Andrea Gutierrez, Bryan County News
Two special honors were given out at the second of two annual Campaign Kickoff events from the United Way of the Coastal Empire (UWCE).
The James “Bobby” Ryon Community Spirit Award was awarded to Brooke T. Smith. A native of Brunswick, Smith taught at Bradwell Institute for 20 years before moving to manage the statewide educational grant L4GA, Literacy for Learning, Living, and Leading.
Smith is a long-time supporter of “Read United”, United Way’s flagship early childhood literacy program, and has served on the United Way’s advisory board.
“She takes great pride in helping place thousands of books into the hands of children,” Waller said of Smith.
Hosted at Richmond Hill’s City Center, Tuesday’s event luncheon featured United Way members and affiliates from across Bryan, Liberty, and Long counties.
The Jimmy Burnsed Community Spirit Award was awarded to educator Melodie Lane, a teacher at McAllister Elementary School who has been working with Backpacks of Love, United Way’s program supporting hungry children, since its inception in January 2012. The program now serves around 300 students each week across Bryan County.
The award “honors individuals in Bryan County who embody the true spirit of giving, service, and community leadership,” said Kimberly Waller, president and CEO of United Way of the Coastal Empire.
“Despite her many responsibilities, (Lane) has remained deeply committed to addressing food insecurity among children in her community,” Waller said.
And the award’s namesake, long-time United Way donor Jimmy Burnsed, gave short remarks praising Lane and the Backpacks of Love program, empathically saying that “no kid should go hungry.”
Hosted yearly, the Campaign Kickoff raises money for the United Way’s Community Fund, which in turn invests in direct assistance and supports local nonprofits to address residents’ needs across five different counties in Southeast Georgia: Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Liberty, and Long.
Through the 2024-25 fiscal year, over 17,000 Liberty and Long county residents were assisted by UWCE-supported nonprofits, and more than 664 residents were supported directly at UWCE Service Centers in those counties.
Of particular concern is what United Way calls ALICE — asset limited, income constrained, employed — a term used to describe a growing number of working-class families in the region who earn above the federal poverty line but still struggle to afford basic necessities such as housing, food, childcare, and transportation costs.
According to UWCE’s latest report, more than 40% of households across the five-county region fall under the ALICE category, with Liberty County the most affected.
“We’ve seen unprecedented economic growth (in our region), creating opportunities that help families reach financial stability and thrive. But we’ve got to work every day together to make sure that ALICE families and individuals have access to that growth,” Waller said.
United Way already has raised $809,487 for its Community Fund with the help of 12 different Pacesetter companies through their workplace giving campaigns. UWCE’s goal this fiscal year is $5.2 million.
To donate or to learn more about the United Way of the Coastal Empire, visit uwce.org. For those in need, visit the United Way’s 211 Information and Referral Service at https://uwce. org/211-2/ or call 2-1-1.