United Way Of Central Oklahoma

CONNECTING PEOPLE AND RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THE WELL BEING OF THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THE UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA IS A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION WITH A VISION TO BUILD A STRONGER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS BY CONVENING AND FUNDING QUALIFIED HEALTH, YOUTH, AND HUMAN SERVICE CHARITIES WHO SERVE THE LOCAL NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES WITHIN SEVEN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA COUNTIES. SINCE 1923, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HAS PARTNERED WITH NONPROFIT AGENCIES TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE, SUPPORT, AND SOLUTION TO THE NEEDS OF LOCAL CITIZENS. WE FUND PROGRAMS OF PARTNER AGENCIES WITH DONATIONS COLLECTED FROM THE PUBLIC IN AN ANNUAL CAMPAIGN HELD IN THE FALL. THE DONATED FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED THE FOLLOWING YEAR TO PARTNER AGENCIES THROUGH AN ALLOCATION PROCESS CALLED COMMUNITY INVESTMENT. TO SUPPORT OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY, ALLOCATION DECISIONS ARE MADE BY MORE THAN 200 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS FROM OUR DONOR BASE AS WELL AS DONOR DETERMINED DESIGNATIONS, WHICH ARE APPROVED BY UNITED WAY'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS. UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA PLAYS AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN MANY COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND PROVIDES PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE VOLUNTEER CENTER, WHICH IS A VOLUNTEER CLEARINGHOUSE TO SUPPORT SOCIAL AND HUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES, AND THE PUBLISHED RESEARCH INFORMATION WE PROVIDE CIVIC LEADERS AND CITIZENS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF CURRENT COMMUNITY NEEDS. AS A PART OF THE CAMPAIGN INITIATIVE, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA ALSO MANAGES STATE AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE CAMPAIGNS. AS SINGLE MEMBER LLCS, UNITED WAY OF LOGAN COUNTY, LLC AND UNITED WAY OF CANADIAN COUNTY, LLC, COLLECT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC THROUGH AN ANNUAL CAMPAIGN HELD IN THE FALL AND THEN DISTRIBUTE THE MONEY THE FOLLOWING YEAR TO PARTNER AGENCIES THAT SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN LOGAN AND CANADIAN COUNTY, RESPECTIVELY. THE GRANT ALLOCATIONS ARE APPROVED BY THE UNITED WAY OF LOGAN COUNTY, LLC 'S AND UNITED WAY OF CANADIAN COUNTY, LLC'S ADVISORY BOARDS AND THEN BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA. WAYFINDER INNOVATION GRANTS THE WAYFINDER INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM IS A NEW APPROACH TO SOLVING OUR COMMUNITY'S TOUGHEST CHALLENGES. LOCAL NONPROFITS ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE IDEAS THAT ADDRESS PROBLEMS WITHIN UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA'S FIVE FOCUS AREAS: STRONG FAMILIES, SUCCESSFUL KIDS, HEALTHY CITIZENS, INDEPENDENT LIVING AND COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS. FINALISTS ARE INVITED TO PITCH THE IDEA IN A SHARK TANK APPROACH TO A PANEL OF COMMUNITY LEADERS, WHO SELECT THE MOST PROMISING AND VIABLE IDEAS TO RECEIVE ONE-TIME FUNDING. EMBRACEOKC UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA WORKS TO ADDRESS VARIOUS SOCIAL ISSUES IDENTIFIED THROUGH OUR RESEARCH BY CONVENING STAKEHOLDERS AND COLLABORATING ON SOLUTIONS. AS TRENDS EMERGE, NEW COMMUNITY INITIATIVES ARE CREATED TO RESPOND TO COMMUNITY NEEDS. CURRENTLY, THE UNITED WAY IS ACTIVE IN NEARLY 30 COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, AND IN 2021, WE PARTNERED WITH THE OKC PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMPACT ON ITS COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE OKLAHOMA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, EMBRACEOKC. EMBRACEOKC IS A DISTRICT-WIDE INITIATIVE TO EMBRACE MENTAL HEALTH AS PREVENTABLE AND TREATABLE, TO PROTECT CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH FOR LIFE, TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AND TO HOLD THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY AS A PLACE OF SAFETY AND SUPPORT. THE INITIATIVE IS A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES INCLUDING AWARENESS, PREVENTION, EARLY INTERVENTION AND TREATMENT. UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA'S ROLE IS TO ASSIST IN RAISING FUNDS, OVERSEE THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS AND REPORT BACK TO STAKEHOLDERS ON THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM.