Jill Chenoweth, CEO of United Way of Southwest Alabama (UWSWA), sees her purpose aligning with the organization’s mission: “to improve the quality of life for our residents.”

Perhaps it’s a simple mission, yet it takes much work to achieve. Chenoweth partners with many agencies in the southwest corner of the state to assist those living in the region.

“We achieve this mission by raising money in a variety of different ways. We then use that money to help our 46 different partner organizations and local nonprofits,” Chenoweth said. “We’re the convener, planner and implementer.”

Jill Chenoweth of United Way of Southwest Alabama is an Alabama Bright Light from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

These 46 partners range from the American Red Cross‘ South Alabama Chapter and Goodwill Gulf Coast to smaller small nonprofits, including Dumas Wesley Community Center and Victory Health Partners in Mobile, and The Arc of Southwest Alabama. Chenoweth provides this assistance through the support of many partners, including the Alabama Power Foundation.

Jill Chenoweth

“The Alabama Power Foundation is a wonderful organization that has supported the United Way of Southwest Alabama for a long time. A few years ago, we wrote a grant that was accepted by the foundation to open a new office in Clarke County so that we could serve those residents more effectively,” Chenoweth said. “The Alabama Power Foundation continues to be a wonderful partner to us.”

The ultimate goal for Chenoweth and UWSWA is to help Alabamians with health issues, financial stability, education, and access to life essentials everyone needs.

“We considered it a privilege to serve everyone in southwest Alabama,” Chenoweth said. “The United Way of Southwest Alabama has been at the forefront of social justice since our inception almost 100 years ago.”

Achieving her mission at UWSWA is very personal for Chenoweth.

“I do what I do because I grew up in a small town in Arkansas,” she said. “My parents worked in organizations that served people with mental disabilities. I’m firmly invested in doing the best that I can do to serve other people. I listen to what people need instead of giving them what I think they need.”

United Way of Southwest Alabama works through other agencies to serve the people in that part of the state. (contributed)

United Way of Southwest Alabama works through other agencies, like Victory Health Partners, to serve the people in that part of the state. (Mike Kittrell)

Chenoweth is humbled when seeing the positive results of her team’s work at UWSWA.

“I love what I do, and I get excited about helping others every single day,” she said. “It’s deeply rewarding, but I know that there are still so many more people out there that need help.”

For more information, visit www.uwswa.org.