“United is the Way” is the new slogan of the United Way of the CSRA.
Judging by the energy of the large crowd gathered for the launch of the annual campaign to support the United Way, it is a slogan that resonates with the local community.
On Friday, Aug. 22, the United Way of the CSRA welcomed community partners to a celebratory breakfast held at The First Baptist Church of Augusta. The unveiling of this year’s goal to help 30,000 “ALICE” families by 2030 was well received. ALICE is an acronym that describes families that are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed. The ALICE initiative started by the United Way of New Jersey is designed to make a positive impact using both data and grass roots efforts to support families struggling with daily challenges associated with inflation and high cost of living.
During the United Way of the CSRA campaign launch event, stakeholders from throughout the CSRA included representatives in attendance from Doctor’s Hospital, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions and Columbia County School District. Lori Braswell, who represents Columbia County School District spoke to The Augusta Press and said, “We believe in the United Way in everything they do, especially in how they support our students with the Stuff the Bus campaign.”
In 2024, United Way of the CSRA and its partners touched the lives of 129,950 individuals, according to data published on the United Way website. Brittany Burnett, president and CEO of the United Way of the CSRA, spoke to The Augusta Press about United Way’s future goals for 2025. When asked about the United Way’s new campaign, Burnett explained that ALICE numbers represent a large and important part of society that needs a big bold positive impact.
When asked why the United Way chose this campaign focus, Burnett said, “We are trying to make a difference in that part of our demographic. Getting people in this area the help and resources they need will be huge and make the CSRA a better place.”
The United Way of the CSRA covers a 13-county area across the CSRA and supports families and individuals that struggle to achieve financial stability while also meeting health and human service needs. The United Way expressed a need for community volunteers and donations, and can be contacted through their website at https://www.uwcsra.org/.
