2019

UNITED WAYBLOUNT COUNTYANNUAL REPORT

OF

Change doesn’t happen alone. It takes energy, expertise and philanthropic support to change lives -- and 2019 brought along with it a hard-working team of staff, volunteers, donors and community partners willing to do all three.The generous spirit of our community continues to grow and to be harnessed for good. We work alongside everyone on our team to bring differing perspectives together to solve problems. United, our collective efforts supported our goals and empowered over 41,000 individuals to improve their lives with greater stability. We are grateful for the vital role you play in our constant responsibility to lift up our community. One of these responsibilities is to fight for ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). In 2019, we partnered with United Ways across the state to bring the ALICE Report to Tennessee, which will help us draw attention to the financial struggles our working population faces across the state and right here in Blount County. We were humbled to win the 2019 Best of Blount Community Impact Award. Our staff embodies a relentless pursuit of greatness, and our board has a passion for all Blount County residents to live their best lives. Our success is determined by how well we achieve our mission to make measurable improvements in our community. Again, change doesn’t happen alone, so this award represents our collective fight for the health, education and self-sufficiency of every person in Blount County. As you read over our annual report, be sure to look at our Top 50 Most Generous Workplaces list. These companies invest in the betterment of our community and support our impact work all year long. We are fortunate to live and work in Blount County. As we continue our journey, we are humbled that you have decided to join us.Sincerely,

Mike Honeycutt, 2019 Board Chair

Jennifer Wackerhagen, President & CEO

Dear Friends:

Executive CommitteeCHAIR

Mike Honeycutt, SmartBankIMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

Adriel McCord, First HorizonCHAIR ELECT

Kathy Johnson, CBBCSECRETARY/TREASURER

Jeff Ingle, Maryville CollegeCOMMUNITY IMPACT CHAIR

Deb Skyler, Maryville City SchoolsCAMPAIGN CHAIR

Mike Hearon, First HorizonDIRECTOR AT LARGE

Kelly Love Manning, Kizer & Black Attorneys, PLLC

DIRECTOR AT LARGE Tammi Ford, Blount Partnership

Members of the BoardBob Booker, DENSO Manufacturing, Tenn., Inc.

Jennifer Coffin, SmartBank

Amy Cowden, Blount County Mayor’s Office

Caitlin Darras, Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority

Keith Edmonds, Pinnacle Financial Partners

Cory Everett, Blount Memorial Hospital

Kim Golly, Shannondale

Regina Jennings, Pinnacle Financial Partners

Sempangi Jones, Ametek

Christi Sayles, Pinkstaff, Simpson, & Headrick, PC

Steve White, Community Volunteer

Kurt Wilkerson, Clayton

Alex Willard, LeConte Wealth Management, LLC

Dr. Mike Winstead, Maryville City Schools

Staff MembersCOMMUNITY RESOURCE COORDINATOR

Lisa AtkinsonFINANCE & ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

Alyssa IknerRESOURCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Emily MantoothADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

Marie Owen COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Julie StansberryPRESIDENT & CEO

Jennifer WackerhagenVICE PRESIDENT

Wendy Wand

ADMINISTRATION

Our success is determined by how well we achieve our mission– to make measurable improvements in people’s lives and in the community we serve. Setting high standards for ourselves and for our funded partners is critical to that success. We take our role as a community leader and philanthropic organization very seriously. Our promise is to serve as an effective and efficient steward of our donors’ trust and their contributions.

From 2012-2019, United Way of Blount County has received the highest 4-star rating for exceptional transparency and accountability from Charity Navigator.

Additionally, United Way of Blount County received the Best of Blount 2019 Community Impact Award, an honor by which we are humbled. Our role as a community leader and philanthropic organization is of utmost importance to us.

ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY

CHAMPIONS

• A vital piece of the campaign’s success, Champions are chosen based on their motivation and desire to be involved and give back in our community. This dedicated group of volunteers communicate with the business community, work closely with campaign coordinators, serve as advocates for United Way, participate in events and much more.

• This group gave over 240 hours to attend meetings, volunteer at events, collaborate on campaigns and advocate for our organization.

TOP 50 MOST GENEROUS WORKPLACES

United Way of Blount County’s 2020 Most Generous Workplaces is determined by a company’s philanthropic contributions to United Way during the previous fiscal year. Combined, the top 50 organizations and their employees generously invested to help our local community through United Way of Blount County-supported programs in the areas of health, education and self-sufficiency.

1 DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee, Inc.

2 Clayton3 Arconic4 First Horizon5 CBBC6 Blount Memorial

Hospital7 The Daily Times8 Twin City Dealerships9 City of Alcoa10 City of Maryville11 Consolidated Nuclear

Security, LLC12 Oak Ridge National

Laboratory

13 Cornerstone of Recovery

14 Vanquish Worldwide, LLC

15 Enterprise Rent-a-Car16 Renasant Bank17 Pinnacle Financial

Partners18 Blount County

Government19 LeConte Wealth

Management, LLC20 Aubrey’s Restaurant21 Blount County Schools22 SmartBank23 Visual Voice24 Joseph Construction

25 Maryville City Schools26 Impact Associates, Inc.27 United Parcel Service28 Chilhowee RV Center29 LDA Engineering30 Blount Partnership31 Pilot Corporation32 University of Tennessee33 United Way of

Blount County34 StandardAero35 Gallaher &

Associates, Inc.36 Smith Funeral &

Cremation Services37 Atmos Energy

38 Maryville College39 WATE-TV40 Metropolitan Knoxville

Airport Authority41 West Chevrolet42 Regions Bank43 Professional Project

Services, Inc.44 PCS, Inc.45 Newell Brands46 Helen Ross

McNabb Center, Inc.47 Walmart48 CHROMA49 C2RL, Inc.50 Toyota Tsusho

Nexty Electronics

ANNUAL CAMPAIGN

• The 2019 annual campaign was led by Mike Hearon and raised $2,115,000 for the most vulnerable in our community

• 21 new companies donated to our campaign

• 3 new members of the Alexis d’Tocqueville Society ($10,000 or more)

• 50 new members of the Pillars Society ($1,000 or more)

Give

Advocate HOMELESS TASK FORCE

• A warming shelter opened throughout the winter months of 2019 and continues to open in the coming year. Financially supported through a United Way of Blount County grant, any individual may enter the shelter overnight when the temperature reaches 25 degrees or below.

• Our staff provided guidance and support for two additional task force subgroups focused on emergency and transitional housing.

POVERTY AWARENESS

• Our staff organized and led 2 simulations that are designed for participants to experience what life is like while living in or near poverty.

• We also led various Bridges out of Poverty trainings for different groups throughout the year. These are designed to raise awareness and understanding of how socioeconomic

class can drive certain behaviors, alleviating stigmas associated with poverty and bridge the gap of success for our community.

DRUG ADDICTION PREVENTION

• United Way of Blount County awarded a discretionary grant to Helen Ross McNabb Center for its work with opioid addiction. Discretionary grants allow us to respond to opportunities that arise outside of the normal funding cycle.

• Our staff joined the Be Aware Blount taskforce.

A FEW WAYS YOUR DONATIONS MADE A DIFFERENCE

Provided meals to over 1,000 seniors in Blount County who would

otherwise go without.Provided access to diagnostic testing, neurology visits and dental care for 211 epilepsy patients.

Allowed 48 patients to receive medically assisted treatment for opioid addiction.

Assisted 1,538 domestic violence crisis hotline callers by providing information, referrals or additional support.

Moved 15 families from homelessness into permanent housing.

CHANGE DOESN’T HAPPEN ALONE.

Can-Paign During the Campaign

The 11th annual Can-Paign During the Campaign brought in over 21,000 pounds of food for local food pantries just in time for the busy holiday season. Twenty companies participated with an average of almost 4 pounds per employee.

Impact

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Big Brothers Big Sisters of East TennesseeBlount County Community Action AgencyBlount County Habitat for HumanityBoys & Girls Club of Blount CountyBoy Scouts of America, Great Smoky Mountain CouncilCASA of the Tennessee HeartlandEast Tennessee Children’s Hospital Rehabilitation CenterEast Tennessee Kidney FoundationEpilepsy Foundation of East TennesseeFamily Promise of Blount CountyThe Florence Crittenton AgencyGate – Gateway to IndependenceGirl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians, Inc.Girls Inc. of Tennessee Valley

Good Neighbors of Blount CountyHaven House, Inc.The Hearing & Speech FoundationHelen Ross McNabb Center, Inc.Legal Aid of East TennesseeLTVEC Birth-to-ThreeMaryville Kiwanis Foundation – Imagination LibraryNew Hope Blount County Children’s Advocacy CenterSecond Harvest Food Bank of East TennesseeSenior Citizens Home Assistance Service, Inc.Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee, a service of the Helen Ross McNabb CenterSPARKTrinity Health Ministries, Inc.

SERVE

In 2019, United Way continued its partnership with Coulter Grove Intermediate School and Montgomery Ridge Intermediate School for SERVE Week (Students Engaged in Rewarding Volunteer Experiences), both in the spring and in the fall. More than 1,000 sixth and seventh graders participated in various service projects at local nonprofit organizations. Additionally, Sam Houston Elementary School participated in a school-wide service project serving a local nonprofit and included all students from kindergarten through third grade.

Partnerships

CONNECT UNITED

Connect United is an opportunity to strengthen the relationships between our Community Partners and the small business community. This allows our partners to access a wide variety of services they need but possibly go without because of lack of resources. Ten businesses are participating in the program, and more are interested in the coming year.

CLS CLUBS

We entered our third year of CLS – this year’s focus was Service with several of the monthly meetings being spent participating in service projects at various partner agencies:

• Prepared freezer meals at Meals on Wheels

• Packed food at Second Harvest

• Cleaned up the yard at Family Promise

• Three $5000 grants were awarded to:• Girls Inc. of Tennessee Valley Experience

Camps – chosen by the Clayton CLS Club• Boys & Girls Club of Blount County Outreach

Program to Eagleton Middle School – chosen by the Community CLS Club

• Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee Food 4 Kids and Summer Food 4 Kids Backpack Programs – chosen by the DENSO CLS Club

OTHER PARTNERSHIPS

• Our staff participates and assists in Leadership Roundtable discussions and organizes the nonprofit day for both Discover Blount and Leadership Blount.

• We are involved with Blount Partnership in various ways throughout the year. In 2019, we hosted Coffee Club at our office with more than 100 people in attendance.

• United Way of Blount County achieved Partner in Prevention status, a designation awarded by the nonprofit Darkness to Light, to organizations which take extra

steps to protect children by training staff to understand the issue of child sexual abuse.

Partnerships

ALICE

(Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed)

In 2019, United Way of Blount County partnered with United Ways across the state to bring the ALICE Report to Tennessee. ALICE is

a fresh set of data that draws attention to the financial struggles our

working population faces across the state and right here in Blount County. ALICE represents households that earn more than the federal poverty level, but less than the basic cost of living for the county.

ALICE is your childcare worker, the cashier at the grocery store, the gas station attendant, the

waitress, the home health aide, the office clerk. ALICE cannot always pay the bills, has little or nothing in savings, and is forced to make tough choices such as deciding between quality childcare or paying the rent. One unexpected car repair or medical bill can push these financially strapped families over the edge.

Meet ALICE Need doesn't stop at the poverty line.

Where is ALICE?Blount County 2017

TownTotal

Households% ALICE Poverty

Alcoa 3,784 50%

Eagleton Village 2,216 46%

Friendsville 352 43%

Louisville 1,637 30%

Maryville 10,410 35%

Rockford 293 32%

Townsend 215 33%

Walland 123 28%

Wildwood 350 30%

WHY DO SO MANY HOUSEHOLDS STRUGGLE?

The cost of living continues to increase…The Household Survival Budget reflects the bare minimum that a household needs to live and work today. It does not include savings for emergencies or future goals like college. In 2017, costs were well above the Federal Poverty Level of $12,060 for a single adult and $24,600 for a family of four. In the past 10 years, family costs increased by 31% while median earnings increased by only 15% statewide. …and wages lag behind

As more companies and states consider raising wages, there can be an unintended consequence on benefits. When wages of workers who receive public assistance increase above the eligibility threshold, they are no longer eligible for the benefit, resulting in a net loss. Here is an example of a family of four’s eligibility for SNAP (food stamp) benefits. Assistance programs where the benefit cliff is most pronounced are SNAP and Medicaid, but others are impacted as well.

Household Survival Budget

Blount County

Monthly CostsSingle Adult

2 Adults, 1 Infant, 1 Pre-K

Housing $520 $811

Child Care — $1,104

Food $179 $543

Transportation $322 $644

Healthcare $124 $529

Technology $55 $75

Misc. $147 $428

Taxes $271 $579

Monthly Total $1,618 $4,713

ANNUAL TOTAL $19,416 $56,556

Hourly Wage $9.71 $28.28

Federal Poverty Rate $12,060 $24,600

Benefit Cliff for SNAPFamily of Four, Tennessee, 2017

$4,500

$4,000

$3,500

$3,000

$2,500

$2,000

$1,500

$1,000

$500

$0

Mon

thly

Inco

me

Hourly Wage$12 $13 $14 $15 $16 $17 $18 $19 $20

Household Survival Budget

Benefit Cliff

Wage SNAP

Meet ALICE Need doesn't stop at the poverty line.

2019 FINANCIALS

Campaign Contributions . . . . . . . 1,919,816Special Events Revenue . . . . . . . . .112,109

Total Campaign Receipts. . . . . . . .2,031,925Interest Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,434Meeting Sponsors . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,950Media Sponsors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,892Rental Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66,627Program Income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,160Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353

Total Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,140,341

Revenue

2019 United Way of Blount County

Revenue

7.2%SPECIAL EVENTS/ SPONSORSHIPS/ OTHER

3.1%RENTAL INCOME

89.7%CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS

2019 FINANCIALS

2019 United Way of Blount County

Expenses

60.5%COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANTS

0.3%RENTAL EXPENSE

17.2%UNITED WAY

PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES

9.6%DESIGNATIONS

TO OTHER UNITED WAYS

1.1%DUES

11.3%FUNDRAISING & ADMINISTRATION

ExpensesCommunity Impact Grants . . . . . . 1,283,342Additional Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,000Designations to Other United Ways . . .205,193Program Expenses . . . . . . . . . . .313,603Fundraising Expenses . . . . . . . . . .150,037Management & General Expenses . . . 91,839Building Maintenance Expense . . . . . 15,000United Way National & State Dues . . . 23,390Meeting Sponsor Expense . . . . . . . 11,562Special Events Expense . . . . . . . . . 29,372Rental Expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,697

Total Cash Disbursements . . . . . . .2,145,035Excess Receipts . . . . . . . . . . . . . -4,694

www.unitedwayblount.org

@unitedwayblount @unitedwayblountunitedwayblount

United Way of Blount County1615 East Broadway AvenueMaryville, TN 37804

Tel (865) 982-2251

Fax (865) 981-4084

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