United Way of Central Ohio

Programs: Program funding (member agencies) - education, income, health and home:united way of central ohio is working to improve lives and strengthen our community by focusing on the building blocks of a better life: a quality education that leads to a productive career, enough income to support a family through retirement, good health, and a safe place to live. As one of the largest united ways in the country, we bring together more than 70,000 donors, advocates and volunteers to achieve our community's goals in education, income, health and home. Through united way, donors, advocates and volunteers invest in effective strategies that address our community's most critical issues and achieve meaningful and lasting results. Community resultsyoung children enter kindergarten ready to succeedconditions:in 2013-14, 1,926 children entering kindergarten in the columbus city school district were not on-track in their literacy development. Results:in 2014, united way financial support provided 7375 preschool children and their families with services that supported the child's healthy development. With united way assistance, 1,522 children received high quality early care and education services. Youth graduate from high school prepared for additional learning and productive careers conditions:in 2013-14, the four-year graduation rate for the columbus city school district was 77% and the five-year graduation rate was 85%. Results:in 2014, with united way support, 1,850 youth and families received help to increase student academic achievement. In addition, 27,500 children and youth were served by programs that build the social competencies and life skills that youth need to graduate from high school and prepare for a productive life. People achieve financial stability conditions:in 2014, the unemployment rate in franklin county was 4. 8%. While this is an improvement over previous years, it still means that over 30,800 franklin county residents are without a job despite their efforts to find work. Results:in 2014, 2,661 under-employed and unemployed central ohioans received job training, coaching and placement services to help them secure and maintain employment. People in crisis have access to emergency food, shelter and financial assistanceconditions:in 2014, 3,101 children slept in emergency shelter. 65% percent of families were newly homeless, meaning they had not accessed emergency shelter within the past ten years. Results:in 2014, united way's work to prevent family homelessness helped 261 families stabilize their housing and avoid the trauma of a night without shelter. People overcome barriers to accessing health and wellness services conditions: 13% of adults in franklin county do not have health insurance. Results: in 2014, united way helped more than 18,343 people get the care they need through care coordination and linkage to health and wellness services. United way resources also provided over 3,778 trips to health care services and medical appointments. People maintain healthy nutrition and physical fitnessconditions:over 62% of franklin county adults are considered overweight or obese. As many as 33% engaged in no physical activity within the month prior to being surveyed. Results: in 2014, united way helped over 17,382 children and adults eat healthy meals and be more physically active. The community is prepared to respond to disasters and emergencies in a coordinated and comprehensive wayconditions:only 60% of franklin county families surveyed have a plan for emergencies and less than 30% had practiced their plan or had a disaster supply kit. Results:in 2014, united way helped prepare over 46,880 individuals to respond in the event of an emergency or disaster through community disaster education and instruction in cpr, first aid, aed, and other lifesaving skills training. People live in safe and decent housingconditions:as of august, 2008, there were 4,946 vacant homes in columbus, up 25% from just 18 months earlier. As of june, 2013 that number has increased to 6,236 vacant homes in columbus, a 26% increase from 2008results:united way's investment in the healthy neighbors healthy families collaborative / south side housing initiative, through our member agency community development for all people, is creating safe, quality and affordable housing on columbus' near south side. Since 2010 united way's investment has supported the acquisition, rehabilitation or repair of 159 properties in the area. People live in safe neighborhoods conditions:in 2000, franklin county juvenile court reported interactions with 10,297 delinquent and unruly youth, and 11,759 in 2008, an increase of 14. 2% during that period. Beginning in 2008, united way along with many committed community partners began to intentionally develop strategies to invest in positive youth development. Since that time, the number of youth admitted to franklin county juvenile detention centers has dramatically decreased. In 2009, there were 1,700 admissions, whereas in 2012 there were only 1,021, resulting in a 66% decrease in just 4 years. Results:in 2014 the transit arts program at central community house, a united way member agency, served 247 individuals who received 7,898 hours of programming in a wide variety of arts and related workshops, open mics, and professional level performances and exhibitions. Participants are youth ages 12-21 who are primarily located in uwco target neighborhoods. 91. 5% of those who participated did not engage in unruly or delinquent behavior for one year following completion of the program. This is measured by comparing the client database to daily juvenile court dockets.

special initiative program servicescolumbus kids: ready, set, learn: the first initiative of its kind in the country that partners with social service organizations to ensure children are ready to learn in school. The united way of central ohio (uwco) initiative is designed to identify, screen, refer for intervention and track all 2. 5 to 4-year-old children within the columbus city school district an estimated 16,700 children. Columbus kids reaches out to parents and families of preschool-aged children, and provides free learning checkups that are designed to flag potential delays in communication, problem-solving or social/emotional development. It screens children every 6 months to determine if they are developing at age level and refers children who are not developing at age level for further assessment or other services. The initiative also tracks referrals to determine if there are enough spaces at high quality early learning centers and other intervention services to meet the need. To date, columbus kids has screened nearly 16,200 children. Franklin county kids: ready, set, learn: utilizing the successful columbus kids model described above, this uwco initiative is designed to identify, screen, refer for intervention and track all 2. 5 to 4-year old children within the southwestern city school district - the 6th largest district in ohio. Franklin county kids was launched in oct. 2013 and has identified more than 1,009 children. Start smart: a collaboration between local human service organizations and early learning programs to improve quality of early care and education, expand training, provide information and advocate for public policy and funding. Start smart's mission is to increase childrens readiness for kindergarten and success in life. Start smart accomplishments for 2014:granted 78 scholarships to early childhood professionals for ongoing education and providing workshop training for center directors. Provided $1,500 awards for 30 early learning centers that earned either naeyc accreditation or step up to quality star ratings. Neighborhood partnership center(npc): npc was established to address critical needs in neighborhood development for individuals and groups serving grass roots, civic, faith-based and small non-profits. The goal of the npc is to provide current and innovative training in leadership, organizational and technical assistance, collaboration and community engagement. As a part of that effort, the neighborhood training academy provided a series of capacity building trainings in 2014, impacting 236 central ohio residents. The npc also offers neighborhood partnership grants to grass-roots organizations in support of resident-driven, neighborhood improvement projects. Grants range from $500 to $9,240. In 2014, 62 grants were awarded, totaling $209,501. In 2014, uwco hosted the 3rd annual neighborhood leadership academy. This graduating class consisted of 17 leaders who increased their capacity to impact their neighborhoods by focusing on topics such as: communications, mapping, project and meeting management, diversity, media, government and legal issues, community tours, and accountable citizenry. In partnership with the city of columbus, the npc held its 5th annual neighborhood best practices conference in 2014, with over 250 neighborhood residents and community stakeholders in attendance. The conference engaged 110 individuals in program planning, volunteer and sponsorships resulting in the implementation of 12 community-led workshops. Tax time: led by uwco, is a public-private partnership of over 80 central ohio organizations. Tax times mission is to provide 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. In 2014, the coalition served 18,957 taxpayers, helping them claim federal tax refunds of more than $18. 6 million. The estimated savings for these taxpayers on fees they would have paid for return preparation or rapid refund loans was approximately $7. 6 million. Project diversity: designed to develop leaders within minority communities for service on non-profit boards in central ohio. Since 2008, over 72% of the graduates have served on a non-profit board (95 out of 132). Pride leadership: designed to develop leaders within the lgbt community for service on non-profit boards in central ohio. Since 2008 over 70% of the graduates have served on a non-profit board (71 out of 104). Columbus volunteer challenge: in 2014, uwco and the city of columbus partnered to continue the columbus volunteer challenge, which began in 2012 and is the largest volunteer event of its kind in central ohio. The event engaged 5,070 total volunteers who completed 252 projects and served a total of 21,870 hours across central ohio. The estimated total financial impact in volunteer time in 2014 was nearly $484,190. Siemer institute for family stability (sifs): sifs is a national, integrated, comprehensive model to prevent family homelessness and reduce school mobility. We do this through improving family financial stability, child educational development and family housing stability. Built on community impact achieved by successful local initiatives and operating as a collective impact network, sifs and its partner communities will learn and grow together to better achieve impact in each community and across the nation. Sifs will become a leader nationally as it relates to this work. Since launching sifs in june, 2011, the institute has expanded to 51 cities from the original 10 as of january, 2015. In 2014, 48 sifs partner communities reported serving 7,363 families and 12,306 school-aged children. Fresh foods here: a comprehensive approach to increase the availability of healthful, affordable foods at existing corner stores and small food retailers in high-need, low-income columbus neighborhoods. The initiative works with store owners to enhance store layouts, identify supply chain solutions that increase healthful food volume and variety, and develop marketing and point-of-sale strategies that promote healthier food choices. The initiative also includes coordinated community education and engagement efforts to improve resident knowledge of healthy nutrition and meal preparation using foods that have become available in the corner stores. The initiative improved access to healthful food by 7% and consumption (sales) of healthful food by 61%. Educate, empower, elevate: the mission of the e3 program is to help low to moderate-income women build pathways out of poverty by completing their post-secondary education or training. The program relies on these strategies to help women succeed:providing the support necessary to secure a livable wage joblinking women to resources and benefits that enhance financial stability and literacymatching them with a member of the community to serve as their mentor; preparing each to attend school and supporting them as they work to obtain a college degree or certification. In 2014, the program served 36 women. Champion of children: supports uwcos community results in education. It builds awareness of education issues, publishes research that helps inform investment and mobilizes our community to improve education for children in central ohio. By providing a platform for new ideas, effective approaches, collaboration and action, champion of children motivates and aligns efforts to improve the lives of children and families in our community. Champion of childrens efforts include: year-round community outreach, engagement and advocacy, the production of the franklin county childrens report and various research briefs, the champion of children education journal, and the annual champion of children signature event and awards ceremony. Champion of childrens accomplishments in 2014 include:dissemination and presentations of the franklin county childrens report: "how toxic stress threatens success" to more than 12,000 community stakeholders, providing information about the impact of childhood trauma and stress on a child's growth and development. Hosted annual signature event and other informative events for more than 700 corporate and community leaders, donors, educators, and neighborhood stakeholders. A two-year investment in innovative after-school youth programming on columbus' south side.

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 4,970 agencies and other united ways during the 2013 campaign.

the united way of central ohio is an ongoing partner with organized labor, working to insure that union members and their families have access to a wide range of vital community services. Our services cover a broad variety of needs including food provision, assisting families in crisis, providing support during layoffs and plant closings, providing food and holiday assistance and many more. The afl-cio community service labor staff provides a wide variety of training and educational opportunities for local unions and their members.