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Success Stories
There are basic things that we all need for a good life: a quality education that leads to a stable job, good health and income that can support a family through retirement. Thanks to the generosity of individuals, companies, their employees and retirees, United Way of the Coastal Empire is making lasting changes in people’s lives across Bryan, Chatham, Effingham and Liberty counties.
Read these real-life stories of lives touched through United Way.
A Sound Start for Kaitlin
 Six months ago, while her four-year old playmates were exuberant and playful, Kaitlin sat expressionless and quiet playing by herself. Her speech was limited to only two word utterances that may or may not have been understood, and she was not progressing with her language development. Having difficulty auditorilly accessing the sounds, speech and language in her environment, Kaitlin was destined to enter the educational system as a handicapped individual, needing assistance in all academic areas. Sound Start was recommended. Read more
Recipe for Success
 Myra (pictured in the middle, front row) grew up in Atlanta, living with her mother and brother. Every spring break, Myra’s mother would take the family to Tybee Island. One spring break when Myra was 16, her mother decided not to go back to Atlanta. Like most 16 year olds, Myra thought she knew more than her mother. Read more...
Guiding Girls to Greatness
 If you met Haley today, you probably wouldn’t guess that at such a young age, she had experienced the grief of loss and separation as results of violence. Haley was only ten years old when her older brother Thomas was killed in an act of violence on Savannah’s Southside. After this devastating loss, Haley and her parents were consumed with grief and directed to area resources for victims and families who have been affected by violence. Read more...
Antoinette's Second Chance to Life
 In January 2004, Antoinette Hastings reported complications following a medical procedure. She remained hospitalized for several months. After several months of rehabilitation, Antoinette was referred to and enrolled in Goodwill Industries Second Chance Community Re-entry Program in April 2006. Second Chance is a program designed to provide employment and training services to those with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). Read more...
Home Sweet Home...Away From Home
 Bob is a delightful and caring man. Although physically fit and able to communicate well, he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at age 57. Not knowing where to turn, he and his wife attended their fist Alzheimer’s Support Group meeting at Senior Citizens, Inc. and both left in tears. They were afraid of the future challenges and decisions that now faced them, especially because Bob’s wife works full time as a Registered Nurse, and Bob was not able to safely stay at home by himself. Read more...
Guiding Youth Down the Path to Empowerment
 It is very unfortunate that our community struggles with issues involving teen violence, gang involvement, teen pregnancy and graduation rates. For Pamela Jones, these should not be realities that teenagers have to deal with in their young age. Instead, she believes that teens need to be exposed to programs and activities that foster leadership and character development. Read more...
A Volunteer Finds Her Match
 Georgeanne loves helping others. She also enjoys crocheting and over the past three years has crocheted hundreds of baby blankets and adult lap blankets that she wanted to donate to those who really needed them. Read more...
Conquering the Road to Reading
 Rosemary (left) had a very simple wish. She wanted to be able to read children’s books to her granddaughter. Unfortunately, for Rosemary this didn’t come easy. Rosemary had difficulty reading. She tried attending various special education programs, but was always struggling to grasp the basic skills. Read more...
You're Never Too Old to Believe in Fairies (PDF)
Help is Only a Phone Call Away (PDF)
Satisfying Hunger with a Brown Bag (PDF)
Developing Strength Through Support (PDF)
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Look Good, Feel Better
 When Pam was diagnosed with breast cancer seven months ago, she not only began treatment for her cancer, she began participating in United Way funded programs offered by the American Cancer Society (ACS) that improved her quality of life.
Look Good…Feel Better, a collaboration of ACS, the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association and the National Cosmetology Association, helped Pam with her appearance by providing tips to improve the look of her skin following chemotherapy and giving her makeup to take home with her.
The I Can Cope program – a structured educational program for adults with cancer, their family members and friends – helped her deal with her cancer experience by providing information on what to expect and guidance on how to handle changes in her body and appearance.
American Cancer Society’s Patient Resource Navigation Program at St. Josephs/Candler’s Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion also offered assistance and counseling on a variety of cancer issues.
“The Look Good…Feel Better program was really great for me,” says Pam, 57. “I really enjoyed the makeup session, and the consultation that day was wonderful because my skin was changing and getting more sallow. The makeup products that I received matched my coloring and made me look so much better.”
She says the I Can Cope session on “Exploring Self Esteem and Intimacy” answered a lot of questions she had about the effect of chemotherapy and radiation on her body and intimacy during treatment. “
The programs I participated in helped me so much,” says Pam, who is scheduled to finish her radiation treatments in August. “I wanted the knowledge of what was coming next so I could deal with it. And I wanted to be able to continue to work and live my life, and they helped me with that, too.” On a very happy note, she adds that she and her fiancé are planning to get married at the end of the year.
To learn more about these United Way supported programs, which consist of classes addressing various topics relevant to the cancer experience, contact American Cancer Society, 800-ACS-2345.
Click here to download Pam's story in PDF format.
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