United Way of Dane County

United Way of Dane County mobilizes the caring power of our community so all can thrive. From advancing health and education to strengthening livelihoods and local resilience, we connect people to possibility. We are committed to creating through our Plan for Community Well-Being - a plan built with our community, for our community. Our vision for a brighter future focuses on improving individual and family well-being so that everyone in Dane County can lead healthy, successful and secure lives. When you look at what makes United Way of Dane County really work, it goes beyond the numbers - it's the collective spirit of caring to solve whole problems. Through our network of caring connections, we're able to address big-picture issues no one person or organization can solve alone. Every dollar donated to United Way is a powerful catalyst - multiplying six times over to create lasting, meaningful change, right here in Dane County. At United Way of Dane County, we come together to close gaps and open opportunities in our community. In 2023, we supported over 73,000 neighbors in Dane County. And with our Plan for Community Well-Being, we'll transform measurable outcomes into life-changing support for our neighbors in these areas: EDUCATION Goal: All students succeed academically and graduate high school prepared for higher education, career and community. Result: In 2023, AmeriCorps member spent 3,420 hours tutoring children through our Schools of Hope and Achievement Connections program. Individuals who finish high school are more likely to have the skills required to be successful in postsecondary education, an increasingly complicated job market and society. And adults with higher education levels are more likely to gain employment with family-sustaining wages. At United Way, we invest in nonprofits and programs that help prepare youth for the classroom and life beyond through mentorship, tutoring and social-emotional learning. Our major initiatives in this area are tutoring and academic support programs at the elementary, middle, and high school levels to help increase the graduation rate in Dane County to 95% by 2024. In 2023, 347 elementary school and middle school students improved academic performance and 186 high school students improved social/emotional skills. Schools of Hope (Elementary Reading) and Achievement Connections (High School Math): The Elementary Schools of Hope and Achievement Connections AmeriCorps programs are dynamic community partnerships which have developed an evidence-based model of tutoring intervention fueled by impassioned AmeriCorps members and committed community volunteers. Both are unique collaborations. Elementary Schools of Hope is a collaboration with United Way of Dane County, AmeriCorps and the Madison Metropolitan School District. Achievement Connections is a partnership between United Way of Dane County, the Madison Metropolitan School District, the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District and the UW-Madison Morgridge Center for Public Service. Elementary Schools of Hope's mission is to provide literacy tutoring support to improve the academic achievement of kindergarten through fifth grade students. While Achievement Connections mobilizes AmeriCorps members and the community to support student achievement in Algebra and Geometry. For the first time since the pandemic, AmeriCorps members and volunteers were back in school buildings in 2023! And 303 elementary students were tutored by nine AmeriCorps members and 20 community volunteers. Additionally, 257 high school students were tutored by five AmeriCorps members and 111 community volunteers through the Achievement Connections program. Overall, AmeriCorps members spent 3,420 hours tutoring children through our Schools of Hope and Achievement Connections program.

HEALTH Goal: A Dane County absent of racial health disparities in physical and mental health, emphasizing a trauma-informed approach. Result: 20,030 Dane County Neighbors Supported Through Health Programing in 2023 While Dane County remains a top place to live, raise a family and retire, for our BIPOC neighbors (including Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Southeast Asian and/or people of color), education, income and health inequities and disparities remain consistent. Unfortunately, in Dane County the color of your skin and the ZIP code in which you live have a significant impact on your quality of life, life expectancy and a wide range of health outcomes. To help address and dismantle the existing inequities, United Way invests in local nonprofits and programs that aim to reduce health disparities faced by our BIPOC community members. In 2023, 594 participants reported improved health outcomes in programs to increase culturally-safe-and-responsive trauma and resiliency programs for BIPOC communities. 726 participants completed goals in culturally-relevant, reflective-and-safe wellness programs defined or led by BIPOC communities. Saving our Babies Through ConnectRx: The ConnectRx Wisconsin program is an initiative of the Dane County Health Council (DCHC), and United Way of Dane County is a proud partner of this large collaborative. The program is designed to improve birthing outcomes for Black families by screening for the social determinants of health among Black birthing people in Dane County. Those who enroll in the program are supported with community health workers, referrals to services and doula care. In 2023, the program received 469 referrals and served 202 patients! HealthConnect: At United Way of Dane County we believe cost should not prevent you from getting the health care you need. That's why we're helping lower-income individuals and families who make too much to qualify for BadgerCare purchase insurance through healthcare.gov via our HealthConnect Premium Assistance Program. In 2023, $1.05 million was invested into the HealthConnect program - allowing us to pay insurance premiums for 578 people through 492 plans. Helping more individuals and families across Dane County lead healthier, happier lives.

INCOME Goal: More people are on pathways out of poverty, ending family homelessness. Result: 21,630 Dane County neighbors supported through our income programing in 2023. When more individuals have jobs earning family-sustaining wages and safe and affordable housing, they are less stressed and more able to provide for themselves and their families - better positioning the entire community and our economy to thrive. At United Way, we're invested in local nonprofits and programs that help families get what they need to be economically stable through job training, homelessness prevention and affordable housing. In 2023, 1,693 households remained stably housed after 12 months. Addressing Family Homelessness: At United Way, we believe everyone deserves a place of their own to call home. But finding safe and affordable housing in Dane County isn't always easy. By investing in programs that help families avoid eviction and rapidly re-house those that do become homeless, we're helping parents/caregivers and their children build a solid foundation for success across all areas of life. Through our Reducing School Mobility Collaborative - a program focused on keeping families in their homes and kids attending the same school, funded, in part, by The Siemer Institute - we were able to help 174 families in 2023 at risk of losing their housing with financial assistance and individualized case management. This was made possible through work with our partners at Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin (CAC), Cultural Practices that are Relevant, Stoughton Area Resource Team (START) and WayForward Resources. Journey Home: Led with our partners at JustDane, Journey Home, works to reduce recidivism (return to prison) and creates a stronger community. This is accomplished by helping recently incarcerated individuals find housing, employment, support and treatment as well as transportation and education. In 2023, resource specialists met one-on-one with 446 individuals, getting them the support and resources they need to thrive in our community. 198 Journey Home participants did not return to prison within two years of their release. HIRE Initiative: In 2013, we launched our HIRE Initiative - a program that focuses on helping adults prepare for and find steady employment. We partner with six local nonprofits and 50 local employers through this initiative and, in 2023, we helped 613 people find new or better employment - 320 of those landing in jobs paying $18+/hour. Mike was one of those people. When Mike was looking for a new career path, he turned to our HIRE Initiative. Through the support of our partners at the Latino Academy of Workforce Development, he began pursuing his Commercial Driver's License (CDL), knowing it would lead to a well-paying career. This collaboration provided Mike with financial support for his CDL training, covering costs and furnishing resources for study materials. Once he received his CDL - after training with enthusiasm and determination - we helped to place him at a job earning $28/hour, plus great benefits.

EARLY CHILDHOOD Goal: Build family well-being by intentionally and simultaneously working with children under five and the adults in their lives together. Result: In 2023, 6,125 neighbors were supported through our Early Childhood programing in Dane County Research and community input consistently show that coordinated programs and policies that help meet children's and caregivers' goals simultaneously lead to increased family stability and mobility from poverty - leading to greater success across generations. At United Way, we bring together nonprofits and invest in multi-generational collaborations to meet families where they're at, providing holistic support and access to resources that'll help them thrive. Our Home Visiting Program, creates connections with families with young children and we invests in home-visiting programs for young families, including Welcome Baby and Beyond and ParentChild+ (at RISE Wisconsin), and KinderReady (at Children's Service Society). Through these programs, family support specialists meet with parents/caregivers and their children at home to focus parent support, social connections and resource connections. And, in order to ensure each family has what they need to be successful, we work to connect families to additional resources to holistically meet their needs and goals - including housing and employment support, mental health support and more. * 270 Families reported improved parent-child interaction and/or increased knowledge about parenting. * 200 Children and their families participated in weekly or monthly visits depending on their unique needs. * 175 Children who were screened received an intervention, referral or appropriate support as a result. * 174 Children achieved developmental milestones while in programing with their families.

CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Championing Change Through Volunteerism At United Way, we know that building community well-being is a team project. That's why we're constantly working to engage community members and local businesses in volunteerism - mobilizing the caring power of our community to create lasting, generational change. By offering several ways to get involved in the workplace and in our community, we're empowering more people to make a difference. Results: * Employee groups at 49 local companies donated 4,385 volunteer hours to create 54,317 ImPacks (essential need items) that were distributed to neighbors in need - Leading to $180,000+ in economic impact. * 3,688 volunteers participated in Corporate and Community Volunteer Engagements * 2,162 individuals responded to opportunities posted on VolunteerYourTime.org * ImPacks created: o 22, 584 Snack Packs, 5,195 Paper Product Packs, 5,173 Menstrual Hygiene Packs, 4,595 Diaper Packs, 158 Blankets and 120 Backpacks. We work to build agency effectiveness and capacity by providing training and developmental opportunities to business volunteer programs, volunteer managers, nonprofit boards and executive directors to help strengthen the leadership, governance and volunteer engagement within our partner agencies. Our work in Community Engagement identifies and trains lived-experience experts who will take on leadership roles in community-change initiatives. Additionally, our trust-building work of the Law Enforcement and Leaders of Color Collaboration strengthens lines of communication between law enforcement and communities of color to drive overall collective impact. UNITED WAY 211 United Way 211 provides 24/7 live, local assistance to every person in our community who needs it. In times of crisis, navigating resources and solutions can be difficult - but we're here to help. From finding food to paying rent or connecting to addiction treatment (and so much more), 211 can help. Our specialists listen, offer comfort, hope and solutions in times of crisis. 211 hosts the most comprehensive health and human services database in Dane County and provides real-time, up-to-date information on needs. Results: * 47,546 Referrals to community resources * 23,695 Dane County Neighbors were supported by 211 * 160,000+ minutes dedicated to serving clients * 1,486,211 Wisconsin App visitor * Referrals by Category: o 14,750 Housing, 7,954 Food, 4,042 Utilities, 4,027 Behavioral Health/Additions, 2,472 Individual and Family Support, 2,337 Transportation and 2,261 Healthcare.