Program areas at HFUW
Founded in 1939, Heart of Florida United Way (United Way) is central Florida's largest supporter of local health and human service agencies. In 2022-2023, $22.0 million dollars were invested into central Florida, including over $9.9 million dollars raised during the annual campaign that helps fund local health and human service programs. With these investments, United Way touched the lives of 755,777 individuals through community partnerships, as well as through direct services designed to create a thriving community where adults and children achieve their full potential with access to a solid education, good health, safe neighborhoods and jobs that pay a living wage.
Heart of Florida United Way serves as the lead agency for ryan white part b/general revenue, a Florida department of health-funded program that provides care and support to people living with hiv in orange, osceola, seminole and brevard counties. Additionally, Heart of Florida United Way receives federal funding from orange county government to provide technical assistance for the central Florida hiv planning council, a community planning group that makes recommendations to the recipient offices on ryan white part funds, through the management of the planning council support program. The planning council provides prevention and care planning for orange, osceola, seminole, lake and brevard counties.
In 2022-2023, Heart of Florida United Way 2-1-1 managed grants and fee-for-service contracts, totaling $4.3 million, to provide 2-1-1 information, referral and crisis services via phone, chat, text, email and online database access in the tri-county area of orange, osceola and seminole, Florida. Hfuw 2-1-1 is also contracted to provide services in 11 additional counties in Florida, 42 counties in Tennessee, as well as serving as the national disaster distress helpline text center and regional 988 suicide & crisis lifeline. Hfuw 2-1-1 answered over 289,000 contacts in fy 2023.
Heart of Florida United Way's donor choice program provides donors with an opportunity to direct their gift to specific 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations of personal interest to them. For donors, this program provides the option to donate to their favorite charity through their workplace campaign in a simple, cost-effective manner. For agencies, not only does United Way's fundraising provide access to many venues, it also provides access to unrestricted funding. Unrestricted funding is traditionally the most difficult funding to raise in any community. In 2022-2023, $1.7 million dollars were distributed.