United Way Of The Bluegrass Inc

UNITED WAY OF THE BLUEGRASS (UWBG) FIGHTS FOR THE BASIC NEEDS, EDUCATION AND FINANCIAL STABILITY OF EVERY PERSON IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY.

SUPPORTING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS: UWBG HELPS CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL. WE MAKE STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS IN PROGRAMS SERVING LOW TO MODERATE-INCOME AND UNDERSERVED CENTRAL KENTUCKIANS IN THE AREAS OF EDUCATION, INCOME, AND BASIC NEEDS. WE ALSO SERVE AS AN INCUBATOR FOR NEW PROGRAMS, AND A CONVENER OF PARTNERSHIPS OF NONPROFITS SEEKING TO IMPROVE LIVES BY WORKING TOGETHER. UWBG SERVES TEN CENTRAL KENTUCKY COMMUNITIES INCLUDING: ANDERSON, BOURBON, CLARK, FAYETTE, FRANKLIN, JESSAMINE, MADISON, MONTGOMERY, SCOTT AND WOODFORD COUNTIES. UWBG IS A CONVENER, COLLABORATOR AND CATALYST FOR CHANGE FOR LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR CENTRAL KENTUCKY COMMUNITIES. WE INVEST DONOR DOLLARS INTO PROGRAMMATIC SOLUTIONS THAT ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND SUPPORTING LOW TO MODERATE-INCOME AND UNDERSERVED FAMILIES AND CHILDREN. WE HAVE DEVELOPED SYSTEMS TO EVALUATE THE QUALITY AND SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAMS AND PARTNERS THAT OUR INVESTORS HELP FUND, SO THAT THEY CAN BE ASSURED THAT THEIR DOLLARS WILL HAVE MAXIMUM IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITY. WE BELIEVE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES CAN ONLY AFFECT LONG-TERM POSITIVE CHANGE BY WORKING TOGETHER AND LIVING UNITED. WE ARE PROUD TO SERVE AS A VEHICLE THROUGH WHICH MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY CAN JOIN TOGETHER AND MAKE A POWERFUL IMPACT ON THE EDUCATION, INCOME, AND BASIC NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

UNITED WAY-AIRS 211: UNITED WAY OF THE BLUEGRASS 211 CONNECTS PEOPLE WITH RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY VIA PHONE, CHAT, TEXT MESSAGING, MOBILE APPS AND THE 211 WEBSITES. 211 HELPS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN 92 KENTUCKY COUNTIES EACH YEAR. IN ADDITION TO THE WORK 211 HAS HISTORICALLY DONE IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY, THE 211 CONTACT CENTER HAS CONTRACTS THAT HAVE EXPANDED THE REACH OF THE UWBG 211-PROGRAM. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE'S CABINET FOR HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES, UWBG 2-1-1 HAS GONE LIVE WITH THE REMAINDER OF COUNTIES IN KY (92 OUT OF 120) THAT DIDN'T PREVIOUSLY HAVE 2-1-1 SERVICE. 2-1-1 IS NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL KENTUCKIANS AND EFFORTS ARE ONGOING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER LOCAL 2-1-1 PROVIDERS AND UWKY TO PROMOTE THE SERVICE ACROSS THE ENTIRE COMMONWEALTH.

CENTRAL KENTUCKY ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM (CKEEP): THE CENTRAL KENTUCKY ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM (CKEEP) IS A COALITION, LED BY UNITED WAY OF THE BLUEGRASS THAT PARTNERS WITH THE IRS TO PROVIDE FREE TAX PREPARATION TO LOW AND MODERATE-INCOME FAMILIES, RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC) AND HELP FAMILIES BUILD ASSETS IN THE GREATER LEXINGTON REGION. CKEEP IS A COALITION MEMBER OF THE KENTUCKY ASSET SUCCESS INITIATIVE (KASI) WHICH IS THE OVERARCHING VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) INITIATIVE FOR 80 COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY. UNITED WAY OF THE BLUEGRASS SERVES AS THE VITA GRANT RECIPIENT AND FISCAL AGENT FOR KASI AND ITS FIVE REGIONAL COALITIONS. THANKS TO THE WORK OF HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEER TAX PREPARERS WITH OUR VITA PROGRAM, FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO SAVE THEIR MUCH-NEEDED MONEY WHILE STRENGTHENING OUR OVERALL ECONOMY. EACH YEAR, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE LOST BY HARD-WORKING FAMILIES IN THE BLUEGRASS WHO DO NOT FILE FOR THEIR EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC) DURING TAX TIME. THE IRS ESTIMATES THAT APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 25 PERCENT OF THOSE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CREDIT DO NOT CLAIM IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR IT, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO CLAIM IT, OR THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR ASSISTANCE. OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS AWARE OF THE CREDIT AND HELP THEM CLAIM IT WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR TAX PREPARATION AND FILING SERVICES. THE FREE TAX PREPARATION PROVIDED BY CKEEP AND ITS VOLUNTEER TAX PREPARERS OFFERS IMMEDIATE SAVINGS TO CENTRAL KENTUCKIANS. THIS PAST TAX SEASON, OUR CKEEP VOLUNTEERS ALONE DEDICATED OVER 5,500 HOURS OF RETURN PREPARATION THAT RESULTED IN $4.5 MILLION IN TAX REFUNDS WITH $1.6 MILLION OF THAT BEING THE REFUNDABLE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT. ACROSS ALL OF OUR VITA SITES, ALMOST 3,200 RETURNS WERE PREPARED.