Make a Difference Day, Disaster Assistance Now Available & more!

Click here to view on your browser. Something not looking right?

United Way of

Volusia-Flagler Counties

Make a Difference Day Projects

Thank you to everyone that came out to make a difference on Make a

Difference Day this past Saturday! Here's how our volunteers choose to get involved:

Gift Pack Giveaway in Daytona Beach
Notes of Encouragement in Deland at The Volusia Flagler YMCA
Knights Give Back at SMA Behavioral Health in Daytona Beach
Food collection by the Chicks With Cans (Women's Initiative Flagler (WIF) at Various Publix stores across Flagler County
Keeping the Fight - Breast Cancer Awareness Walk in Deland at The Brighthouse/Spring Hill Boys & Girls Club
Mental Health/Therapy Office Beautification at The House Next Door in Deland, with the help of volunteers from Wells Fargo.

Additional projects are scheduled during the upcoming week at various locations.

Pictured: The Chiles Academy, Target employees, students, staff, family members, and neighborhood volunteers filled 100 gift packs with assorted supplies with fruit, canned goods, non-perishables, toiletry items, and essentials for a home environment. This project will provide a little relief to the families in the neighborhood who struggle with maintaining the basic needs of daily living.

Thank you to our Pacesetter Businesses

Pacesetter companies are recognized as leaders in our community. They are among the first to step-up and proudly show they are committed to Live Unit

ed and raise dollars to create opportunities to improve the quality of life for Volusia and Flagler County residents.

We would like to welcome our six new Pacesetter partners this year; Baxter Gambro Rental Products, City of Bunnell, County of Volusia, Duke Energy, Macy's Department Store, and Seacoast Bank.

We also thank our current Pacesetters for continuing their support; Baxter Gambro Rental Products, Belk Department Store, Bennett, Woodward & Associates, CareerSource Flagler Volusia, ClearPoint Financial Solutions, City of Bunnell, Council on Aging of Volusia County, County of Volusia, Daytona Beach News-Journal, Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, Duke Energy, Early Learning Coalition of Flagler-Volusia Counties, Family Life Center, Flagler Broadcasting, Florida Power & Light, Intracoastal Bank, Launch Federal Credit Union, Macy's Department Store, Mitchell Noel Insurance, Publix, Root Company, Seacoast Bank, Stewart Marchman ACT Behavioral Healthcare, Target Stores, The House Next Door, The Palm & Ormond Beach Observers, United Parcel Service (UPS), United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties, Volusia-Flagler YMCA, Votran, VyStar Credit Union, and Wells Fargo.

Pictured: City of Bunnell's 2016 United Way Campaign Stunt 'Slimin' & Stringin'. Left to Right: Perry Mitrano, Sandi Bolser, Kristen Bates, Dan Davis, Donnie Wines, and Mike Baldwin.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance

Gov. Rick Scott announced last week that Disaster Unemployment Assistance for Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns and Putnam counties is now available.

Click here and please share to help get the word out to anyone you know who needs this assistance.

Duke Energy Donates $50,000 for Hurricane Matthew Relief

Duke Energy has donated $50,000 to the United Way Volusia-Flagler Counties for short term disaster relief to families in need in Volusia and Flagler Counties.

Duke Energy announced last week a donation of $325,000 to help seven charities providing disaster relief assistance in several of the states it serves - North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. Three of the organizations to receive donation assistance are in Florida and will receive $100,000 total. The Hispanic Business Initiative Fund of Florida will receive $25,000 to help rebuild businesses and economic development in Flagler and Volusia counties, and Hearth of Florida United Way will also receive $25,000 for disaster relief efforts in central Florida.

United Way Worldwide's "The Hero Effect" Premiers on OWN

United Way's new, monthly docu-series, "The Hero Effect" premiers on the Oprah Winfrey Network next month and spotlights individuals who are making the world a better place.

The series highlights the issues United Way is tackling locally - like early childhood education, veterans' support, hunger and homelessness, human trafficking and more. It also showc

ases stories of ordinary individuals who are making extraordinary differences in their communities. Each episode is shot on location in different communities across the country. The real-life stories, presented by United Way, build on the company's mission to fight for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community.

The 10-episode series will be co-hosted by NFL star and "Dancing with the Stars" winner Donald Driver, along with actress Emily Wilson.

"The Hero Effect" first season will cover issues including veterans services, human trafficking, early childhood education and foster care children, and will air on the second Saturday of every month at 10 a.m. beginning on Nov. 12. Each Saturday morning, two back-to-back episodes will air.

Food Wine Brew to Benefit United Way

Mark your calendar for the Food Wine Brew Festival - a portion of the proceeds benefit the United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties!