Improving health and wellbeing for all.
United Way of Greater New Bedford increases access to basic needs and strengthens physical, mental, and social wellbeing to support safe and healthy communities.
- Nutrition & food security
- Mental health
- Maternal & child health
- Substance misuse
UWGNB Healthy Community Initiatives
Hunger Commission
The Hunger Commission provides food and logistical support free of charge to programs that support families and individuals in need. Program partners include established pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, and Council on Aging centers.
Mass 211
Free, confidential hotline that provides 24/7 support for those looking for local resources such as finding government benefits and services, nonprofit organizations, support groups, volunteer opportunities, donation programs, and other local resources.
SingleCare
Find a better price on prescription medications by as much as 80% for uninsured or underinsured families and individuals.
Healthy Community Community Impact Partners
Program Name: Resident Supportive Services Program in New Bedford
Award Amount: $25,000
Caritas Communities provides safe, well-maintained, and affordable housing for low-income individuals, helping residents achieve stability, employability, health, and social belonging. Founded in 1985 by Leo Corcoran to combat homelessness in Greater Boston, Caritas uses the Single Room Occupancy (SRO) model to offer permanent housing.
Today, Caritas owns and operates 34 buildings across 17 Greater Boston communities, serving over 1,000 individuals annually, including homeless veterans, minimum-wage workers, elderly, and disabled individuals.
In New Bedford, the Sean Brooke House provides permanent housing for 19 low-income veterans with year-round case management and supportive services, ensuring stability and access to essential resources.
Program Name: The Caring Network
Award Amount: $18,000
Since 1996, Caring Network has been providing free psycho-educational groups to children between the ages of 4-14 that have witnessed or were victims of violence in their home, school or community. The groups help children work productively through the trauma associated with witnessing violence. Strategies, skills, and educational components include identifying feelings, understanding abuse is not their fault, stress reduction, and safety procedures. The program also serves to help reduce feelings of isolation, increase selfesteem and improve conflict resolution skills Groups run once per week for a period of 8 to 10 weeks to address the violence children are exposed to every day through society, family, media and neighborhoods. At the start of a group cycle, a treatment plan is created to help facilitate discussions and is reviewed/updated to reflect the needs of the group as sessions progress as necessary. Pre/Post tests are used to help evaluate group effectiveness.
Program Name: Healing & Resiliency Program
Award Amount: $25,000
The Children’s Advocacy Center of Bristol County is a program of the 501(c)(3) non-profit agency, Justice Resource Institute (JRI). The CAC was established in 2007 and merged with JRI in 2017. Our organization provides a coordinated response to disclosures and allegations of child sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, commercial sexual exploitation/child trafficking and witness to violence, serving children (ages infant-18) and adults with intellectual disabilities (ages 18+) from any of the 20 towns and cities in Bristol County, MA. Three core program areas that advance the mission: further protecting and advocating for children after a disclosure of abuse, helping children and their families heal from trauma and educating the community about prevention. The CAC of Bristol County is a fully accredited member of the National Children’s Alliance, a network of over 950 Children’s Advocacy Centers throughout the United States.
Program Name: Healthy Food Distribution
Award Amount: $15,000
Since 1992, Damien's Food Pantry has been providing a supplement to the nutritional and food needs of households experiencing food insecurity in our community. 95% of the households served have income ranging from No Income to Low Income as defined by the latest federal guidelines.
Program Name: New Bedford Equity Now: Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinic
Award Amount: $25,000
Health Imperatives provides confidential, high-quality sexual and reproductive health services to 200 low-income, uninsured, or underinsured mothers and children at the Orchard Street clinic in New Bedford. In response to community needs, clinic hours will expand from three to four days weekly, with added focus on harm reduction services and client assistance for transportation, food, and basic needs like snacks and clothing.
Services include pregnancy testing, birth control, STI and Hepatitis C testing and treatment, HIV prevention and testing, HPV vaccinations, cancer screenings, colposcopy, cervical cell removal, gender-affirming hormone therapy, and annual exams. A Harm Reduction Specialist offers counseling, outreach, and direct linkage to care, while also assisting clients in securing health insurance. These comprehensive services aim to improve health, foster stability, and enhance the well-being of New Bedford residents.
Program Name: Recovery Scholarships and Coaching in Greater New Bedford
Award Amount: $25,000
Herren Project is a national nonprofit organization providing free resources and support for the treatment, recovery and prevention of substance use disorder. We have three main areas of our work: individual recovery services, family support services, and prevention and wellness. We offer all of our services free of charge. Our individual recovery services include treatment placement assistance and recovery coaching and housing scholarships. Once individuals have completed treatment, we offer scholarships for 7 weeks in recovery housing and six months of recovery coaching. This past year, 87% of our scholarship recipients achieved a 90-day sobriety milestone, which is much higher than the national average of 37%-60% based on substance and other individual factors. Our distinctive family support services empower family members to best care for themselves and navigate their loved one’s addiction so they can begin to heal and rebuild the family. These services include one on one consultations with a licensed clinician, 26 online family and grief support groups, and educational webinars. 79% of support groups participants have reported an improvement in their mental health. Herren Project is committed to the prevention of substance use disorder and overall personal wellness. Our school and community initiatives encourage substance-free living, empower people of all ages to celebrate who they are and bring positive awareness to the disease of addiction. We have 309 Herren Project Clubs in schools across the country including 50 in Massachusetts. The request for this grant is for our individual recovery services in the Greater New Bedford area.
Program Name: Family Bridges
Award Amount: $10,000
Meeting Street Massachusetts proposes the creation of Family Bridges, an eight-week program designed especially for the many multigenerational households raising infants in Greater New Bedford. Family Bridges aims to provide a judgement-free, culturally competent space where families can come together and learn from professionals and from each other. Our 8-week program will focus on strengthening the family unit through hands-on activities that promote bonding and understanding. Sessions are open to any type of family caregiver (mother, father, grandparent, etc.) and emphasize postnatal care and family health awareness. Different weekly focuses will include latching/breastfeeding, infant massage, feeding transition, and developmental milestones. What sets Family Bridges apart is its commitment to involving all household members in the healthy development of an infant. We recognize the invaluable contributions of grandparents, adult siblings, and other caregivers in the child-rearing journey. Through a holistic approach, our program is designed to embrace the diversity of family structures and cultural backgrounds, ensuring that all voices are heard and respected. From intergenerational learning opportunities to shared caregiving responsibilities, we strive to create an inclusive environment where every family member feels valued and empowered. By celebrating the unique strengths and traditions of each household, we aim to foster strong family bonds and create a supportive community where all caregivers can thrive in their roles. Family Bridges offers a space for learning, growth, and connection.
Program Name: Mental Health and Wellbeing at Nativity Prep
Award Amount: $20,000
Nativity Prep offers counseling services to our students through North Star Learning Centers Inc. The services include one on one counseling, support and advocacy for our middle school boys as well as critical guidance and orientation to the faculty and staff in meeting the needs of the students. The Masters Level Clinician meets with 10-15 individual students on a weekly basis and meets with groups of students as needed. She is also available to the parents and families to provide resources and information that may help address any challenges experienced outside of the school environment.
Program Name: Supporting Students for Academic and Life Success
Award Amount: $20,000
Positive mental health is essential for success, as it impacts emotional, psychological, and social well-being, shaping how individuals handle stress, relate to others, and make decisions. This is particularly critical for OSS, where the predominantly minority student body faces challenges like identity formation, puberty, academic rigor, and trauma from housing insecurity, addiction, incarceration, and systemic racism and sexism.
For the past two years, OSS's full-time social worker, has been vital in establishing individual and group mental health support systems.
Program Name: New Bedford Women's Graduate Program
Award Amount: $20,000
Residents, often referred from local rehabilitation or homelessness services, can stay up to two years while working on recovery skills, social support, income, employment, and housing goals. The program accommodates five individuals and two families (up to seven adults and two children). In 2021, NBWGP adapted its capacity to better support mothers and children, which reduced revenue from occupancy fees due to lower incomes among mothers in treatment.