United Way Of Central Ohio Inc

UWCO PROVIDES RESOURCES TO HELP PEOPLE MEET CRITICAL BASIC NEEDS AND ACHIEVE STUDENT SUCCESS.

PROGRAM FUNDING (FUNDED PARTNERS)ESTABLISHED IN 1923, UNITED WAY HAS SERVED THE COMMUNITY FOR NEARLY 100 YEARS. AS AN INDEPENDENT AFFILIATE OF UNITED WAY WORLDWIDE, WE INVEST IN MORE THAN 80 FUNDED PARTNERS THAT WORK TO ENSURE PEOPLE IN CRISIS GET FOOD, SHELTER AND ASSISTANCE; HELP CHILDREN SUCCEED FROM CRADLE TO CAREER; ENGAGE RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND GOVERNMENT IN NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION EFFORTS; AND TEACH PEOPLE THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO GET AND KEEP A GOOD JOB.UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO SUCCEED. BY CONVENING AND CATALYZING PEOPLE AND SYSTEMS, UNITED WAY HELPS CHANGE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS AND IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR FAMILIES. UNITED WAY ALSO PRIORITIZES NEIGHBORHOODS OF CONCENTRATED POVERTY BY SERVING AS A CATALYST AND ORGANIZER FOR REVITALIZATION EFFORTS. TO FURTHER IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO SHIFTED FROM BEING SOLELY A COMMUNITY FUNDRAISER OR COMMUNITY CHEST TO A COMMUNITY IMPACT ORGANIZATION THAT DEVELOPS AND IMPLEMENTS COMMUNITY-WIDE INITIATIVES THAT CREATE SUSTAINABLE CHANGE. IN ADDITION TO INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST EFFECTIVE NONPROFITS, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO ALSO SUPPORTS PROJECTS SUCH AS STABLE FAMILIES, TAX TIME, AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM. WE RAISE FUNDS AND INVEST IN A WIDE NETWORK OF FUNDED PARTNERS WHO ARE WORKING WITH FAMILIES EVERY DAY TO PROVIDE FOOD, STABLE HOUSING, HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION AND SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS. WE BRING LEADERS TOGETHER TO IMPROVE THE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT THOUSANDS OF LIVES, AND WE DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT INNOVATIVE AND INTEGRATED WAYS TO REDUCE POVERTY. WE WORK INTENSIVELY IN PRIORITY NEIGHBORHOODS TO CREATE BROAD POSITIVE CHANGES BY EMPOWERING NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS AND RESIDENTS TO CHANGE THE PLACES THEY LIVE. WE ARE DEDICATED TO MAKING THE PRINCIPLES OF DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND EQUITY THE FOUNDATION FOR EVERYTHING WE DO BECAUSE WE KNOW THE BEST DECISIONS ARE MADE WHEN ALL VOICES ARE HEARD, INCLUDED AND RESPECTED. AS ONE OF THE LARGEST UNITED WAYS IN THE COUNTRY, WE BRING TOGETHER MORE THAN 60,000 DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.LIVEUNITEDCENTRALOHIO.ORG.CHILDHOOD SUCCESSONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO FIGHT POVERTY IS TO START IN THE EARLY YEARS. POVERTY DISADVANTAGES CHILDREN AT THE MOST CRITICAL TIME IN THEIR LIVES. EARLY CHILDHOOD IS THE SINGLE MOST PROLIFIC PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT FOR CHILDREN - 90 PERCENT OF A CHILD'S BRAIN GROWTH OCCURS BETWEEN BIRTH AND AGE THREE. CHILDREN IN POVERTY, HOWEVER, FREQUENTLY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME EDUCATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL RESOURCES AS THEIR COUNTERPARTS FROM HIGHER-INCOME FAMILIES DURING THIS VITAL TIME. HIGH-QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS ARE PROVEN TO RAISE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND GIVE CHILDREN THE SKILLS AND TOOLS NEEDED TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL AND CONTRIBUTING ADULTS. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PARTICIPANTS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND ARE 2.5 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO CONTINUE ON TO HIGHER EDUCATION.IN 2019, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO FUNDED 15 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS OFFERED BY 12 FRANKLIN COUNTY NONPROFITS. YOUTH SUCCESSAN ESSENTIAL KEY TO ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS THE ATTAINMENT OF A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE MAKES AT LEAST HALF A MILLION DOLLARS MORE IN LIFETIME EARNINGS THAN SOMEONE WHO DROPS-OUT OF SCHOOL AND IS THREE TIMES LESS LIKELY TO LIVE IN POVERTY. HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES ARE LESS LIKELY THAN HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS TO BE UNEMPLOYED, HAVE POOR HEALTH OR HAVE CHILDREN WHO WILL ALSO LIVE IN POVERTY. HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES ARE LESS LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. GRADUATING MORE STUDENTS FROM HIGH SCHOOL CREATES NEW JOBS, INCREASES CONSUMER SPENDING, BOOSTS TAX REVENUES, AND INCREASES THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT. DESPITE ALL THE BENEFITS OF A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, THE FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION RATE FOR THE COLUMBUS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS 82% (SOURCE: OHIO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION). IN RESPONSE TO THIS NEED, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO INVESTED IN 23 YOUTH SUCCESS PROGRAMS AT 17 FRANKLIN COUNTY NONPROFITS.ECONOMIC MOBILITYALTHOUGH FRANKLIN COUNTY'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HAS BEEN DECLINING TO HISTORIC LOWS, OVER 415,000 PEOPLE CONTINUE TO LIVE AT THE 200% POVERTY LEVEL OR BELOW. WE HAVE A WIDENING GAP BETWEEN THOSE WHO ENJOY SUCCESS AND THOSE WHO STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET. UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO FIGHTS POVERTY BY INVESTING IN PROGRAMS THAT HELP PEOPLE ATTAIN JOB-RELATED SKILLS, FIND AND MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT AND MANAGE THEIR RESOURCES. UNITED WAY ALSO FUNDS PROGRAMS THAT HELP PEOPLE IN CRISIS, BOTH MEETING THEIR IMMEDIATE BASIC NEEDS AND HELPING BUILD A FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT IMPROVED FINANCIAL STABILITY. IN 2019, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO INVESTED IN 15 FINANCIAL STABILITY AND JOB ATTAINMENT PROGRAMS AT 14 FRANKLIN COUNTY NONPROFITS. UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO ALSO INVESTED IN 32 BASIC NEEDS PROGRAMS AT 25 FRANKLIN COUNTY NONPROFITS.

SPECIAL INITIATIVE PROGRAM SERVICESTAX TIME, A PROGRAM LED BY UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO IS A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OF MORE THAN 50 CENTRAL OHIO ORGANIZATIONS. TAX TIME PROVIDES THE CENTRAL OHIO COMMUNITY WITH INFORMATION ABOUT, AND ACCESS TO, FREE, HIGH-QUALITY TAX ASSISTANCE SERVICES AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT ENABLE LOW AND MODERATE-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL STABILITY. FROM LATE JANUARY TO MID-APRIL, TAX TIME OPERATES OVER 40 VOLUNTEER-RUN TAX SITES. OVER THE PAST 14 YEARS, TAX TIME HAS GROWN FROM 12 FREE TAX PREPARATION SITES TO OVER 40 SITES, COLLECTIVELY PROCESSING OVER 140,000 TAX RETURNS, SAVING CLIENTS MORE THAN AN ESTIMATED $30 MILLION IN TAX PREPARATION FEES, AND RETURNING MORE THAN $150 MILLION IN REFUNDS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS. IN 2019, TAX TIME HELPED OVER 15,000 LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS CLAIM MORE THAN $17 MILLION IN TAX REFUNDS AND SAVE $3 MILLION IN TAX PREPARATION FEES." STABLE FAMILIES IS A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FAMILIES AT IMMINENT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS WITH A COMBINATION OF IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY FUNDS AND LONGER-TERM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THIS EFFECTIVE APPROACH HELPS PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AND REDUCE STUDENT MOBILITY AMONG LOW-INCOME FAMILIES THROUGHOUT FRANKLIN COUNTY. UNPLANNED MOVES, RESULTING IN REPEATED NEW SCHOOLS, HAVE A DIRECT NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN. HOMELESS CHILDREN ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO REPEAT A GRADE AS THOSE WITH STABLE HOUSING. THE STABLE FAMILIES PROGRAM PREVENTS DISRUPTIVE MOVES BY IDENTIFYING FAMILIES AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS AND CONNECTING THEM WITH CASE MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK INTENSELY WITH THEM FOR UP TO 18 MONTHS TO CREATE PLANS FOR EACH FAMILY TO STABILIZE AND PROSPER. MORE THAN 1,200 CHILDREN FROM OVER 400 FAMILIES IN FRANKLIN COUNTY RECEIVED VALUABLE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES THROUGHOUT 2019. THESE SERVICES HELPED FAMILIES ACHIEVE GREATER STABILITY AND ALLOWED THEIR CHILDREN TO REMAIN IN SCHOOL. THE REACH OF STABLE FAMILIES MORE THAN DOUBLED IN 2019, CREATING NEW AND INNOVATIVE ENGAGEMENT POINTS TO SERVE FAMILIES BEYOND THE 25+ PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY. EXAMPLES OF THESE COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS INCLUDE YMCA HEAD START CENTERS, ELDON AND ELSIE WARD FAMILY YMCA, THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF COLUMBUS, CELEBRATEONE, THE CENTER FOR FAMILY SAFETY AND HEALING, AND MANY OTHERS. " WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP COUNCIL'S E3 INITIATIVE STANDS FOR "EDUCATE, EMPOWER AND ELEVATE." THIS INITIATIVE PROVIDES LOW- TO MODERATE-INCOME WORKING WOMEN THE SUPPORT NEEDED TO SECURE A LIVABLE WAGE JOB WITH BENEFITS. THE PROGRAM LINKS WOMEN TO RESOURCES AND BENEFITS THAT ENHANCE FINANCIAL STABILITY, TEACHES CORE WORKFORCE COMPETENCIES, AND HELPS PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP FINANCIAL LITERACY AND A TWO-YEAR EDUCATION/EMPLOYMENT PLAN. EVERY PARTICIPANT IS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE INDIVIDUALIZED FINANCIAL COUNSELING SESSIONS WITH A CERTIFIED COUNSELOR. EIGHTEEN WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN THE E3 PROGRAM IN 2019.

UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO ALLOWS DONORS TO DESIGNATE GIFTS TO OTHER UNITED WAYS OR SPECIFIC AGENCIES. UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO PROCESSED DONOR DESIGNATIONS TO 2,201 AGENCIES AND OTHER UNITED WAYS DURING THE 2019 CAMPAIGN. ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVING DONOR DESIGNATED CONTRIBUTIONS THROUGH UNITED WAY UNDERGO SCREENING PRIOR TO DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDING. SUCH SCREENING INCLUDES VERIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE PATRIOT ACT AND VERIFICATION OF CURRENT STATUS AS AN IRS CODE SECTION 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.

UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO PROCESSED DONOR DESIGNATIONS TO 2,201 AGENCIES AND OTHER UNITED WAYS DURING THE 2019 CAMPAIGN.