Your gifts are helping us respond to the drop-out crisis

Because of you, Serena King is in college.

She was one of the thousands of teens each year in danger of dropping out. Missouri's drop out rate was 4.2 percent last year, while Illinois' was slightly lower at 3.5 percent.

"Teens facing challenges at home and in school rarely have time to focus on their future," says Emily Black from Wyman Center.

With the help of Wyman's Teen Leadership Program, Serena finished high school, was proactive in preparing for success in her life and is now attending college.

Serena is just one of the students you helped finish high school.

Program offers white-collar unemployed support and community (St. Louis Beacon)

The conference center at St. Patrick Center was nearly filled with unemployed business professionals in suits and ties and "casual Friday" attire, listening to Kenneth Harrington of Washington University discuss the ups and downs of being your own boss.

The subject was entrepreneurship, and they took notes in binders -- some imprinted with their old company logos. In a way, it all seemed comfortably similar to any other business seminar held on a Tuesday morning, down to the ubiquitous PowerPoint presentation and the aroma of coffee drifting in from the continental breakfast available in the adjoining room.

There was even some corporate humor.

Every Tuesday morning, the St. Patrick Center, which is known for serving the city's homeless, opens its doors to a demographic that is new to economic turmoil: white collar workers -- most in their 40s and 50s -- who were cast off from the region's corporations during the recession's job shedding.

The program is called the GO! Network, and it offers professional networking and speakers, workshops, job fairs and resources to help members with resumes and job applications in the plugged-in world.

Your pledge is helping keep people warm this winter

Your gifts to United Way build a safety net for the community that keeps people safe and healthy. At a moment of crisis, like severe cold weather, United Way is here to help.

Through your generosity, we fund more than 20 agencies around 16 counties in Missouri and Illinois that help with basic needs, including utility assistance, housing and clothing.

United Way also administers funds for Ameren's Dollar More program and Laclede Gas' Dollar Help program. Both programs help keep the heat on for families who are having trouble paying their bills.

Reaching beyond immediate needs, United Way also works for lasting change to keep people and families safe. Sonja Lee, left, came to St. Patrick's Center after an addiction led to her losing custody of her two daughters. Homeless, she joined Project Protect, which helped her gain housing, get clean and sober and regain custody of her daughters.

"They helped me with legal issues, rent, utilities and best of all, they helped me get my girls back," Sonja says. "St. Patrick Center and Project Protect were there for me on every step of my journey."

Former drug addict turns her life around to regain custody of her five children

Shonta Blackmon is a former drug addict. She was incarcerated while she awaited sentencing on six counts of second degree drug trafficking. She was mandated to one year in the Center for Women in Transition program in lieu of a five-year stint at the penitentiary.

Following her release, the Center helped Shonta move into a transitional housing facility in North County. Shonta's goals included acquiring a job, completing drug treatment, obtaining her own home and regaining custody of her five children. With the assistance of the Center, Shonta completed all her goals in just 10 months.

Your gifts are helping victims of domestic violence

Growing up, Angie's* main rule was not to upset her mom, or her stepdad would dole out the beatings. Not surprisingly, Angie married and left home as soon as she could manage.

But the high school boyfriend Angie married changed from charming to controlling to abusive. The final straw was when he pushed Angie down the steps. She called the police. She also called Safe Connections.

United Way invests nearly $1 million in member agencies like Safe Connections, whose primary purpose is providing domestic violence services -- hotlines, shelter, counseling, advocacy and prevention. Through these programs, your dollars made a difference for more than 7,200 domestic violence clients last year.

Gene Slay’s boys club offers fun and mentoring for area youth (St. Louis American)

At Gene Slay's Boys Club, students learn responsibility, mentorship and giving back -- and get a safe place to be kids. 

Community Link provides work, recreation and home for residents

Steve Timmermann, of Breese, Ill., is one active 50-year-old.

He recently participated in a Buddy Walk, plays softball, bowls regularly and attends wellness classes.

Steve does all of this with the help of Community Link, a United Way-supported agency since 1999. Steve is a resident in a small-group home there called Community Integrated Living Arrangements. He's one of of more than 350,000 individuals nationwide living with Down Syndrome.

After losing their jobs at the same time, LaVell and Queanna reach out to Go! Network

LaVell and his wife Queanna lived a happy life until the unexpected happened. LaVell had worked as a business analyst at the same company for 10 years while his wife Queanna had worked in higher education for more than 25 years, but within months of each other, they were both notified that they would lose their jobs due to downsizing.

“The hardest thing was knowing that you don’t know what’s next,” LaVell said. You don’t know how you’re going to pay your mortgage. When a kid needs something for school, what are you going to do about that?”

Unsure of what the future held for them, LaVell and Queanna scrambled to figure out how they would work their way back into the job market. 

Go! Network, which is held at St. Patrick Center and is funded by United Way, provides an opportunity for career advice such as resume building, determining how to better brand yourself, and more.  

Ronnie gets help for ADHD at Crider Center, and finds confidence, too

Ronnie, who is now seven years old, used to have behavioral problems in preschool. When Ronnie’s parents began to encounter these problems, they soon realized the situation could be something serious.  

Following simple directions was not the only problem Ronnie had; she had difficulties getting along with other students in the classroom and focusing, and suffered from frequent nervousness, anxiety, anger and rage. 

Jen decided to turn to Ronnie’s school for help.

“They recommended the Crider Center, and they recommended Miss Kathleen. She has made all the difference,” Jen said.

Jeannie was blinded as a result of abuse, but found help at Impact CIL

Jeannie Small lost her eyesight due to domestic violence. When Jeannie began to go blind at 21, she felt alone, lost and without a future.

She moved from agency to agency until the early 1990s when she found IMPACT CIL, an organization funded by United Way since 1986, which helps people with disabilities live an independent life in the Illinois Counties of Madison, Macoupin, Jersey, Bond, Greene and Calhoun.

At IMPACT, she was introduced to Violet Evans, a senior independent living specialist for blind services, who Jeannie refers to as her mentor. Violet helped Jeannie learn skills that enabled her to live independently as a blind person.

Mother of autistic twins gets help to continue her children’s education

JoAnn Muhammad discovered that her twin boys, Jamil and Khalil, had autism when they were three years old. Though she found temporary relief in a day treatment program for special needs children, by the age of 12 the twins had aged out of the program and were placed in public school. Exhausted, JoAnn searched for an alternative to help her nonverbal sons who had, by that time, also been diagnosed with epilepsy. After researching several alternatives, she found the Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc.

Alton Day Care provides needed, quality care

When a salary raise put a single mom out of eligibility for day care assistance, she turned to the United Way funded scholarship program at Alton Day Care.

Art brings new beginnings to many at Employment Connection

The deeply etched lines on Don’s face tell a story. At 48, Don H. has seen a tougher side of life. When set, his jaw is hard-edged to where he can look like actor Dennis Hopper in most any film where he played the bad guy. But, then he smiles. And the light that appears in his eyes when he starts talking about the arts betrays his rough exterior and tells a different story. This story is about who Don is today. 

Teen overcomes odds against him

Perry was determined not to go down the wrong path. But with both his parents incarcerated for repeated offenses, many obstacles lay in that path. The Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House, funded by United Way since 1978, made the difference.

Fun, specialized learning at CID helps Allie learn to read, communicate and listen

Three years ago, a South St. Louis family received the news that their 3 year old daughter, Allie, was deaf. At the time, she could say only about 25 words, understood only by her parents. Fortunately, Central Institute for the Deaf was there to help.

75-year-old volunteer gets help while serving

Elizabeth Deshay is 75 years old. As a volunteer with Grace Hill Settlement House, she regularly checks in on her elderly neighbors if they're sick, picks up their groceries or cooks for them.

Joseph learns to behave in school with the help of Crider Center

Joseph was suspended 30 times in kindergarten. His school and parents turned to United Way-funded Crider Center for help teaching him appropriate behavior.

Emma’s finally home

Moving out of the nursing home was a priority for Emma, who, after being diagnosed with Friedreich's Ataxia had lived in nursing home since 2004. Emma came to Paraquad to help her transition into community-based housing.

Child receives early intervention for stuttering from a United Way agency partnership

Chris and Darran Griggs’ daughter Elizabeth was a normally developing and talkative toddler until she turned three, when she started developing a stutter. An early intervention by United Way agency partners Lemay Child and Family Center and Center for Hearing and Speech gave her just the help she needed.

Camp shapes leadership skills

11-year-old Rico Felton is a veteran camper at Sherwood Forest. Last year, he decided to apply for the 5-day leadership challenge program. There, he learned more than just camping and outdoor skills.