United Way of York Co. will receive $5,000 grant from Bank of America

For the second straight year Bank of America has awarded the United Way of York County a $5,000 grant to help run the men’s homeless shelter on Bethel United Methodist Church.

The grant was part of the $1 million in grants to the bank announced Tuesday to 14 Charlotte-area nonprofits whose missions span a variety of focuses, from housing to feeding the area's hungry.

Others organizations getting grants are CrossRoads Corp., Hope Haven, Charlotte Family Housing, Ada Jenkins Center, Supportive Housing Communities/McCreesh Place, Charlotte Bridge Home, YWCA Central Carolinas, Charlotte Rescue Mission, Urban Ministry Center, Men’s Shelter of Charlotte, Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte, Crisis Assistance Ministry and Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, which serves York County.

The Charlotte-based bank announced the donations on Giving Tuesday, a global day of helping those in need that started in 2012.

Rebecca Melton, president of the United Way of York County, said the grant comes at key time. The Bethel shelter has been open for two weeks and is already at capacity, serving between 18 to 25 men nightly.

The shelter usually serves between eight to 12 members in November, Melton said.

The grant will allow the United Way to have someone supervise the shelter between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. The United Way relies on paid staff and volunteers to keep the shelter open, Melton said.

The York County United Way has also benefited from other donations on Giving Tuesday, Melton said. “Board members and long-time givers are giving again,” she said. Melton said she also hopes the online giving appeal would bring new, younger donors.

In addition to the grants, Bank of America said it gave its employees the opportunity to spend Tuesday doing volunteer work around the Charlotte area.

“We recognize that nonprofits in the Charlotte area are tackling tough community issues and providing services that are vital to residents’ well-being and Charlotte’s economic growth,” said Charles Bowman, North Carolina and Charlotte president for Bank of America.

“Today is about coming together to invest in and lend a hand to the groups that do so much for individuals and families in our community,” he said.

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 1:51 PM with the headline "United Way of York Co. will receive $5,000 grant from Bank of America."