oUR IMPACT
United Way of the Piedmont brings local nonprofits, businesses, and community members together to tackle the biggest challenges facing our region. We go beyond temporary fixes to create lasting change in Cherokee, Spartanburg, and Union counties in South Carolina.
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RECENT NEWS
Each year, our United in Leadership Breakfast is one of our favorite moments on the calendar. It's a chance to pause, look around the room, and recognize the companies and organizations whose commitment makes our mission possible. Their generosity creates true change across Cherokee, Spartanburg, and Union counties, and we don't take that for granted. This year's honorees represent the very best of what partnership looks like. From workplace campaigns that go above and beyond to individuals who pour themselves into their communities — these are the people and organizations that make United Way work. We're proud to introduce the 2026 United in Leadership Award Winners: Circle of Excellence Awarded to best practice workplace campaigns Cate & Brough, P.A. Founders Federal Credit Union Lockhart Power McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture Spartanburg Housing William Barnet & Son, LLC New Business Partner of the Year: Union County Schools Large Business Partner of the Year: Timken – Tyger River Small Business Partner of the Year: Hubbard-Hall Public Service Partner of the Year: Spartanburg Water Employee Campaign Coordinator of the Year: Laurel Hurtt, Spartanburg School District 5 Chairman's Award: Jaxon Lang, AFL Thank you to every winner, every nominee, and every partner who shows up for our community year after year. We are proud to celebrate you and even prouder to do this work alongside you.
Union Uplifted, a cradle-to-career initiative with United Way of the Piedmont serving as the lead partner organization, has named its first Executive Director. Joey Haney, retired Union County Schools Superintendent, will step into the role beginning July 13. Union Uplifted grew from more than two years of deep listening across Union County: 26 community conversations, more than 850 residents who shared their hopes and concerns, and 39 community champions who stepped forward to help shape the work. It is a partnership anchored by Union County School District, United Way of the Piedmont, and Spartanburg Academic Movement, with partners from healthcare, business, higher education, government, faith communities, and the nonprofit sector. Guided by the StriveTogether framework, Union Uplifted is designed to ensure that every child in Union County has the support they need from prenatal through career.
When United Way of the Piedmont established the Spartanburg Youth Philanthropy Board in 2014, the idea was straightforward: give high school students a seat at the table, let them learn how community investment works, and trust them to lead. More than a decade later, the 2025-2026 Board showed what that idea looks like in action. This year's Board brought together 26 members from seven high schools across six school districts, logging more than 215 hours of service across our community through the Fall Food Drive, MLK Day of Service, the OneSpartanburg Internship Fair, and the Spring Breakout, held in partnership with the City of Spartanburg and Spartanburg Academic Movement. Along the way, they invested $5,000 into six local youth-serving programs through a grant process they helped run, including conducting the interviews themselves. Fifteen seniors graduate this year, most of whom gave two years to this work. Their commitment reflects something broader about what YPB has always been built on: that young people need roles and space to lead in our community.
