Volunteers essential to United Against Poverty; locations in Vero Beach and Fort Pierce

How many volunteers help run the “busiest” nonprofit on the Treasure Coast?

Roughly 4,000 people volunteered for United Against Poverty in 2022, the year with the most recent data, contributing nearly 85,000 hours — the equivalent of about $2.5 million — across the organization’s operations in Indian River, St. Lucie and Orange counties.

The impressive numbers come from the nonprofit's most recent publicly available annual report, which stresses its aim of helping individuals and families “Up! Out! of the cycle of poverty to economic self-sufficiency.”

United Against Poverty was founded in in 2003 in Vero Beach as Kingdom Harvest Food Outreach Center and renamed in 2016. United Against Poverty has two facilities in Indian River County and has locations in Fort Pierce and Orlando.

Its Member Share Grocery Programs where members can purchase discounted groceries seven days a week operates at its four “UP Centers,” with two locations in Indian River County.

Through its STEP, or Success Training Employment Program, 113 people found employment in 2022, including 62 in Indian River County and 25 in St. Lucie County, according to its annual report. Classes are held to help clients learn job skills, finances, nutrition, computer skills, CPR and address mental-health issues.

Volunteers, officials say, are essential to providing its programs and running its facilities.

Weekly volunteer shifts are available in its grocery store, food pantry, thrift store and warehouse, along with opportunities to teach, mentor and conduct mock job interviews.

For information about volunteering, visit unitedagainstpoverty.org ; call 407-650-0774; or email Volunteer Coordinator Caryl Zook at czook@unitedagainstpoverty.org.

Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers. Follow @coreyarwood on X, email corey.arwood@tcpalm.com or call 772-978-2246 .

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Volunteers essential to United Against Poverty; locations in Vero Beach and Fort Pierce