The start of a new year is my favorite time to pause and reflect on the successes and setbacks of the last year. It doesn’t need to be said that 2021 had its challenges.
A blog by Nikkia Hurlbert
In Jackson, we saw a student homelessness rate of over 20% in some school districts, our homeless shelters were full, affordable housing became more out of reach to a growing population of residents, and the overall cost of living greatly increased. Working parents were left helpless without childcare, and daycares and schools were conflicted with tough choices for the children and students in their care.
With all of the hardships we faced, Jackson is a resilient county and has a strong sense of community responsibility. There’s still work to be done, but I’m proud to look back on 2021 and report that our Labor Community stepped up to support initiatives in Jackson that addressed some of the greatest needs in our community.
For example, we hear a lot about the need for clean, dry socks during the coldest months of the year, something many of us may take for granted. So United with Labor, we prioritized an initiative that addressed that need. Last year United Way and our Labor partners were able to donate 1,681 pairs of socks, gloves, hats, and scarves to homeless students, their families (many live in their car), and one of our local homeless shelters. A testament to the impact we can have, working together.
I have many stories like this from last year. So to highlight the contributions our Labor community, in partnership with United Way, made in 2021, we’ve created an impact report that showcases what we were able to contribute to Jackson, together.
Looking forward to 2022, we’re excited to take our AFL-CIO and United Way 80-year partnership even further and expand our relationships to the more than 70 unions located in Jackson County alone. Because great things are accomplished when we work United.
Nikkia Hurlbert is the AFL-CIO Community Services Labor Liaison for United Way of Jackson County.
