United Way Of Jackson County Inc

MOBILIZING CARING TO AFFECT CHANGE.

UNITED WAY RESPONDED TO BOTH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE WILDFIRES THAT DEVASTED JACKSON COUNTY IN SEPTEMBER 2020. THIS DISASTER RESPONSE WORK WAS ALL-CONSUMING FOR THE ORGANIZATION IN FY20-21. IN MARCH 2020 UWJC ESTABLISHED A FUND TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND SMALL BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY COVID-19, AS WELL AS LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARY EXPENSES RELATED TO COVID-19 RELIEF EFFORTS. WE RECEIVED $2 MILLION FROM JACKSON COUNTY IN JULY 2020 TO PROVIDE TO INDIVIDUALS IN NEED. DISTRIBUTIONS OF COUNTY FUNDING TOTALING $1,905,445 WERE MADE DURING THE FISCAL YEAR. WE LAUNCHED THE FIRE FUND CAMPAIGN ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2020, THE DAY THE ALMEDA AND SOUTH OBENCHAIN FIRES DESTROYED THE HOMES, BUSINESSES, AND LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS. FIRE FUND CONTRIBUTIONS TOTALED $3,365,358 DURING THE FISCAL YEAR. IN NOVEMBER 2020 WE LAUNCHED A GRANT CYCLE FOR INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND SMALL BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR IMMEDIATE NEEDS. A MULTILINGUAL APPLICATION PROCESS WAS PUT IN PLACE. GRANTS TOTALING $1,360,705 WERE DISTRIBUTED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.

UNITED WAY CONDUCTS AN ANNUAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN TO INVEST CRITICALLY NEEDED RESOURCES IN COMMUNITY IMPACT PROJECTS IN THE AREAS OF EDUCATION, INCOME, HEALTH AND TRANSPORTATION. THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE DAY OF CARING AND TWENTY DIFFERENT IMPACT PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDING THE BIG IDEA NEXT, FOCUSED ON STUDENTS ENROLLED IN ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS OR SCHOOLS IN JACKSON COUNTY. HOPE CHEST IS UNITED WAY'S EMERGENCY CASH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PARTNERING SOCIAL WORKERS AND CASE MANAGERS TO HELP WITH RENT, UTILITIES, MEDICAL EXPENSES AND MANY EMERGENCIES NOT FUNDED BY OTHER NONPROFITS. THIS PROGRAM WORKS TO CREATE FINANCIAL STABILIZATION AS WELL AS OUR PARTICIPATION WITH THE GREENWAY FOOD PROJECT AND CONTINUUM OF CARE. OUR HEALTH STRATEGY IS TO MAXIMIZE WELLNESS AND OUR IMPACT PARTNERSHIPS FOCUS ON PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE THROUGH THE ROGUE VALLEY CAP (CHILD ABUSE PROJECT), INCREASING NUTRITION EDUCATION THROUGH GREAT START, EAT SMART, AND A SUICIDE PREVENTION EFFORT CALLED IN THIS TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS, FREE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING AND SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING. OUR TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY IS TO REDUCE BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO WORK, TO SCHOOL AND TO NEEDED APPOINTMENTS. WE DO THIS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ROGUE VALLEY TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT AND THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AS WELL AS MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS. UNITED WAY SERVES TWO OUT OF THREE PEOPLE IN JACKSON COUNTY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

UNITED WAY COLLECTS DONOR DOLLARS TO INVEST FOR IMPACT IN PROGRAMS PROVIDING EDUCATION, INCOME, HEALTH AND TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS SERVING TWO OUT OF THREE PEOPLE IN JACKSON COUNTY. THIS FISCAL YEAR, UNITED WAY FUNDED FIFTY PROGRAMS, INCLUDING EVERYTHING FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS TO SENIOR MEALS AND MUCH OF LIFE THAT FALLS IN BETWEEN. DONOR DOLLARS CAN BE DESIGNATED TO A SPECIFIC 501(C)(3) AND UNITED WAY HONORS DONOR CHOICE. FEES ARE WITHHELD FOR FUNDRAISING, ADMINISTRATION AND PLEDGE LOSS. THE ALLOCATIONS PROCESS IS MANAGED BY VOLUNTEERS WHO RECEIVE TRAINING, REVIEW APPLICATIONS, CONDUCT SITE VISITS AND SCORE/EVALUATION EACH APPLICATION AND VISIT. VOLUNTEERS MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE UNITED WAY BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHO HAVE FINAL APPROVAL OF ALL ALLOCATIONS.