Cary, NC -- On Sunday, November 1st, the North Carolina Courage played their final home match of the season against the Denver Summit. It was a great win for the women's soccer team, and United Way of North Carolina, specifically the ALICE Movement, shared in its own great win that very evening before the match started.
Stepping onto the pitch, NC Courage President Francie Gottsegen presented a check for $37,500 to support ALICE families, paid to United Way of NC and accepted by President and CEO, Brittany Pruitt Fletcher.
The money raised during the 2026 season was made possible by various donation avenues. A percentage of home match ticket/concession/merch sales, a silent auction, a golf tournament, and direct donation opportunities on the NC Courage website raised these funds for United Way of NC.
United Way of NC is the State Association for 47 local United Ways across the state and operates several programs and partnerships to address community needs, such as NC 211, MyFriendBen, the Rural Health Transformation Program, Digital Opportunity Program, AARP Caregiver Program, and AARP Digital Scams Prevention Program, and more.
"NC Courage has been more than a partner; they have been a champion for communities across North Carolina. Their support has amplified the work of United Way of NC and local United Ways, helping us expand our reach, mobilize resources, and deliver lasting impact for ALICE families across the state" said Pruitt Fletcher.
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. The term describes an individual or population of people who make too much money to qualify for federally funded support programs but not enough to actually afford the cost of living. It's a population of people that have always been around but tend to be forgotten when funding opportunities are created across not only NC but the country. In fact, 41% of North Carolinians are below the ALICE Threshold, meaning they are ALICE or below in the federal poverty level. United Way of NC and Carolinas Federal Credit Union brough the movement to North Carolina in 2025 and joins almost 40 other states working to support this population.
With the newly raised $37,500, United Way of NC will be able to connect ALICE individuals and families to valuable resources through NC 211. It's a free, confidential, and multilingual information and referral program that operates 24/7/365. North Carolinians from all over the state can dial 2-1-1 or (888) 892-1162 to speak with a Community Resource Specialist who can search for social programs and agencies to address their basic needs, such as assistance with rent, utilities, food, shelters, healthcare, childcare, and more. If calling isn't an option or preferred, folks can also visit NC211.org and search for resources on the home page.
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About North Carolina Courage
The North Carolina Courage are a Division I professional women’s soccer team that play in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The NC Courage play home games at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC. The NC Courage was established in January 2017 after owner Steve Malik acquired the Western New York Flash following their 2016 NWSL Championship Season and moved the team to North Carolina. Since relocating to Raleigh, the NC Courage have won three consecutive NWSL Shields, the inaugural Women’s ICC Championship, and the 2018 and 2019 NWSL Championships. For more information on the NC Courage, please follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and visit NCCourage.com.
About United Way of North Carolina
United Way mobilizes communities to action so all can thrive. For 75 years, United Way of North Carolina (UWNC) has been a statewide organization, partnering with 47 local United Ways to co-create solutions to people’s most pressing challenges. We take a comprehensive approach, listening and responding to statewide needs, including but not limited to, strengthening local resilience and advancing health, youth opportunity, and financial security in our state. UWNC bridges and mobilizes people, local United Ways, and resources so individuals, families, and communities thrive in North Carolina. We are committed to four core areas of work: Member services, NC 211, Disaster Response, and Advocacy.