You know about the safety net of basic services United Way donors support -- called the Community Care Fund. But there's so much more going on! Learn about the new initiatives aimed at some of our community's most urgent needs.

The goal is to provide our neighbors with the building blocks for a good life:  a quality education that leads to a stable job, steady income that supports a family, and good health.

SO HOW WILL WE ACHIEVE "COMMUNITY IMPACT?"
With partners old and new, United Way is teaming up with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, private companies and other funders to target populations in these focus areas. Our initiatives include:
     --- Financial Stability Partnership - Solutions for Working Families
     --- Dial 2-1-1
      --- International Initiative, including the Internat'l Center of the Heartland and Project Bridge
     --- Early Childhood Education, including the Born Learning awareness effort
     --- Engaging At-risk Youth in Community Service
   
FINANCIAL STABILITY PARTNERSHIP TM - SOLUTIONS FOR WORKING FAMILIES

This initiative helps working families to achieve economic stability and success. As well, local employers can benefit with better employee retention, loyalty and productivity. Current projects include: Accessing the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC),  Financial Literacy Training and Counseling, and creation of Individual Development Accounts (IDAs).

DIAL 2-1-1

Looking for a local service to help a friend, co-worker, or your own family? Get connected and get answers -- Dial 2-1-1, hosted by United Way. With one simple phone call, you can talk to an information and referral specialist who has the community's most extensive human service database at their fingertips.

INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE

The International Center of the Heartland is strengthening our community's well-being and economic vitality by helping newcomers with the maze of issues they face when they arrive. United Way and these partners aim to make our metro area stronger by helping refugees and immigrants become self-sufficient more quickly.

Project Bridge is helping to guide foreign-born health professionals through the process of earning their U.S. licenses. (Meet a man who's proud to be a part of the Project Bridge effort, and see how his life is changing!)

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
United Way Midlands is working with area partners to reach out to friends and family members who care for young children, to make sure the adults do waht they can to prepare the little ones for school. Goal: to increase awareness and advocacy of the value of early childhood safety, health and education.

ENGAGING AT-RISK YOUTH IN COMMUNITY SERVICE
Teenagers and pre-teens spend part of their summer vacation in supervised volunteer projects.  The Summer Youth Volunteer Program engages them in service projects that are challenging, rewarding and educational. 

So how is United Way tracking needs and measuring progress in our community?
THE GREATER OMAHA HUMAN CARE PROFILE©
The Annual Greater Omaha Human Care Profile© provides trend data on four dozen health and human service indicators including: family functioning, basic and material needs, economic opportunity, birth and death health factors, health risks, and public safety.

Also, the 2-1-1 call center spans the three focus areas of Education, Income and Health,  and makes it possible for many individuals and families to easily access available health and human services. The 2-1-1 information and referral specialists will provide callers with up-to-date information about United Way’s community initiatives. And, because the type and number of 2-1-1 calls are tracked, the phone service will assist United Way and our community leaders in tracking current local human needs.

Other United Way of the Midlands Collaborative Efforts:

Omaha Metro Medical Response System (Disaster Preparedness)
Medical Reserve Corps (Disaster Preparedness)
Personnel Processing Point (PPP) for General Disaster Volunteers
Omaha Citizens’ Corps
Urban Area Security Initiative
Local Emergency Planning Council
Nebraska VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Acting in Disaster)
OPPD and MUD Energy Intervention Programs
Court-Referral Community Service Program -Douglas County
Toys for Tots
Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless (MACCH)
National Youth Service Day
Join Hands Day
Metro on the Move (transportation planning for the elderly and disabled)
Training on Program Outcome Measurement for local nonprofits
Our Healthy Community Partnership 
Domestic Violence Coordinating Committee
Youth Service Worker Training Institute
Neighborhood Center of Greater Omaha
Heartland Walk for Warmth

United Way of the Midlands plays a unique and necessary role in bringing greater coordination, accountability and citizen involvement to our community’s human care system. Ensuring the continued strength and vitality of our United Way is a sound investment in the future well-being of our entire community. Today, there is no better charitable investment than strengthening our United Way.

Thanks for choosing to LIVE UNITED!