Community Impact: Basic Needs

 

THE CHALLENGE:

• Staggering job loss resulting from the nation’s recession has caused a record number of families to become homeless, struggle to maintain their housing, or face termination of essential utility services.
• One in four people in Philadelphia is at risk of hunger - more than double the rates reported at the state and national levels yet nearly half of food pantries have to turn people away because they run out of food.
• One in every four women will experience violence in her lifetime. Interpersonal violence is a safety and health issue that affects its victims medically, emotionally, personally, economically, and professionally.
• Close to 700 families in our region experience the tragedy of a fire in their home. At the time of such loss and trauma, they need the assistance and skills to prevent, prepare for and recover from disasters.
• While 2-1-1 information and referral services currently serve approximately 215 million Americans in 43 states, Pennsylvania has not yet adopted its own 2-1-1 system.

 

OUR GOAL:

United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania ensures that individuals have access to needed services in times of crisis and helps them recover and get back on track.

 

THE OPPORTUNITY:

At United Way, we believe that everyone in our community has a right to adequate housing, food, security and the ability to achieve a better life. That is why United Way is working to improve housing and housing support services, food assistance programs, personal safety services and disaster response systems.

 

THE RETURN:

It is impossible to assign a monetary value to dignity and independence, but that’s what families experience when their needs are met during an unanticipated crisis in their lives, like a fire, domestic violence or long-term job loss. At United Way, we believe a safety net that assists families in getting back on their feet and on the road to success is an essential component of a strong and caring community.

 

Your contributions to United Way Community Impact allow us to partner with nonprofit agencies that delivered the following results:

Impact on Basic Need Services

A sample of your investment’s performance, YEAR TWO:
Goal		Actual
28,328	Individuals who received food, clothing, or cash assistance	29,558
18,787	Individuals receiving domestic violence, crime victim, or child abuse services	17,574
4,422	Individuals receiving behavioral health services	6,873

Community Impact:
Building Strong Communities -
Civic Engagement

 

OUR GOAL:

United Way provides opportunities for volunteers to address the needs of nonprofits in our region and to engage in quality community change efforts.

 

THE CHALLENGE:

• National, state and local statistics have shown sharp and steady increases in the overall number of people seeking volunteer opportunities within the last five years; however, many available opportunities go unfilled because potential volunteers can’t find opportunities that interest them and nonprofits can’t find volunteers interested in the opportunities they have available.
• While the Corporation for National & Community Service’s recent nonprofit sector surveys report that 80% to 90% of responding organizations have maintained or increased their use of volunteers during the economic downturn, some nonprofits struggle to effectively manage and retain the large numbers of volunteers willing to serve.

 

THE OPPORTUNITY:

• Support, develop and coordinate broad-scale United Way community mobilization initiatives that focus on education, income, and health-related outcomes.
• Mobilize targeted constituencies of potential volunteers to expand the region’s talent pool.
• Improve and increase the capacity of the region’s human service nonprofits to employ best practices in volunteer management including recruiting, placing, training and retaining volunteers.
• Provide liveuniteddelval.volunteermatch.org, an online portal to post and find volunteers and volunteer opportunities throughout the Delaware Valley.

Community Impact:
Building Strong Communities -
Capacity Building

 

THE CHALLENGE:

• Nationally, it is estimated that 640,000 new senior-level nonprofit managers will be needed in the next decade as a result of baby boomers retiring. Due to the changing nonprofit landscape, it is also imperative that local leaders receive professional development and participate in peer networks.
• Not only are there are tens of thousands of fresh board seats to be filled annually, many nonprofits struggle to find willing and qualified people to take on the critical role of board chair and there are limited resources available to help increase board leadership effectiveness.
• Due to the economic constraints on funders, nonprofits who are facing increased demand for services and shrinking resources to support them are being forced to consider new ways of working together and restructuring their operations in order to meet their mission.
• There is a common expectation among most donors that nonprofits be able to demonstrate the impact of their work. Nonprofits face the challenge of securing the appropriate staffing, technology and financial resources to incorporate outcomes measurement into their work.

 

OUR GOAL:

United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania builds and maintains a strong and healthy nonprofit sector.

 

THE OPPORTUNITY:

United Way’s Capacity Building initiatives have received positive response universally from nonprofit executives, for-profit leaders, universities, and funders. Our work in this area involves increasing the number of mid-level nonprofit professionals who receive training to prepare them for future leadership roles in the sector and providing support to nonprofits to help them execute successful strategic partnerships.

 

THE RETURN:

When nonprofits are led by capable staff and volunteer leadership, when they identify innovative and creative ways to work together, when they measure their results and adjust their programs accordingly the lives of countless individual are improved, communities are strengthened and we all win.

 

OUR STRATEGIES:

• Increase the effectiveness of current and emerging leaders serving on nonprofit boards and staffs.
• Support the implementation of strategic partnerships that increase nonprofits’ effectiveness and efficiency.
• Build the capacity of nonprofit organizations to effectively measure the impact of their work.

 

United Way’s Emerging Leaders Program

United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Emerging Leaders Program is an intensive leadership development program offered to mid-level nonprofit managers who have demonstrated a commitment to the nonprofit sector.

• Designed for up-and-coming young professionals
• Helps participants identify and develop core values, insights, effective communication skills, performance management, and team building skills that are the hallmarks of a transformational leader.

Share this page: