Healthy Community

At United Way of the River Cities, we help people overcome barriers to good health by improving access to nutritious food and quality health education and services, including preventative care, maternal and child health, mental health support, and more.

Project Period

With 2 in 5 people struggling to purchase period products due to lack of income, the United Way of the River Cities set out to tackle an unmet need in the community.

During the 2024 Week of Action, United Way of the River Cities collected donations of menstrual products for Project Period., an initiative to provide hygiene supplies to those in need.

In just over a month of collecting donations plus a full week of kit-packing events, Project Period. and a host of volunteers — including Bloss & Dillard, the Junior League of Huntington Sustainers and First Stage Theatre Company — created 1,168 one-month menstrual hygiene kits, surpassing our original goal of 800 kits!

Thanks to our sponsors who also helped make this possible: OVP Health Foundation, Ally Layman – City of Huntington Councilwoman, and Chad D Barry, LC.

Kits were taken to: 

  • BRANCHES Domestic Violence Shelter
  • Huntington City Mission
  • Harvest for the Hungry
  • Marcum Terrace Family Support Center
  • Court Street Ministries
  • Lincoln County Family Resource Network
  • Wayne County Family Resource Network
  • Backpack Buddies
  • Mason County Family Resource Center
  • S. Peter’s Episcopal Community Outreach

HEALTHY COMMUNITY FUNDED programs

  • Children’s Home Society of WV — $20,000 — Serving Cabell, Lincoln, Wayne and Mason counties. Providing food, clothing and infant essentials through a resource center that serves 5,000 people.
  • Cridlin Food Pantry — $20,000 — Serving Cabell and Wayne counties. Providing personal care items and infant essentials through a pantry that serves 4,000 low-income individuals.
  • Community Mission Outreach — $13,500 — Serving Lawrence and Gallia counties. Providing food, clothing and personal care items through a pantry that serves 10,000 people. Grant covers the cost of potatoes and onions, and home delivery for individuals that have no transportation.
  • Court St. Ministries — $20,000 — Serving Gallia County. Providing food to 3,000 people from a pantry, which includes boxed meals and hot meals.
  • Facing Hunger Foodbank — $15,000 — Serving Lincoln County. This grant supports their Lincoln County backpack program that plans to serve 1,500 people in Lincoln County.
  • Gabriel Project — $14,200 — Serving Cabell, Lincoln, Mason and Gallia counties. Providing infant essentials to rural areas that have little to no community resources. Serving 1,200 individuals with car seats, diapers, specialty formulas, etc. Including a new site at Leon United Methodist Church in Mason County.
  • God’s Hands at Work — $20,000 — Serving Mason and Gallia County. Providing infant essentials to 450 individuals including car seats, diapers, baby clothing, formula, etc.
  • Harmony House — $10,000 — Serving Cabell, Wayne and Lawrence counties. Providing 4,000 hot meals, 500 prescriptions filled, 1,000 showers and laundry services, 20 nights of emergency shelter/hotel nights during inclement weather, and 15 utility payments to help prevent homelessness. Helping to serve 1,350 unique individuals.
  • Harvest for the Hungry — $20,000 — Serving Lawrence County. This program helps offer seniors nutrition drinks that help supplement nutrients needed. Serving 6,638 people.
  • Huntington City Mission — $20,000 — Serving all six counties. The Community Feeding Program helps serve hot meals to 3,000 individuals who are experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of becoming homeless.
  • RLB Ministries/Backpack Buddies — $20,000 — Serving Lawrence County. Providing food to 750 individuals who range from preschool students to high school students in 19 schools in Lawrence County.
  • SPECO — $20,000 — Serving Cabell County. Providing 1,400 individuals with food and personal care items through their give box and seasonal boxes. 300 summer care bags and 300 winter care bags will be supplied.
  • The Salvation Army of Huntington — $20,000 — Serving Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, and Wayne counties. Providing 200 individuals with food and 50 households with utility assistance.
  • Wayne County Community Services Org — $4,000 — Serving Wayne County. Providing food and personal care items 210 people at their Fort Gay Food Pantry.
  • FaithHealth Appalachia — $5,000 — Serving 1,000 people in Cabell County. This grant will fund the Cabell Care Tree Project through the Cabell County Family Resource Network program. Cabell Care Trees are wooden, tree-shaped shelving units placed in high-traffic community locations including 3 Cabell County Schools, the Cabell-Huntington Health Department, and the Ronald McDonald House. These units will be stocked with essential basic needs items including personal hygiene products, baby supplies, household cleaning supplies, and menstrual health items.
  • Hamlin Lincoln Public Library — $7,500 — Serving Lincoln County. The Healthy Senior Living Program includes chair yoga at all three library locations, Hatha yoga for strength and flexibility, holistic healing workshops, nutrition education classes and walking clubs. Serving 300 individuals.

SUCCESS STORY: Student Seeks Empowerment

Goodwill Industries of KYOWVA Area Inc.

United Way’s funding has significantly contributed to the success of Goodwill Counseling and Therapy Services, as demonstrated by the remarkable progress of a rural high school student overcoming severe social anxiety. Initially, they struggled with a depressed mood, concentration issues, excessive guilt, racing thoughts, irritability, and excessive worry, compounded by avoidant behaviors, particularly in social settings. These symptoms were largely due to past bullying experiences that had severely affected their self-worth and social interactions, making daily life a significant challenge and leading to feelings of guilt and worry over perceived distance from family and friends.

The individual was committed to treatment and began their comprehensive therapy journey with a dedicated therapist. Key interventions included exposure therapy to reduce fear and avoidance in social situations gradually, psychoeducation to help the student understand and manage anxiety, and encouragement to utilize support systems from family and friends. Because of these interventions, the client regained a sense of control and empowerment in social situations, showing noticeable improvement in functioning in public environments like stores.

Moreover, the client developed effective coping skills to manage daily anxiety and improved their ability to engage with family and friends, enhancing their overall social interactions. While the client continues to face anxiety challenges, they are now equipped with the tools and strategies to navigate difficult days, demonstrating significant resilience and progress.