United for Student Success: Orange County United Way’s Class of 2021 e-Mentoring Program
Students faced some unprecedented challenges this past year—from e-Learning to socializing virtually with classmates, it was quite an adjustment. Knowing the obstacles many of our local students were facing, Orange […]
Former Foster Youth Finds Peace at Home
In 2009, when Evelyn was just 13 years old, she entered the foster care system. When she aged out of the foster care system at 22, she felt alone and […]
How We Ended a Veteran’s Homelessness for Good!
Here’s how Orange County United Way’s WelcomeHomeOC program is overcoming one of the critical barriers for families and individuals experiencing homelessness. Almost 7,000 people are experiencing homelessness in Orange County, […]
How One Woman Tripled Her Income with UpSkill OC
Orange County United Way’s UpSkill OC program helped Sher and her family gain financial independence with a pathway to sustainable employment.
Only the Beginning: Jessie’s Journey to College Success
For Jessie, nothing could hold her back from achieving her dreams of going to college. Jessie’s sights were set on getting into college from an early age, but the cards […]
Meet Alicia: Rapid Re-Housing Gave Her a Fresh Start
When Alicia found herself unable to afford the high cost of housing in Orange County, she resorted to living in her car with her son for a year. Each day, […]
Meet Maria: OC Free Tax Team Member – and Client too!
Maria started working for Orange County United Way’s OC Free Tax Prep as a project coordinator where she saw firsthand how many people benefited from the services provided through this community […]
Young Local Philanthropist Donates More Than 1,000 Books to United Way
Teah found her passion at an early age. An avid reader, 13-year-old Teah had accumulated a large library of books over the years. From the magical Harry Potter series to […]
Meet Gloria: Earned Income Tax Credit Makes Lasting Impact
Finding out that she would be receiving more than $3,000 from her Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Cal EITC had Gloria smiling from ear to ear. “When my volunteer tax […]
Meet Leila: OC FREE TAX PREP Helped Save Her Money for School
As a student at Irvine Valley College, paying for tax services was never in Leila’s budget. Figuring out how to file her taxes on her own made her feel overwhelmed […]
