United Way Of Greater Lorain County

Programs: Community impact - involves the process of planning, investing and evaluating resources to achieve measurable and sustainable community change in three priority areas: empowering children and youth to achieve their full potential, helping working families become financially stable and independent, and creating a healthier community. More than 150 organizations have pledged to work collectively on achieving this high level of community impact. United way of greater lorain county (uwglc) places a high priority on working with systems and partners to ensure that children enter kindergarten ready to learn and that early adolescents have the tools and resources to succeed in high school and beyond. Uwglc is investing in a variety of initiatives, including out-of-school-time academic and cultural enrichment, in-school academic support, mental health and behavioral health support, exercise and nutrition improvement, parenting education and resourcing, and risky behavior prevention. Third-year funding has allowed collaborative partners to measure baseline data, pilot test best-practice programs with small groups, and implement programs with promising early results, such as a literacy program bringing age appropriate books to 1,400 children 0 - 5 each month, and a behavioral health initiative that has increased youth exercise to 70 minutes per day in participants in two school districts. 9,500 youth are currently participating in collaborative programming in the third-year phase. Uwglc places a high priority on working with systems and partners to ensure that working families living in poverty increase their incomes, build savings, and gain assets to improve their financial stability. Uwglc is investing in activities that ensure that families suffering a short-term financial crisis avoid eviction, utility termination, and job loss and are able to build future resources. Third-year collaborative funding has resulted in the ucan partnership assisting 426 households (close to 2,000 persons) avoid eviction, utility disconnect, and job loss, with a less than 5% recidivism rate. We are seeing a disconnect between the needs of local employers and the skills of underemployed workers, and are investing in initiatives that ensure that local workers have the appropriate education and training to meet the demands of local employers and obtain and maintain living wage employment. Second-year funding has resulted in 52% of single mother participants improving their employment situation within three months of program completion. Health cuts across the financial stability and education impact areas of the agenda for community impact. Our agenda promotes health and productivity through diet and exercise with an emphasis on reducing risk factors for metabolic syndrome, including diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Uwglc is investing in activities that increase access to physical activity of all types, including the winter months, ensure access to locally grown healthy foods, maintain healthy workplaces, and improve nutrition. Third -year funding has allowed collaborative partners to measure data, continue to pilot test best-practice programs, and implement promising initiatives which resulted in an increase of 50% in the number of participants drinking the recommended amount of water daily, and an increase to 75 weekly particpants in silver sneakers programming. Approximately 1,200 households are participating in collaborative programming in the third-year phase. Partnering with other organizations within lorain county, united we sweat was formed in 2011 to promote healthy living in greater lorain county by raising awareness of and access to fitness and nutrition options.

information and referral - refers people to services and volunteer opportunities at local agencies through united way's 2-1-1 first call for help, a confidential, free information and referral service. There were 15,237 calls taken and 19,756 website users.

direct services - direct services are provided by uwglc within the lorain county free tax coalition and the lorain county volunteer connection. Income tax preparation partners coordinated by uwglc through the lorain county free tax coalition completed 1,871 federal tax returns, for a total refund of $2,062,976 and a preparation fee savings of $510,783. The lorain county volunteer connection matches individuals and groups of people to volunteer opportunies within the community and strives to increase the effectiveness and participation of all segments of volunteer resources through recruitment, training, education and recognition.