Stemming
Today's Flood of Needs
As
we've marked the 90 th Anniversary of your local United Way this
year, I have been making an analogy between the physical flood that
devastated the city in 1913 and the flood of needs washing over
our community today. The highlights of the Priorities Report
shared below are just a glimpse. To learn more about the
very real and extensive challenges in our three-county area, you
can view our recently completed Community Assessment online
by clicking here.
Your
United Way is working to mobilize the human and financial
resources of our community on behalf of a network of health and
human services. As a stakeholder, your voice matters.
So
please let me know what you think and please share our progress
with others.
Addressing
Priority Needs
Last
week the Board of Directors of your local United Way approved the
2004 Priorities Report, which will guide the United Way funding
decisions and community impact work for the next three years.
The Priority Teams, comprised of a cross-section of volunteers with
a range of valuable expertise, studied the data in United Way's
recently completed Community Assessment to identify high needs in
which United Way can make the biggest impact. These priorities
(outlined below) are more focused than the initial three areas,
but still broad by design as we continue to work with our stakeholders
to define what is core for this community.
Priority
1 – Children,
Youth and Families
Long-term
prevention is an over-arching goal, but United Way must balance
this with continued support of the safety net for basic, intervention,
and crisis needs.
•
Basic Needs
– adequate and affordable housing; healthcare including mental health;
employment; and safety.
•
Crisis Intervention
– family violence; and emergency food and shelter.
•
Education
– to foster education including school readiness; mentoring, guidance,
and support for academic success; and building parent support, involvement,
and understanding.
•
Life Skills
– positive parenting/parent mentoring; and economic self-sufficiency
including financial “literacy”.
Priority
2 – Positive Living/Vulnerable Populations
This
area also requires a balanced approach between prevention and intervention.
The
volunteers believe that United Way's efforts should be targeted
to our most vulnerable neighbors and primarily support direct services
rather than advocacy – because the scope of promoting healthy lifestyles
for the population at large is too broad for United Way to make
a measurable impact.
•
Access to Services –
removing barriers such as lack of transportation.
•
Basic Life-Sustaining
Needs for Vulnerable Populations
– including medical prescriptions, affordable housing, and adequate
nutrition.
•
Help with Daily Living
Activities –
supporting independent living.
•
Mental Health
– including counseling
services and other treatment.
•
Supporting Caregivers
– providing
respite, resources, and assistance.
Priority
3 – Community Capacity
The
overall focus of this area is to make connections and match
needs/resources . Again there is an identified need
for both prevention and crisis intervention services, documenting
the importance of ensuring a continuum of care.
•
Agency Collaborations
and Nonprofit Development –increasing
efficiency and effectiveness.
•
Community-wide Coordination
of Services
– reducing barriers
and ensuring a core safety net.
•
Neighborhood/Community
Development
– involving citizens
in addressing their own needs.
Be
A Champion
Nine
decades ago the community pulled together to respond collectively
to the needs in our community. Today that remains the power
of working in a united way and giving through
the United Way. Our community needs your support now more
than ever.
If
you care about children, youth and families…if you care about our
most vulnerable neighbors…if you care about building the capacity
of our local nonprofit sector and our community…please be a champion
for your United Way. Endorse our efforts, share
our progress with your colleagues and friends, and encourage them
to make a contribution. And thank you for
giving as generously as you can.
Marc
R. Levy
President
and Chief Executive Officer
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