Blog

Looking Forward

This year has been tough: for those who have lost someone, for those whose own mental or physical health have suffered, for those who have been in and out of furlough, for those who have lost work, for our young people, for new families, for our older communities, for all of us. Like everyone else, I am glad to see the end of 2020, but there have been some notable positives from this year.

Shelters Open Doors to Welcome Residents Experiencing Homelessness

As the weather starts to get colder, organizations are preparing to open their winter shelters to help those seeking assistance get out of the elements. While permanent housing, often coupled with supportive services, is the best way to end homelessness, many individuals and families need short-term stabilization before they can find housing that will meet their long-term needs. Volunteers are a vital part of the operations of these shelters.

Free Tax Prep Service Seeks Volunteers

The process of completing a yearly tax return can be intimidating, but United Way of Lancaster County is here to help. Our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) volunteers work to assist low- to middle-income families in our community by offering free tax preparation for those in need. Its a simple way to offer support to those who may be struggling financially and ensure families are keeping their hard-earned money in their own hands. In response to COVID-19, the VITA program may look a little different to residents this year.

Warm Homes, Warm Hearts Program Provides Heat for Residents in Nee

The chill of winter can be a very frightening thought when you don�™t have a reliable source of heat. Because of this, Ranck Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning is teaming up with United Way of Lancaster County to provide a much-welcomed gift just in time for the holidays.

Discount Prescription Cards offer Savings to Lancaster County Residents

Making the difficult decision between filling a prescription and filling the cupboards is something that those struggling financially know all too well. If you find yourself facing this difficult choice, there is a resource available that may help. United Way and FamilyWize have teamed up to offer the community free discount prescription cards to help with the cost of medication.

CASA Program Recruiting Volunteers Amid Pandemic

The pandemic has affected many activities, including how the CASA program trains its volunteers. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Lancaster County provides qualified and compassionate volunteers to advocate for children in foster care. They strive to provide a CASA Volunteer to each child who needs one.

The Benefits of Volunteering During Your Job Search

Unemployment rates in Lancaster County have skyrocketed to numbers that haven't been seen since the great recession. As our community begins to open back up, thousands of job seekers will be searching for employment. Here is a valuable piece of advice: make sure volunteer experience is part of your resume!

Volunteers Connect County-Wide to Participate in MLK Day of Service

In the words of Dr. King, "An individual has not started living fully until they can rise above the narrow confines of individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of humanity." Make this a day on, not a day off and join us as we celebrate the spirit of volunteerism in Lancaster County by engaging in meaningful volunteer activities to benefit human service agencies and people in need.

How “Just a Community Garden” Became So Much More

A Letter of Thanks

Education is something I have always taken very seriously, and I refuse to let my surroundings or circumstances get in the way of my future. I come from a large family of 7 and was the first to graduate high school and the only one enrolled in college.

Building Relationships in Southern Lancaster County

The southern end of the county can seem far from everything. If you are traveling down this way and not just passing through, you are probably doing so because you have family here or maybe you�™ve discovered BB�™s and found it�™s worth the trek.

Changing Lives in Elizabethtown

The Elizabethtown Area HUB (�oeEHUB") is a collaboration of community social service agencies serving the northwest quadrant of Lancaster County. This collective impact partnership began it�™s expanded collective efforts in July 2015 through an initial grant by United Way of Lancaster County.