Success Stories
You can be proud of your investments made through United Way of South Mississippi. Each year, we continue to move more aggressively toward change in critical areas such as affordable housing, education, healthy families.
We know that together, united, we are making measurable change because of the stories that are shared with us by our community partners. Please read below for some of the recent successes that our donors and supporters helped to make possible.
your gift NURTURES children to SUCCEED...
Amanda entered the preschool program at the Gulf Coast Women's Center for Nonviolence with very few social skills. She did not know how to play or interact appropriately with her peers, and did not communicate well with adults. Her only resource for solving problems was through aggression and tantrums.
The Center's therapeutic preschool provided a secure and safe environment, appropriate modeling by peers and teachers, and the Incredible Years curriculum, and Amanda began warming up to her new friends and her teachers. Within a short time, she began to follow the daily routine, participated in movement and music, and had a wonderful time playing cooperatively with her classmates. Not all days were perfect, but she had come to love school and it was delightful to see her arrive at school with a smile on her face.
your gift SHELTERS FAMILIES...
 Habitat for Humanity Bay-Waveland recently helped a single mother of four into a brand new home. This hard-working mother had two jobs and was living paycheck to paycheck. After attending homeowner training, budget counseling, and post-purchase workshops she was able to reduce her mortgage and eventually make homeownership more of a reality. Since completion of this process she has moved into her home and still remains in contact with the people who helped her along the way. Because of the support of organizations like Habitat for Humanity she is now able to save money every payday and provide for her family.
your gift creates OPPORTUNITY...
 The Hancock County Human Resource Agency provides much needed early education and childcare for families in Hancock County that otherwise could not afford it. Recently, a single father of 2 was struggling to find affordable childcare for his young children while we was at work. He was depending on neighbors and friends to watch his children from day-to-day. The oldest of his children was suffering from important development delays - including his speech. Since enrolling his children in the Hancock County Human Resource Agency's childcare program, this single father's children have received developmentally apporpriate skills for social, emotional, and cognitive learning. His son's speech and verbal communication has already improved in just a few months.
your gift provides SOLUTIONS...
 Melissa is a 29-year old female who entered the emergency domestic violence shelter with her two children to escape the mentally, physically and sexually abusive relationship with her partner of 13 years. She is presently receiving disability income due to a severe accident at her former employer, which led to several surgeries. She endured surgeries only to return home from the hospital to be physically abused. She entered our shelter when she realized the life she and her children would lead otherwise.
During her stay, she was able to obtain an order of protection from her abuser, receive weekly individual and group counseling for herself and her children, and gain access to necessary resources that would ensure living independently.
After a couple of months in shelter, she was able to secure permanent housing through the local housing authority, she has remained free of abuse, and is enrolled in college and working toward a degree in the counseling field. She remains active in her counseling at the center, and is well on her way to overcoming the effects of domestic violence.
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