Community Impact Stories: Building Stronger Futures Together
United Way of North Central New Mexico supports a wide range of programs designed to create lasting change and strengthen communities. From educational initiatives and housing stability to vital community resources and financial assistance, these programs address critical needs and empower individuals and families to thrive.
The stories below showcase the diverse impact of these programs, highlighting how collaborative efforts and strategic investments are improving lives across the region. By coming together to support these initiatives, we can continue to build a stronger, more resilient community for everyone.
Rising Together Initiatives – Educational attainment leads to better outcomes in family stability, employment, health, and community engagement. When families are stable, children and adults are better able to achieve their educational goals. Rising Together brings the community together to work collectively to remove barriers and improve educational outcomes.
College and Career Readiness Initiative – working to increase work-based learning opportunities for students
We work with employers, educators, government, and nonprofit leaders to improve students’ understanding of and exposure to potential careers by creating a better system to connect students to high-quality career exploration opportunities.
Mike was a quiet student at-risk for not graduating. He began learning about careers and life skills through multiple job shadows and classroom time. This sparked an interest in IT and coding. He was hired as an intern and learned how to code. His internship coordinator helped him enroll in a local coding bootcamp. After completing the course, he received a job paying two times a living wage and is making plans for more education
Adults in Education Initiative – working to bring more adults into or back to post secondary education
We work with schools, community-based organizations, employers and local government to address barriers and create a system of support for adults who want to complete an educational credential but need help to do it.
I could not attend class because I became very ill, which led to a disability. I quit halfway in my semester with the intention of returning when I could afford it, but eventually gave up when the pandemic hit. Despite the affordability of community college, the amount was still out of my reach after rent, food, and medical supplies. I received an email from an advisor, which introduced me to the program and helped me navigate the requirements all within an afternoon. The scholarship put me back on track to becoming an engineer. I’m endlessly grateful for the opportunity this has given me as it is a second chance at a successful career. –Finish Line Fund recipient, Summer Semester 2022
Attendance – working to help increase attendance statewide by offering workshops and information to teachers and families
UWNCNM works with schools, community-based organizations, employers, and the NM Public Education Department to create strategies that support school-based attendance teams as they work to ensure students have what they need to be in school and thrive.
Amy was unaware that her husband was getting her two sons to school late or often not at all until the school called her at work to find out if they could help. A calm and helpful discussion determined that the boys were not getting enough sleep. The school team worked with her and her husband to develop routines that would make getting the boys to school easier. Without the understanding and compassionate help from the school, her two boys would have fallen behind.
Housing Stability – working to increase educational outcomes through more stable housing opportunities
UWNCNM delivers a two-generation approach to family well-being. With support from Siemer Institute, United Way funds case worker positions at Cuidando los Niños and Veterans Integration Center. This preventative program works with families who are one paycheck or emergency away from becoming homeless.
A 37-year-old female veteran serving in the National Guard is a single parent of three school-age children. Her family was evicted and needed support quickly. The Veterans Integration Center, through funding from United Way, provided wrap-around services such as rental assistance, case management and health care navigation. They also provided food/hygiene/household furnishings and cleaning supplies. Through her case manager, this mother was referred to HUD and received a housing voucher. She established a stable home and continues receiving support through the case manager who is currently working with her on building skills to manage life outside the military.
Community Impact Programs
Family Advocacy Center (FAC) provides free, confidential services for victims of interpersonal violence. The FAC has many different agencies all working together under one roof.
I am a former two-time victim of domestic violence. Although I am certified by the New Mexico Department of Public Safety in Domestic Violence, it happened to me. Two and a half years ago, I left my first husband and ended up at the Family Advocacy Center. I met with an advocate who helped me file a protection order with District Court. With the help of an attorney from New Mexico Legal Aid, I won a six-month protection order. In addition, I put in 15 months of intense therapy with a therapist from DVRC. This became the turning point; she connected me to all of the right people so that I could build my life from scratch. Today, I am a caseworker for the state, a freelance paralegal, a domestic violence activist and so much more. I spent years being silent and now I have become the voice for those who don’t have one. I am no longer a VICTIM or even a SURVIVOR — I am a THRIVER.
Tax Help NM Provides free tax preparation services to low-income households across the state, returning over $16 million dollars in refunds to our economy annually.
Chris was a freshman at Los Lunas High School and needed an afternoon activity while waiting for his mother to pick him up. He found his way to the Tax Help program run by a math teacher and sponsor of the LLHS Tax Help program, an after-school club. According to Tax Help rules, Chris couldn’t prepare returns for clients until he was a junior, but he could learn how to prepare returns, necessary tax law, day-to-day office operations in a busy, demanding setting, customer relations and problem solving. Chris learned these skills while assisting in the operations of the program. When he was a junior and senior he was named a student site coordinator/manager and ran the site and instructed others in tax preparation and customer management. Upon graduation from LLHS Chris was offered a scholarship to study accounting at Southern Methodist University. He graduated with a degree in accounting and obtained his CPA. Chris currently works as a partner in an accounting firm.
211 Connects callers in need with resources to help. Most frequent needs callers have are housing and rental assistance, support with utilities and food for callers experiencing food insecurity
Recent advances in 211 services include:
- Updating our resource database to ensure callers receive accurate referrals
- Partnering with a live translation line to bring 211 to callers in multiple languages
- Created the position of 211 Disaster Response Coordinator to better support callers in times of disaster, such as wildfires
Community Investments leverages the power of donor dollars to fund community nonprofit entities that align with the Impact Priorities of UWNCNM, allowing us to collaborate and partner around collective impact. We aim to strengthen the nonprofit landscape through multiyear, unrestricted grants and supports beyond the check.
“Multi-year funding is an equitable, best practice for funders–and we’re grateful for UNWCNM’s affirmation of that. Multi-year funding has allowed us to focus on programmatic implementation and intentional, strategic growth of our community-focused work; moreover, the multi-year nature of this funding also allows us to strategically leverage it to attract other funders to our work.”
Community Partnerships and Outreach
The Community Outreach program ensures that United Way’s services are extended to the rural areas UWCNM serves: Sandoval, Torrance, Santa Fe and Valencia Counties. The team collaborates with community partners and volunteers to identify and address the needs of these counties.
From Bienvenidos Outreach: “We’ve had great feedback from our clients. They’ve commented about the salads they’ve made from the herbs and the vegetables. They come in and say, ‘I made a salad. Now I’d like to try some herbs. The basil is great, but now I want to try the genoa basil.’ They’re constantly wanting to use their units…. Some of our clients have joined hydroponic/aeroponics clubs on facebook. They’re educating us on the products we’re giving them!! They look forward to how their garden is doing each morning. The next thing we’re doing is I’ve started working on a newsletter that I’m going to be sending out to our clients that will keep up on our technology.”
Together, we rise by investing in education and holistic community support. Each story reflects the hope and resilience of individuals and families who have benefited from these programs, showing that, with the right resources and partnerships, anything is possible. Let’s continue working together to build a better tomorrow for everyone.
