It's been a month since our Annual Holiday Wish Campaign with the United Way of Greater New Bedford. Here's the impact you helped to make.

Holiday Wish donations were still coming in via texts and checks right up until New Year's Eve this year, bringing in a record amount of funds. Now that the donations have all been processed (that giant stack of papers you see above) here are some notes now just how far your collective donations went.

    • The average donation was $66.
    • 400 of you decided to text-to-give this year, an all-time record!
    • You paid four months of rent, past-due gas and electric bills for one family
    • Help to pay for driving school for Marco's sister and a driving test for Marco
    • Helped to move T. out of the shelter and into an apartment this week! You also helped her get household items and furniture for the apartment
    • Helped to buy a specialized chair for Emma Newcomer (who suffers from a severe form of epilepsy)
    • Helped to place Yolanda in a new job at Honey Dew
    • Brandi is working on getting her license, furniture, and child care.

The money donated allowed the United Way to pay past-due bills like rent, utilities, a past-due excise tax on behalf of the families and purchase basic need items like new furniture, child care assistance, and other necessary bills that unpaid, would hinder a person's ability to improve their situation.

The United Way of Greater New Bedford is committed to helping families in the local community year-round. Last month, we were able to help six families in big ways. In the future, please consider making donations to this organization so that more families can receive necessary assistance all year long.

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