We advance the common good through our work in education, income, health and homelessness. In order to make progress in these areas we are working on six important goals.
- Babies are born healthy
- Children enter school ready to learn and graduate prepared for careers
- Young people avoid risky behaviors
- Families are self-sufficient
- People have access to primary health care
- Homeless people are housed within a year
Our approach includes three strategies that work collectively--because the issues that families face are interrelated and connected. Those strategies are: Collaborative Networks, Opportunity Zones and Strategic Investments.
Collaborative Networks: There are five Collboartive Networks, through which community partners and leaders, and subject-matter experts work together to measurably improve our community.
Opportunity Zones: Opportunity Zones is a strategy that focuses on neighborhoods that can dramatically benefit if local services are coordinated, local leadership is mobilized and the assets in the community work together toward shared goals. This strategy leverages community assets and residents to wrap services and support around families.
After a thoughtful, year-long application process in which community organizations worked together and partnered with United Way, United Way volunteers have invited four metro communities to receive grants and become Opportunity Zones:
Each community has strong leaders and pulled together a Council on Opportunity Zones to lead the effort, and identify needs and assets of the community.
Strategic Investments: Focused and deliberate community change requires investing money and other resources into our region. Our volunteers provide expert and thoughtful leadership to ensure that each dollar entrusted to United Way gets the highest possible return on investment. Last month, we announced 2011-12 Community Impact Fund grants. Click here for more information.
Success stories: We are working to change lives in our community. To read about some of those people, click here.
