United Way of Pickens County

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Easley, SC
United Way of Pickens County

Mobilizing people and resources to improve early literacy and promote financial security in our community.

If you need help, visit https://www.uwpickens.org/get-help or call 2-1-1.

09/03/2026

What a day! The United in Action Celebration was an amazing display of how this community shows up for each other. It was an honor to recognize several individuals and groups that went above and beyond this year in service to Pickens County:
⭐Community Partner of the Year: KeyMark, LLC
⭐Volunteer of the Year: David Coyle
⭐Young Volunteer of the Year: Nicole Reich
⭐Philanthropists of the Year: Scott and Fran Hughes
⭐Community Service Appreciation Award: David Dixon
⭐Community Service Appreciation Award: Cullen Fulkner

The year-in-review highlighted the impact this community made in the past year in Education, Financial Security and Mental Well-Being, and especially our work in Community Resilience.

We heard from one local veteran and his wife, Richard and Gwen, who were dealing with the long-term effects of Hurricane Helene- damage that was not initially noticeable, but became incredibly problematic over time. Richard and Gwen shared how the United Way of Pickens County Long-Term Recovery Group was able to coordinate services and provide roof and gutter repairs.

Josh Hawkins, President-Elect of the SC Emergency Management Association, delivered a thoughtful and powerful keynote address that emphasized the importance of pulling together in times of crisis, and always.

We want to once again thank our amazing sponsors who made this celebration possible:

⭐Gold Sponsors: AnMed Cannon & Tri-County Technical College
⭐Silver Sponsors: Pinnacle Financial Partners, Spero Financial , The Movement Doctors
⭐Bronze Sponsors: Elaine Thena, Elevate Audiology- Hearing & Tinnitus Center, Tax Pro Accounting

09/02/2026

We are excited to share that the United Way of Pickens County Education Council has awarded McKissick Academy of Science and Technology an Education Impact Grant to fund Read and Rise in Partnership, a family-centered early literacy program.

Through this program, McKissick will work primarily with 2nd grade students with an emphasis on phonemic awareness and phonics, particularly for multilingual learners. Read and Rise in Partnership will strengthen the connection between classroom instruction and literacy learning at home through monthly hands-on family literacy workshops, take-home books and literacy materials, and targeted support for students with identified literacy needs.

We are thrilled to support McKissick Academy in this work which empowers families to play an active role in their children's reading development.

08/31/2026

That’s a wrap on our 2026 Disaster Preparedness Workshop Series! 💙

On August 25th, we gathered in Easley for our third and final workshop - another morning of conversation, learning, reflection and practical tools designed to help our community become better prepared before the next disaster ever happens.

Throughout this series, we’ve talked about more than emergency supplies and response plans. We’ve talked about resilience, long-term recovery, personal wellness, partnerships, and the role each of us can play in helping our communities recover well.

A huge thank-you to our presenters, community partners, and everyone who gave their time to attend, participate and ask thoughtful questions. Prepared communities are built long before the storm arrives - through relationships, knowledge and people willing to get involved.

We were also happy to send a little Long-Term Recovery spirit home with our participants! 💙

Thank you to everyone who joined us throughout this three-workshop series in Clemson, Pickens and Easley. We are grateful to be doing this work alongside you.

Preparedness starts with all of us. Resilience grows when we work together. 💪

08/28/2026

We are thrilled to share that Tri-County Technical College has joined us as a GOLD sponsor of our United in Action Celebration! Tri-County Technical College works to transform lives and build strong communities one student at a time. It provides an exceptional, affordable education and prepares the skilled workforce our region needs. We are grateful to gather for the celebration at the Easley Campus, and to have TCTC as a Gold Sponsor.

08/26/2026

We are excited to share that the United Way of Pickens County Education Council has awarded East End Elementary School an Education Impact Grant to fund Read and Rise in Partnership, a family-centered early literacy program.

Through this program, East End Elementary will work primarily with K-2nd grade students to address needs such as phonics, word recognition and fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Read and Rise in Partnership will strengthen the connection between classroom instruction and literacy learning at home through monthly hands-on family literacy workshops, take-home books and literacy materials, and targeted support for students with identified literacy needs.

We are thrilled to support East End Elementary in this work which empowers families to play an active role in their children's reading development.

08/25/2026

Community resilience is built long before a disaster occurs - through preparation, strong partnerships, and people who are ready to lead when their communities need them most.

Our United in Action keynote speaker, Josh Hawkins, has built his career around that work. A lifelong resident of Anderson County, Josh serves as Director of Anderson County Emergency Management and brings more than 15 years of experience in firefighting, emergency medical response, incident command, and technical rescue. rescue.

Under his leadership, Anderson County Emergency Management coordinated an extensive local, state, and federal response following Hurricane Helene - including work with the National Guard and the establishment of sites providing water, meals, and donated supplies. The division was subsequently named South Carolina’s 2024 Emergency Management Agency of the Year and was formally recognized by the South Carolina General Assembly.

Josh also serves as President-Elect of the South Carolina Emergency Management Association, helping to advance emergency preparedness and the emergency management profession across our state.

The experience Josh brings from his work in Anderson County speaks to a shared goal across our state: building communities that are prepared, connected, and resilient. We are pleased to host him as the keynote speaker for the September 3 United in Action Celebration!

Register by August 25 at www.uwpickens.org/annual-meeting

08/24/2026

⏰ Last call for United in Action.

Registration closes tomorrow, Tuesday, August 25.

On September 3, you'll spend a lunch hour with the business leaders, nonprofit partners, elected officials, and neighbors who spent this year working to make Pickens County stronger. You'll hear what got done, who made it happen, and what comes next.

Keynote: Josh Hawkins, Director of Emergency Management for Anderson County and President-Elect of the SC Emergency Management Association.

Thursday, September 3
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Tri-County Technical College, Easley Campus
$35 per person, $245 for a table of 8

Register before tomorrow's deadline: uwpickens.org/annual-meeting

United is the way.

08/19/2026

You do not need a disaster background to be useful after a disaster.

You need to know who to call. You need to know what a family actually needs in month six, which is almost never what they needed in week one. And you need to know how to keep going when the work outlasts everyone's attention.

That is what we are covering next Tuesday in the last workshop of our Disaster Workshop Series.

If you serve at a church, run a nonprofit, work for a local business, lead a civic group, or you are simply the person people call when something goes wrong, this is for you. No prior experience required. No need to have attended the first two.

Recovery, Resilience and Healing: Supporting Communities After Disaster
Tuesday, August 25 | 9:00 a.m. to noon
Easley Presbyterian Church, 200 S. 1st Street, Easley

Register: www.uwpickens.org/disaster-workshops

United is the way.

08/18/2026

Welcome Back, Clemson Students! 🐅🧡 We had a blast meeting and greeting so many students and sharing Free File volunteer opportunities with them! Big thanks to the Clemson Alumni Association for inviting us to join in the festivities! Go Tigers!

Clemson Alumni Association Clemson University

Address

201 S 5th Street Ste 212
Easley, SC
29640

Telephone

+18648507094

Website

http://www.uwpickens.org/

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