Three generations who LIVE UNITED. Mary Gaines still closes her eyes when she thinks of the day more than five years ago when her twin granddaughters were born. Her daughter, Michelle Huntley, had been hospitalized when she was 22 weeks pregnant. For three weeks, she lay in a hospital bed with her feet elevated so the babies would not be born before their lungs developed. Mary is the United Way Campaign Coordinator for the City of St. Petersburg and a long-time United Way supporter. "For 40 years I gave to United Way. I knew they helped people. I just didn’t know how much." She recalls the day the twins were born. "It was touch and go when they finally took the babies. The doctor wasn’t sure they would make it. I tell you, we did a lot of praying. Jayda weighted one pound ten ounces. Jayla weighed one pound seven ounces. They were both about eight inches long." She stops. "They were born on Father’s Day. And they were both ok." The twins were in the hospital for three months. Because of their precarious beginnings, the girls would need physical and occupational therapy. A United Way-supported agency called Coordinated Child Care came to the hospital to tell the family what was available to help the infants develop into healthy children. "Coordinated Child Care gave us all kinds of educational information," Michelle, the girls’ mother, explains. "Things about infant formula and where we could go to get speech and occupational therapy. Without their help, I never would have known where we could get that kind of assistance." Until they were three, the girls were enrolled in Early Steps/Early Intervention, a state program that helps premature children. They continued their therapy and, thanks to the referral from Coordinated Child Care, were able to attend pre-kindergarten. "We are blessed that they were advanced enough, for such small babies, to start kindergarten on time," says Michelle. "I credit all the help we got from the United Way and its partner agencies." She adds, "I work at Raymond James, which is a huge United Way supporter. I’m certainly glad United Way was there for my daughters and me." Mary says proudly, "Just look at them. They’re five years old and doing fine. Our family is so very appreciative. That’s why I wanted to share my story with United Way. They really do help a lot of people in a lot of different ways. My granddaughters are living proof."