United Way of Escambia County

Just over $500,000 in grants were received from July through December 2005 to "provide assistance to victims of recent storms on the Gulf Coast". These grants have resulted in:

• A coordinator hired for Long Term Recovery
• Affordable rental units repaired for occupancy - 23
• Automobiles repaired - 21
• Families assisted with rental housing - 20
• Families assisted with home purchase - 3
• Individuals returned to their home state to receive assistance, get a job and/or be reunited with family - 18
• Materials, equipment & funding provided to other agencies providing disaster assistance
• United Way of Escambia County has improved its own capacity to deal with disasters
• Perhaps the most significant accomplishment was the development of a multi-level process to improve personal skills and move individuals from victim to recovery; direct assistance was not given, it was earned.
• In three months the "Building a New Life" curriculum has worked with 290 individuals involved with one or more of the following: a one-on-one mentor, Life Skills workshops, "First Time Home Buyer" training, job training at Workforce Escarosa, personal finance & budgeting workbooks, and support/discussion groups or recovery journaling.

Measured results show:

• Of the 119 individuals in the Life Skills classes, 65 percent completed the class
• Of those that did not complete the class, 74 percent either found jobs or returned to their home state
• 135 individuals are in some type of mentoring or coached program
• 20 were registered with Escarosa Career Center for education or job skill development
• 100 registered in a first time home buyer program
• Pre and post tests indicate an overall depression scale improvement:
  • Pre test results: 20 percent reported little to no depression and20 percent reported a clinically depressed outpatient status
  • Post test results: 47 percent reported little to no depression and 7 percent reported a clinically depressed outpatient status