for nothing, we're a Christian nation and nobody wants to see somebody down on their luck, right? Sleeping on the street, whatever, what have you. But at a certain point, we have to put that passion aside and say, okay. Where what are we getting accomplished? And so you are looking at the impact of what these organizations, you're not just letting them by with, we hired a director, but we're asking the question behind the question how many people did you help? How many lives did you touch? Yeah, because that's what's important. at the end of the day. Yeah. we're not we're not in the nonprofit business, we're in the human being business. Right. we love people and we want the best for people. Yeah. Yeah. so it is a big responsibility. And anybody that isn't that passionate as you can see I am about it, you just wonder why why do you put all this work into it if you're not that passionate about it? I wonder what the end end goal is. yeah. Look, I glad I'm glad you've got a passion, but we can't have twenty people that have the passion to bring hot chocolate to homeless people. Certainly there's one or two that can do it better than the other eighteen. Right, Yeah. and I like that you follow up. See, I would want to see that same follow up from our own government when they give out nonprofit. That's right. Yeah. Wouldn't that be awesome? Well, it's something that yeah, I've been running my mouth about quite a bit because again, we're a Christian nation. We don't like seeing anybody down. That's right. But let's make sure the money and the resources are going to that's right where they need to be. Well, and I've had and I love our officials locally and we have such good relationships. across this community. We couldn't do what we do without it's just the the honest to God truth. But, you know, when when we're when I'm talking to politicians, you know, one of the questions they ask me, and it's kind of getting around to what you're saying, is they're like, hey, do you ever give money to anybody you don't know? Well, you know that doesn't happen. Well I'm Did you also did you pack your own bags the night before? Yeah. and what and what I think what they're trying to say is they have a whole lot of confidence in the United Ways process that gets the impact that we're really shooting to get. Are we perfect? No, absolutely not. But man, we've got a system that works really well and we have the best community impact council. I am telling you, these people pour their time in to do these one on one reviews with these organizations and hear the presentation, meet their board of directors. I mean, you can feel good when you give to the United Way that that dollar is going to go sunk to someone that is going to put it to really good use. Well, that's the hope. you know, we want to trust our institutions, especially, you know, I think and also I think too, the government needs to get out of the nonprofit business and just say, look, United Way, you need to administer this. So I don't know if that's a a feather in your cap or not if you'd want that business. But I would definitely want to get county management or city management off of those decisions and just let you say, look, we need X amount to do this. And Yeah, you know, and and those discussions, you're not alone in in that thought process as I mentioned to you. And we do have those discussions with the city is, you know, if the United Way, I mean our slogan is live united, you know, obviously we have to have a lot of people to help us do this. But we we want to bring value not just to the people we serve, but the best version of Cumberland County is gonna be found when we live united. I don't I can't I cannot tell I'm I'm not just a client, I'm the president. Yeah, okay. That's exactly right. So let's talk about the three pillars. because you you you're We talked about consistency a little while ago. You just dailed each one of my notes, in order. So you must have been practicing in the mirror for a couple of years. Well, you did a while. So let's talk about the tell me about because Dolly Parton, we just lost her. but tell me about the Imagination Library. man, it it is the one topic that is always fun to talk about. Even in the midst of losing Dolly this year, that legacy. And the life that she lived and her mission. I had to tell you this funny story because I grew up in Kentucky, close to Tennessee line, you know, Bowling Green, Kentucky. And we knew Dolly as a singer and an actress growing up. But it was so cool that I was at a a literacy program recently and they said she's known as the lady on the back of the book now to the next generation. And after her passing, I thought, That's exactly what she wanted to be known as. and so we are the stewards of of the Dolly program. We, we brought it here. You can only get on and off the program through the United Way. And this June, Peter, it was such an honor that Dolly Pardon Foundation came to Cumberland County and recognized our program as the best program in the world this year. Excellent. So I have here the $35 sponsors one child's books for one year. So how many books are we talking about? Last month we mailed out nine thousand two hundred and thirty-seven books. Okay. And so each kid gets one book a year or one a month, whatever. To their to their home. Yeah, from from birth through five. Okay. And in addition to that, and really what makes stands us out from other Dolly affiliates around the world is we launched partnerships with Cape Fair Valley Health. And Womack Medical Army Hospital in 24. And every child that's born in Cumberland County goes home with the little engine that could. And the and their staff shows them how to register. So our registrations went from 50 to 70 a month, well over 300 a month. so you know, that type of growth, it really is a testament of collaboration. We couldn't do it without the hospital, and they seen value in the program. And I was so glad because it is, the Dolly program's freeze to for the to the families, but it's not a free program. The Dolly Pardon Foundation subsidizes the program and we get books at an incredible price. In fact, on average, every one of those nine thousand two hundred and thirty seven books cost us about three dollars and fifty cents to buy it and mail it to the house. So You're s it's a pretty it's a pretty good investment for this community and it's and it's funded through donors that you know that say, Hey, literacy's important. We're gonna we're gonna try to do our best for the next generation and it is really awesome to see that. And then, you know, the hospital program that we launched with them, that's four hundred and fifty books a month. So we know soldiers, they They're good s they're good at fighting, they're good at making babies. 'cause we have a we deliver lots of babies in our community. So four hundred and fifty on average. And then last year, we just needed some help underwriting that. It's a huge expense for the United Way. And we're already s you know, stretched in. Twenty, thirty thousand a month, sounds like. Well, for the doll for the hospital program was about twenty-five thousand a year, just for the hospital program. Okay. And then Bright Speed. came in and and and became a sponsor of that program and underwrote it for us, which, freed up resources that we could we could spend on other programs in our community. So, we can't do it without help. And I think sometimes people think about the United Way and they do believe it's this big organization, but it's not. It's a very small, vulnerable organization that's been doing a lot of great work in this community and never before. We really need people to help us do that. Because if we don't, you know, that goes away. Yeah, right. Well, and I think having you sum it up that hey, we're a chapter. We're like a franchise. We pay our dues now. Our dues are not percentage based, are they? they they are based on not percentage, but you're in a tier based on the amount of revenue. So sure. Yeah, if they were too high, you would have you would have no United Ways because a lot of particularly in eastern North Carolina, a lot of our United Ways have one person, in a community and they're sharing it over four or five counties. I feel very privileged that we have that I can focus just on Cumberland County. And I've even been asked, Hey, would you consider taking on another county? And, you know, my answer is no. I wouldn't even consider it. I mean, Cumberland County deserves my full attention. And I and I cannot be two places at one point. There's a there's enough to do here. Absolutely. Absolutely. So Vision Resource Center has been a partner for eighty six years. Is that true? It is true. They are one of the originals. so K Fear Botanical just joined. Yep. That's awesome. so well that's a heck of a range. It is a range. Different kind of different kind of people and but there's a com there's a common thread woven between those. Okay. So, Vision Resource Center, obviously there's no duplication to that. They're a one of one. Yes, they are. So there's th and they are a awesome organization. But the botanical gardens, there was a study that we we were became aware of a couple of years ago as we started talking about this that for Title One kids, getting in the outdoors just doesn't happen in a concrete jungle, if you will. Okay, fair enough. And The botanical garden had an appetite to offer free field trips for Title One schools, but they needed some help offsetting some of that cost. Sure. And so, that's where we got to talking about the the way that that changes lives. If we can get our Title One schools into the garden, which I would say is one of the crown jewels of Cumberland County. to get out there and just see nature in that form. And then you hear the stories of kids that got to come and do it and you think, why wouldn't we help make sure these kids get to enjoy what you know they wouldn't get the joy otherwise? So at the botanical garden, the kids are given tours from the schools. What other is that pretty much the primary activity? Yeah, so it's a field trip, but even for the Title One schools. that can't get the transportation to bring kids to the garden, they'll send their staff in with their reptiles or some specimens to the school. To the school. Okay. So, you know, if we can't get them in the in the the the garden, then the garden comes to them. And you know, when got leadership that says we're that committed to making this happen for these kids, it w it was easy. It was an easy one. That's an easy fit. Yeah. Wow. So and again, you mentioned tier one schools. That's another stone in my shoe over here. that's everybody in Cumberland County. There isn't one school ver it's everybody. We're all in tier one. So what age groups are the kids? are they the younger, younger ones? They're they're certainly the younger elementary age kids. Yeah. Okay. So what do you do for middle and high school kids? Well not to leave them out. Yeah, we don't leave them out. Young kids get books and all kinds of field trips. They want to go to the middle school. We want to get them early. But you know, once you get to middle school, a lot of mentor opportunities is what we focus on. And and you know, and they use the the the title at risk youth, you know. but but we invest in the find a friend and the greater life where kids that are having some trouble can have a place to go. where people listen and able to help and able to help make better decisions. I had a just give them attention. Yeah, I had a young, young man that I talked to about this time last year. I like to go eat eat lunch, take them to lunch if, with with with these stories that I get to hear about, well, I gotta I gotta hear this story from the source. And you know, he he was talking to me about the Find a Friend program. Mm-hmm. And he said, Well Scott, you know, I grew up Love my mom, I love my grandma, but I don't have it have a father figure around. So I was making a lot of my the decisions based on what my friends would tell me. They were playing the role. Not a good source at all. Not a good source. And he didn't know any better. And he said, When I went in to find a friend and they called me by my name, he said, I felt like a real person. And then he said, That team over there, Johnny Wilson. And the rest of them, they said, when when I would make a decision that wasn't good, they would say that wasn't a good decision. And and he said, Sc he said, Scott, you think that just sounds so little? Yeah. He said, But I've graduated college. I'm on my I'm on my way. I don't know how it would have happened without somebody. Telling me that's a bad decision. Yeah, that's not gonna work out so well. Yeah. Well, and people, I think children need they want boundaries. Yeah. But who's giving them? And our problem in our schools, people drop off maladjusted Johnny at 7 30 in the morning and think three o'clock they're gonna be a well adjusted human. It doesn't work that way if you don't maintain it at home. You don't give them attention. yeah. We I gotta tell you this story too. talk speaking about this is still elementary school, but it it really was something a principal told to me two weeks ago. We just did a program in partnership with Cape Fear Regional Theater and the Cumberland County Literacy Council and Brentwood Elementary. Okay. So we wanted to do an in an a fun learning activity where the literacy co we it's around Percy Jackson and the the Cape Fear Regional Theater puts on a play at FSU kind of to tie this all together. But we went into one fourth grade classroom And the literacy council would do the character, read some of the stories, talk about the characters. Then the second half of each class, this is a hundred minute session, the second half of that class, the actors from Cape Fear Regional Theater would come in and talk about portraying those characters, how to design those characters, what they look like. And we did this for three weeks, two times a week for three weeks. Okay. And then it ended with the production. Now we didn't get all fourth graders, but all 2,000 fourth graders got to come see it. But for that class at Brentwood Elementary, that was a different experience. And we partnered in the school system was there every day watching and doing. But the principal caught me on the last after action. And she said, Scott, you don't know these kids, but we know them. She said, they don't engage on a daily basis, but they're engaged. and that could be good or bad. Yeah, but you could they're inquisitive now. All of a sudden, you know, their their enthusiasm around a written word and a character and a book, all of a sudden it's so cool. And then, you know, you're in this fourth grade classroom, and what you think about a fourth grade classroom probably isn't reality. Probably. You know, first thing I thought is there's no way you could keep their attention for a For a hundred minutes. We were wrong. They did. But the second thing was the literacy council would do their part. And then we would break in and you had some little homework assignments and we'd all disperse and take a group of kids. And one day in particular, a young lady, it was her turn, and she'd come and sit by me. I said that, okay, let's read this little assignment. And it was just a small piece of paper, probably with 20 words on it. You know, it wasn't like a long sheet. And she looked at me and she said, Mr. Scott, I can't read. And that moment, Peter, I realized what we were doing. We're gonna help these kids one at a time. And I said, that's okay, honey. Pull pull your seat up here. We're gonna do this together. And she's the same little little girl that couldn't keep her hand out of the air, wanting to answer the questions, wanting to be part of it. So, you know, it really is just taking that time, engaging with those kids. Giving them a new way to learn that they haven't experienced before. We can get literacy rates up. Okay. We can. So where are they now? how poor is the literacy here in Cumberland County? We're well let's talk about five years ago to now. Let's at least have some good news. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think they've made some strides and I don't want to be overly negative, but we still should be higher ranked in the state of North Carolina. I'm not saying it's great, but did we are we improving? Yes, we are improving. Okay. but well, there's a lot of work still yet to do. And I would also tell you the best literacy rates for third graders in the whole state of North Carolina probably isn't worth bragging about. Yeah. maybe half at a level they that they should be. But we don't want to be at the bottom. Yeah. Yeah. Half of that, And that's so the bar's not necessarily sky high, but Cumberland County kids deserve better than that. And you know this and I don't think this is rocket science, but getting them young, yeah, teaching the basics when they're younger will spur the curiosity or the raising of the hand all the time. but if you let these kids go by first, second, third grade. They're all they're almost so far behind at that point in time, that that it's it's almost impossible for these teachers to bring along, And and I've met so many teachers through the literacy council and They volunteer their time and they're awesome. And they just they when you kids aren't at the same level in the classroom, so you've got to remediate some. You gotta bring some along. And they would rather be teaching, they'd rather be helping them excel, but some they gotta just get them to where they can understand, you know. Spending too much time on behavior and bringing the bottom up. Yeah. But but without these teachers, they just need us to partner with them. And that's what the literacy council is doing. We are going into these classrooms. We're working on a program in 2027 with the JROTC's high school students in Cumberland County. We got a pilot starting in January where the JROTC at Southview High under Ruby Murray is gonna be adopting a third grade classroom. And we're training her cadets how to be literacy ambassadors. And we were in our first real training last week. And there's eight of her leadership team that are going to be our first junior ambassadors. This is the first time it's going to happen. And I'm in the room with them and they're already impressive kids. You know, they're at attention. Yes, ma'am. Yes, sir. you know, Ruby Murray is just one of my favorite people on the planet, for sure. And and sh and those kids, they're all attentive, they're taking notes, and then as the the Curriculum experts start to show with them how to project their voice, how to bring these stories alive. You need to have a little movement. You could see the whole countenance change on these kids' faces. We wasn't teaching them how to read a book. We're teaching them how to lead. And these kids at the first little break, they said, Hey, I gotta know. How many of you all of a sudden realize this is not just reading books and every hand raised up? But you know. After two hours investing in training, these cadets were projecting their voice. They were following the lead. Not only are these third graders gonna benefit from having high schoolers come in their room that love to read, but these high schoolers are gonna learn how to do how what it means to lead. Absolutely. And I think long term, man, this program, this is generational change right before my eyes. I couldn't help but just Be so proud just to be a part of it. And it's hard for you not to be happy about any of this stuff. It's awesome, the things that you're doing in our community. That's wonderful. I like the idea of the high school kids though, kind of giving the younger kids a hand up. I like that a lot. so let's talk about some numbers. I show, let's see, twenty twenty three, twenty four, the United Way here helped 171,000 people. Yeah. Is that right? Yes, no? yeah. There was probably some duplication. 1710. Yeah. Okay. That's what I got. Yeah. Yeah. seven hundred and eighty-nine volunteers. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I know that's continued to increase the number of volunteers. And we we can we try not to duplicate the numbers. We know consistently it's well over six figures of people that's being impacted by a United Way program. We know we know that for sure. and the volunteers this past year, you know, our meal pack event, we We've we've been doing this is our fifth year. And we were somewhere around when I got here, around 250, 300 people show up. Well, this year 700 people showed up to the Crown Agriculture Center because they didn't want people to go to home, go to bed hungry. I mean, that's the motivation to be there. And, you know, together we packed over 73,000 meals in 40 minutes. So I have been to one of those events, but tell us about what what the meal is. What are we packing in those things? Well, for the last several This year and the last few years we've been focused on dinner. So this year happened to be a spaghetti dinner. So it's something that we can pack that will be good for one year on the shelf. that you know, and as soon as we get them packed, the food pantries pull back their trucks in, we load them up on skids, and get them get them to those to the people that need them. And they'll be good for up to one year. Now, this year we're gonna switch it up a little bit and go with breakfast, but they all have to be stable. To allow us to be able to store because they're not gonna all be consumed like the next day. Right, right, right. But the math, when you're deciding how many meals can you pack, because obviously with seven hundred people, we could pack hundreds of thousands of meals in a very short window of time, but we're not gonna waste a dollar. So if it's not gonna get eating within within one year, we're not packing it, you know, because we don't want to do that. So that's where the seventy three thousand number comes from. Okay. It's working with the local food pantries to understand how much do they give out, how much could they give out. And it's not just this. So they also have canned goods and other things. So how does it fit into their mix of doing that? So, you know, that's another thing that I love about the United Way. We're not going to do it just for the sake of doing it. Right, right. Yeah. Not just because it's, it's this year again. We got to Yeah. Yeah. And we're not going to say, let's just blow this number out. You know, because we could. We certainly could do it. But we want we want to use funds wisely. We want it to impact people, not end up in a trash can. That impacts nobody. Yeah, that doesn't yeah, that doesn't help anybody. so what are the biggest gaps in the county right now from United Way standpoint? Housing, food, seniors, kids. Yeah. Where I mean, know we want to do everything for everybody, but Yeah. Well, you know, I would tell you the number one the number one request that we're getting, and we've answered over eleven thousand calls for help this year in Cumberland County, the number one Is utility assistance and affordable housing. Those are the two top food insecurity moved down to the list. It used to be toward the top. So I like to think we're we got a more coordinated effort on that. And we're we're moving the needle. But I think just the cost of living is is overwhelming for people. And you know, the resources are scarce because you know, it's different if you're buying a meal. the the meals that we pack, because we buy in bulk and we pack together, we're able to buy three meals for a dollar. Well, you can't do much the damage on a utility bill for a dollar. No. So it it really does create that dilemma where you really wanna help the masses. There's so much need, but that's the area where it continues to be a struggle. So talk to me about utility bills. does somebody have to be like signed up, registered with United Way, and then you address or is it like a one off they just couldn't do it this month and they come to you guys? They they certainly how does this work? Yeah. So it it is not signed up with the United Way. In fact, we just like the food, we use other people to do that. but there is criteria on how to get get it. You you you can't your bill can't be sh already shut off, you know. So we're not gonna do those reconnectors. You know, you can only be so far down. It can only be a certain amount of dollars behind you are just for for the sake that there's a very limited amount, but it is income based. And you know, and we partner with PWC to get these a lot of these things done. So we don't give the money to to them. Yeah. We're working through their utility provider to get them caught up. So there are some some guidelines on on how you use it, but th the main thing is we wanna keep the power on. that that that's what we're trying to do. unfortunately for some people, th that that's that's not gonna be a big help to but for those that we can help, we feel very, very fortunate to be able to do it. and s and s you know, people are much smarter than I and it's been doing this a lot longer than I have. Just, you know, they say there's never gonna be enough to to fix every problem. But I think with the coordinated effort around these things, we can make a dent in Yeah. Yeah. Well, is so is that a program that people donate into or is that just P W C is that maybe their contribution they defer no that you're still depending on people to give you cash. To pay to pay those to pay it forward. Yeah. Okay. And and when you go and when you donate to the United Way, you also have the ability to pick any of our agency partners to designate your funds to. But most ninety percent give to the general campaign fund, which gives us the flexibility to put those funds where their gaps are where they they're they're most needed. Cause just like me, people know there's need. They may not know exactly where it is. We're gonna let you jump in and and figure out the best place to use it. And that's what most people do, but it it it we do have the ability to provide some some some funding for that. So from I so to sum up, I think the Best advice is don't wait until you're ready to be cut off. Yeah. If you need help, you need to ask early. Yeah. and but it is income based and there's criteria, so it's not just a free it's not a free lunch. It's it's certainly not. And you know, I I believe it's true that there are no free lunches. So anything we do has to come from somebody willing to step in the gap for people. And you know It's just so important these days. I just when you hear about single moms living in the back of a rider truck with, small children are living out of their car and it's just it's just impossible scenarios that sometimes they just want a little hope. You just need a little hope. And that could be you listen and you point in the right direction. You let know, you know, they're not alone. it just comes in a lot of different forms, Peter. And you you just don't know what you're gonna get when you answer the phone. Yeah, no, I get that. Okay. So a business owner or a pastor could be listening. beyond writing a check, how would you want them to plug into the United Way? Yeah. Well, you know, the b the easiest way to do is go on to United Way dash C C dot or R G, sign up for our newsletter so you know what we're doing. We're very, very transparent. We also tell everybody every dime we spend every year. We we really are so adamant to share everything with our donors because we only exist for them. So you don't even have to do guesswork. You can know exactly what it is. And then follow us on social media. If you're on social media, it's good to see what collaboration can do for our community. the United Way, you know, we get to work with most of them. and and so we share their work, our work, and it's a it's a good place to be in the know. That just made me remind me of something. The last time you came and talked to us, were you working on a social media thing for the nonprofits? Yeah, yeah, yeah. How what what happened 'cause that's been it's been almost two years. It has been almost two years. What happened with that whole idea? Did we come to fruition with something? We did. We launched a social media workshop. For nonprofits in this community. As I mentioned to you last time I was on, I that was my job for 20 years, first as a salesman and then as an executive. but you know, the nonprofit community just they need just to continue to tell their story. They need to tell it. I'm gonna tell it as best as I can. For my recollection, it's like you were gonna teach them how to step up their game, basically. Yeah. So we had several nonprofits sign up. We did it at FTCC through Dr. Sorrels. and their business development program there and opened it up and it was a three month course. We did it once a month for three months and took t some of the real tactical things that you can do organically because also non nonprofits, we just don't have a whole lot of extra money to spend on marketing. Sure. So, you know, using things that they could put into play right away was Really fun exercise. it was good. I've been asked, are you gonna do it again? I'd probably be willing to do it again at some point in time. but you know, we just again we want to enhance the the entire nonprofit community. That that's been our mission from the from the very beginning. We are designed to support and encourage and add strength to the nonprofit community, and we take it really, really serious. And, you know, there's never gonna be enough money for every one of them. But if we have some some voice, if we have some skills that we can share and help with other nonprofits, we're gonna do that because we're we're we're better together. Yeah. Okay. One last question, I'm gonna let you out of here. So in March, I have that you wrote that giving is trailing last year. your latest filing showed that about one point forty eight million coming in and one point six is supposed to go out. Why should someone give through the United Way instead of writing a check straight to the charity that they already like? Yeah. Well, I would first say there are a lot of wonderful charities that you may want to to go direct with. I I certainly would not discourage that at all. But for the most people, we're a transient community. There's a lot of need. You would give to the United Way because you would want to come into it with a high degree of trust. If you've got the time to go dig into these nonprofits, obviously we fund 12 of them every month right now. We wouldn't fund them if they wasn't pretty darn awesome. but you can trust that the United Way We're gonna find the best organizations and things are gonna continue to change. That's the one thing certain is that change is gonna continue to happen and the and to work with the United Way to be able to find those programs that that are worthwhile making a huge impact and then get to see it at you know the end of every year on the reporting, the transparency, it's a good place to give, that's for sure. Well, Scott, where can people give, volunteer, or get help? The best thing to do is to go on United Way dash C C dot O R G. right on that top right hand corner is a way to donate. and in that same bar there is an opportunity to volunteer and get involved. Because we money alone won't fix the problems we have. It certainly helps and we and we need some of it, but we're looking for those three Ts time, talent, and treasure. Excellent is what it takes. And I also have here to dial two one one for help. So that works from any phone. Okay. Just like 911. You dial into 211, you're gonna get to a real life person to listen to your concerns and get you plugged in to if there's some resource available, they will connect you with it every day. I get so frustrated. People call the United Way and they said, I've been on the phone for three days calling 30 different agencies. And I'm like, Well, you know, you don't really have to do Did you call 211? Yeah. And it, you know, and they have it. They haven't. So again, the awareness continues to be a big challenge for us is and and we partnered with the county this year and we've done other things to bolster that, but we still have have people call that spent an enormous amount of time calling everywhere when they could have called one phone number one resource and would have plugged them into all of that ecosystem in Cumberland County. Okay. Well, Scott. United Way of Cumberland County, thank you for joining me. And you have always a standing invitation back here on the cabinet. I appreciate you coming on this Thursday afternoon. I love it. It's good seeing you, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you. Come back anytime. Bye-bye. Bye.