The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania (UWSWPA)

Meeting basic needsbasic needs, such as food and safe affordable housing, are The foundation of well-being and make it possible for individuals and families regardless of race, age or ability to have happiness and success. The ability to get to school and work, pay for utilities and rent and fund necessary home repairs keeps families on track and out of financial crisis. A strong network of community support positively impacts physical, mental and emotional health and helps people live meaningful lives. When families are strong and all members are safe, they can then fulfill their dreams of education, good jobs and healthy relationships. United Way invests in partners committed to: addressing food insecurity and providing access to nutritious food; providing individuals and families access to safe and secure housing through programs that provide shelter, address eviction prevention, support home repairs and offer utility assistance; providing access to reliable transportation; offering safety and support to survivors of intimate partner violence; and combatting social isolation by providing interventions that promote connection and community.

Moving to financial stabilityto fulfill their potential, it is essential that people earn a living wage and have The tools they need to build wealth. Equitable practices, where success is not dependent on race, gender and ability, are vital to helping people achieve financial freedom. Access to and awareness of services and benefits, including financial education and asset building opportunities, transforms The lives of working families. Meaningful work helps people, regardless of age, disability, gender and previous convictions, have pride and confidence that they can support themselves and their families. Affordable childcare and transportation help people find and sustain good jobs that advance their goals and help them become vital contributors to their community. United Way invests in partners committed to connecting people to employment through skill-building and career development programs and working with employers to ensure that all workers are positioned to achieve job success; providing access to safe and reliable child care and transportation so that finding and maintaining meaningful employment is possible; offering equitable opportunities across race, gender and ability so that all people can access programs and services that increase their income and financial security; helping working families to move from surviving to thriving and promoting two-generation approaches that simultaneously meet The needs of children and their adults to foster academic success and break The cycle of poverty; and providing opportunities for individuals and families to increase their knowledge, skills and assets through financial education and empowerment.

Building for success in school and lifeall young people deserve The chance to have a positive start toward adulthood, to learn and succeed to The level of their educational ability and reach their full potential. Children entering kindergarten need The preparation and foundational skill sets to succeed in school and life. Students, regardless of race or ability, thrive when educational programs help them achieve college and career readiness and take a trauma-informed approach that helps children and youth overcome challenges. Access to safe, affordable and educational out-of-school time programming builds on skills learned at school and instills a lifelong love of learning. United Way invests in partners committed to providing affordable, high-quality early childhood educational opportunities, preparing children for kindergarten and supporting The entire family so they can grow and learn together; working collaboratively with school districts and community partners to provide positive out-of-school time opportunities that keep young people safe and engaged and help them retain what they have learned; supporting social and emotional learning so that students in all grade levels can succeed both in and beyond school; and providing a wide variety of career, trade school and college-readiness support, including programming, tools and resources to students who live in communities that have historically experienced underinvestment.

Community services: other program support:united Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania invests in community support and volunteerism. These investments include support for strategic community partnerships and projects, disaster relief efforts, technical assistance to nonprofits and volunteer initiatives focused on engaging The community to make a positive difference.