UNITED WAYS OF ALABAMA

Uwal continued its partnership with the alabama department of public health with the covid-19 wrap-around services initiative in 2024. This program is designed to provide individuals needing to quarantine to prevent the spread of the disease vital wrap-around services such as food, cleaning and personal care items. This program also allows for transportation to and from testing and vaccination sites. The 2-1-1 connects alabama network screened nearly 70,000 clients for eligibility in 2024. Uwal and its partner agencies provided services to nearly 3,000 families through this program. Services included hoteling, food/groceries delivered, cleaning supplies and personal items which allowed individuals to quarantine for at least 5 days, helping to stop the spread of covid-19. The program also helped remove any barriers for individuals who needed testing or a vaccine.

Uwal manages the state combined campaign for state of alabama employees. The campaign raises designated and undesignated contributions from state of alabama employees for various charitable organizations. Additionally, uwal manages the charitable campaign for hyundai motor manufacturing alabama team member campaign. Uwal has two funds designated for disaster emergency response and relief. Uwal serves as the fiscal agent for the governor's emergency relief fund (the fund). The fund was established by proclamation to provide assistance to individuals and organizations with recovery costs that are a direct result of a disaster or emergency. The fund operates on a year-round basis to help residents of alabama (current and evacuees), local businesses and organizations who have exhausted all other avenues of relief. The focus of funding is to assist with recovery costs that exceed the coverage provided by insurance,government funding and relief organizations. These hardship expenses are termed "unmet needs." uwal disaster reponse fund operates with the governor's emergency relief fund to provide assistance to individuals and organizations with recovery costs that are a direct result of a disaster or emergency. The fund also provides funding for community storm shelters to prevent loss of life during inclement weather. Uwal manages and funds the telecommunication 2-1-1 information system in the state of alabama. 2-1-1 provides information to the citizens of the state of alabama about services offered by local organizations. 2-1-1 partners with state wide initiatives such as the alabama compulsive gambling hotline, alavetnet, and serves as the state of alabama's point of entry for non emergency calls during times of disaster. 2-1-1 can be accessed via the phone, chat via the web, sms via text message and at its website. 2-1-1 connects alabama is the main program of united ways of alabama (uwal) outside the alabama state employee combined chartitable campaign and the hyundai team member combined campaign. Uwal partners with call centers around the state to provide the 2-1-1 service to 100% of alabama's residents. Currently, uwal provides all of statewide services for 2-1-1 including the cloud based communication system, toll free service and cost incurred by, as well as provides the information and referral software necessary to provide the information and referral service. Uwal staff is directly responsible for manning the 2-1-1 post at the alabama emergency operations center during times of disaster. Uwal's director is responsible for the 2-1-1 program statewide as uwal has the responsibility of managing and executing it statewide by alabama's public service commission. 2-1-1 is an easy to remember, national abbreviated dialing code for free access to health and human service information and referral (i&r). In 2024, 2-1-1 answered nearly 170,000 calls, texts and chats. These contacts led to nearly 480,000 connections to necessary services across the state. The website, www.211connectsalabama.org had more than 138,000 unique visitors and over 500,000 searches and website views. 2-1-1 connectivity is now available in all alabama counties to residents from all walks of life, but more importantly, to vulnerable populations such as the indigent or elderly, who often slip through the cracks. By making services easier to access, 2-1-1 empowers individuals with the information to get help - and to give help. 2-1-1 eliminates barriers and connects people to readily available services that can help. 2-1-1 responds immediately during times of community crisis, to field and direct callers to services,relieving the burden from 9-1-1 and other emergency response agencies. 2-1-1 not only is a conduit to get help, it also is a conduit to give help. Those wanting to volunteer can call 2-1-1 and be matched directly or referred to a "hands on" program. Uwal is constantly forming partnerships with many groups and state agencies such as: governors office of volunteer services to use 2-1-1 to prescreen potential applicants who may qualify for disaster case management; the governor's alavetnet to remove barriers to access for our veterans; the department of public health (various programs); and the department of human resources with a-reset program. 2-1-1 has made referrals statewide helping people who were adversely affected by natural disasters. Uwal 2-1-1 has also partnered statewide with the homeless coalitions in the point in time count (pit). The pit count is to document the number of homeless across alabama. This count is an important factor in the hud formula for alabama's share of federal funding. Uwal is also a partner and supporter of voad (voluntary organizations active in disaster), a vital component to the state's ngo response to disasters (natural and man-made).