2024 Annual Report
President’s Message
What an amazing year we had at the United Way of Tulare County! Through our incredibly generous donors, our wonderful board, our sponsoring organizations, our hard-working affiliates, and a fantastic staff, this year has been one of gratitude to all.
Whether you were cooking tri tip burritos at World Ag Expo (or standing in line to purchase one), playing golf at the Land O Lakes tournament, drinking mimosas at the Power of the Purse, or standing and clapping at our Community Breakfast for our well-deserved honorees, we thank you sincerely for contributing your time, dollars and/or expertise to support us as we strive to meet our mission:
UWTC fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every Tulare County community.
We like to use the word resiliency when we conduct our most important business—that of helping those people who call 211, search our website, or come through our office door. Not only must we be resilient in offering aid, but we promise to provide the positive impact needed for our clients to weather any storms and become more resilient themselves.
Again, we cannot thank you enough for your amazing generosity and hope we have earned your trust to continue to support us in our worthwhile endeavors in the future.
Most sincerely,
Drew S Sorensen, President
211 Stats in 2024
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10,234 Calls
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41,260 Website Visitors
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286 Text Conversations
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74 Outreach Events Attended
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20,207 Mobile App Resource Views
211 Success Story
One success story from our program involved (Jane), who contacted 211 after her family experienced wage theft during a grape harvest. She was given referrals to farm worker organizations, as well as a local organization that provides legal assistance. Following her call, our staff provided her with tailored follow-up services and onboarded her into our care coordination program. Through this program, Jane received the guidance and resources necessary to address her issue, including referrals to an appropriate agency to help recover her unpaid wages. With our support, she felt empowered to act, and her case is now being addressed with the backing of the referred agency.
This success was largely due to the personalized follow-up from our staff and the resources provided through the care coordination program. The collaborative effort ensured that Jane felt supported throughout the process and could access the help she needed. Additionally, her proactive engagement with the resources we offered played a key role in moving her case forward.
“My husband, along with others, recently worked for a contractor during the grape harvest. We only worked for two days because, due to the lack of work equipment and bathrooms, we decided to resign on the 3rd. This angered the contractor, especially when he saw us working at another location the following day. We waited for the day to collect our payment, but he never told us where to go to receive our money. Days later, he stopped answering calls and messages. As of now, we have not received our payment for almost a month.
In trying to resolve this issue, I searched for help and learned that by dialing 211, you can find solutions to your problems. I am very grateful for the kind assistance I received. They provided me with the information and guidance I needed, including addresses for offices that could help. Thanks to the resources they shared, we found an office that is now handling our case. We are still in the process, but we feel supported.
I recommend that anyone facing a similar situation not hesitate to call 211. They will assist you with whatever you need. Personally, I am sincerely grateful for the help and attention I received.”
(Names and images have been changed to protect privacy)