United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley

COMMUNITY IMPACT:For over eighty years, United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley has built bridges to the community that focused on developing resources for nonprofits. Today, we reach for higher outcomes, address wider gaps, and cultivate a culture of collaboration and partnership to assure equity, inclusion and diversity are a part of every part of our work. Here are some highlights of our work in 2023.SANTIAM CANYON WILDFIRE RELIEF AND RECOVERY: 2023 IMPACT: 1,069 SERVED 510 VOLUNTEERS, 3680 HRS. When wildfires wreaked havoc across our region in 2020, forcing thousands of people to evacuate and seek shelter, we immediately jumped into action. In 2022, we continued serving and supporting the wildfire recovery efforts in a wide variety of ways. We hosted many individual/family survivors at various events through our Good360 program to get supplies and replacements for both temporary housing and rebuilt housing needs. We sent children from families impacted by wildfires to Summer Camp. We served as fiscal sponsor for the Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG) a group committed to restoring family housing to pre-fire condition. We donated a tiny home to a needy family that has lost their house the fire and supported shed builds for multiple families in need of temporary storage.GOOD360 GIFTS IN KIND PROGRAM: 2023 IMPACT: 316,801 community members served through 242 Non-Profit Agencies, 863 VOLUNTEERS, 8194 Volunteer HRS. As the regional hub for this national program, the United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley is uniquely positioned to support hundreds of area service providers, schools, faith-based groups and other nonprofit partners. The Good360 Gifts in Kind Program has grown exponentially in the last year. The program continued to provide goods valued at $6.2 million to those in need and allows area non-profits and schools to use their program dollars on other things. OREGON STATE CHARITABLE FUND DRIVE: 2023 IMPACT: $762,203 PLEDGED FOR 544 STATEWIDE CHARITIES. United Way served as the Managing Organization of the State of Oregon Employee Charitable Fund Drive that occurs annually each fall. The United Way plans, coordinates, and operats a campaign that reaches over 70k state employees while working with 18 federations representing 869 charities. The United Way is responsible for raising, tracking, and distributing funds.AWESOME 3000: 2023 Impact: 330 community volunteers, 1891 participants ranging in ages 3 18 years old. Awesome 3000, once billed as the largest youth fun run west of the Mississippi, resumed after a three-year hiatus under the leadership of the United Way. The Awesome 3000 serves as a fundraiser for the Salem- Keizer School Fund. The proceeds of this run go towards SKSD staff grants for innovative practices.EMERGENT NEED GRANTING: 2023 IMPACT: $1,081,600 AWARDED, 14 PROVIDERS SERVED, through our various programs and partnerships, we supported many different causes and charities that supported important community efforts and needs. Our grants supported environmental waste programs, college and career efforts, migrant worker support, health disparities, disability access, youth sports, transitional housing, diversity programs, child abuse prevention, and young adult leadership.SAFESLEEP UNITED WOMENS SHELTER: 2023 IMPACT: 4815 SHELTER NIGHTS and 7,684 MEALS PROVIDED TO over 150 UNDUPLICATED WOMEN AND CHILDREN: As one of the most vulnerable populations, the women who were unsheltered in our community needed a safe, reliable place to sleep safely for the night. Working with our partners, United Way established a unique and vital low barrier shelter where women can feel safe sleeping for the evening. Low barrier reflects a housing-first approach, where people are welcomed as they are, without needing to be clean, sober, employed, or employable as entry criteria. We meet and serve women where they are at as long as they can do activities of daily living independently and behave respectfully. COTTAGES UNITED PROGRAM: This program will create a sustainable, affordable solution to the ever-growing issue of seniors at risk of homelessness. HUD considers a person housing burdened if their monthly housing costs are greater than 30% of a persons income. Many older Oregonians are entitled to Social Security benefits. However, these benefits (currently $1,529.00 average for an individual) remain well below the poverty line and often fail to cover the cost of housing. In 2021, we acquired the land and completed the bulk of the background work to lay the foundation for the next phase of this complicated but necessary project. In 2022, we continued our fundraising and organizational efforts for this project. In 2023 we broke ground for the first phase of 10 cottages expected to be completed May 2024 with tenants moving in June 2024.SCHOOL AGE ENRICHMENT: 2023 IMPACT: 4617 STUDENTS SERVED, 75 VOLUNTEERS, 4617 HOURS. School Age Enrichment provides equitable programming for academic enrichment at 8 different school sites including elementary, middle, and high schools to encourage youth development and to promote family involvement. College and Career readiness was also offered at area high schools. with mentors who provide 1:1 assistance to high school students with post-secondary plans.