Filling the Gap For Students In Our Region

How Nancy Haney Helps Students Start the Year Strong

Before retiring as a federal contractor, Nancy Haney spent 15 years teaching high school and college. She knows firsthand about the need in classrooms across the region. 

“I know where the gaps are,” Haney says. “I know children show up on the first day of school with needs. It’s frustrating as an educator to see that and to know that something as simple as a pack of pencils could have saved this kid from embarrassment.” 

Haney has volunteered for years at local schools, the library, and United Way NCA. She’s a fixture at the annual Stuff the Bus event, helping bridge the gap in equitable access to education by providing critical supplies and basic needs for students. “Teachers do a lot out of pocket, so this helps fill the gaps for the families and the educators,” Haney says. 

Nearly 1,500 volunteers donated their time and talent to United Way NCA in FY25, packing 4,400 snack packs, 1,005 hygiene kits, 1,170 cold-weather bags, and 800 job readiness kits. 

In FY25, United Way NCA added a mid-year Stuff the Bus event, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to help replenish resources and finish the school year strong. The Stuff the Bus events tallied 2,300 school supply bags and teacher supply boxes to distribute to United Way NCA’s Community Schools partners. 

Haney says she was drawn to United Way NCA for its commitment to youth. She says volunteering is a meaningful way to stay connected to the community. 

“You learn things about your community when you volunteer, and you meet interesting people who are in your community who you wouldn’t have met otherwise,” Haney says. 

Nancy’s story is a reminder that volunteering isn’t just about giving time—it’s about seeing the gaps in your own community and doing something about them.  

Whether it’s packing a snack pack, filling a school-supply bag, or showing up at the next Stuff the Bus event, every volunteer helps a student start the day ready to learn. Sign up to volunteer with United Way NCA and find out where your time and talent are needed most.