From Receiving Help to Giving Hope: My Journey with United Way of Kershaw County

 Zechariah Dozier

There was a time in my life when my family faced serious challenges. Food insecurity was real in our home, and there were many nights when hunger could have easily taken over. But thanks to the support of the United Way of Kershaw County, those nights were filled with hope instead. Through their food drive program, I was able to bring home snacks and dinners for my grandmother, siblings, and cousins. Carrying that food into our house felt like carrying a blessing. Without it, we would have gone to bed with empty stomachs more times than I can count.

That was my first experience with United Way—as a recipient.

But my story doesn’t end there. God gave me the opportunity to give back in a way that has forever changed me.

Through United Way’s Ready Readers program, in partnership with AmeriCorps, I was trained to work with children in my own community who were struggling in school. At Jackson Elementary, I sat side by side with kids who needed encouragement, patience, and guidance in reading, writing, math, and, most importantly, in building the confidence to believe in themselves.

I’ll never forget one student in particular. He didn’t speak much English and was struggling with math. At first, he didn’t even want to try—shutting down as soon as I sat beside him. But I encouraged him to take it step by step, reading each problem with him and showing him that he could do it. Slowly, something clicked. Before long, he was completing entire math sheets by himself. The day he brought me a test he had passed, smiling ear to ear, was one of the most powerful moments of my life.

Moments like that showed me just how important this program is. I watched kids transform from hating school to being eager to learn. I witnessed confidence being built where there once was none. And I realized something: I had been given the chance to be hope for someone else, just as hope had once been given to me.

But here’s the truth: there are still hundreds of children in our community who are falling behind. Not because teachers don’t care—they do—but because teachers must move forward with the class, even if one child is struggling. Without the support of programs like Ready Readers, too many kids slip through the cracks.

What if that was your child? What if your son or daughter needed help but there was no Ready Reader available because of funding cuts?

That’s why I’m asking you to consider supporting this program. Your donation will go further than you can imagine. It will give kids more than just academic help—it will give them hope, confidence, and the chance to succeed in life.

I know firsthand what it means to receive help and what it feels like to give it. My experience with United Way of Kershaw County, along with my faith, has forever impacted me. I believe the children I worked with gained more than I did, and I know this program has the power to change lives.

Please, join me in making sure every child in our community has the chance to thrive. With your support, we can raise up a generation not of children who fall behind, but of children ready to change the world.