What does United Way do? It's a question we hear often-and the answer is both simple and powerful. United Way of the Midlands brings people and resources together to improve lives across our community. Last year alone, United Way-supported grants, programs, and services impacted 56,096 lives, helping children succeed in school, families achieve stability, and communities become more resilient. But those numbers only tell part of the story.
The Challenges Facing Our Community
Across our region, many families are facing challenges that are connected-not separate.
- Between 30% and 85%+ of students in our service area are economically disadvantaged.
- 45% to 59% of renters are housing cost burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing.
- 35% of census tracts in Calhoun County and 43% in Fairfield County are childcare deserts, limiting access to affordable childcare and early learning opportunities.
- Nearly 80% of second graders are not reading on grade level.
For many families, a financial setback doesn't happen in isolation. A parent struggling to afford rent may also need childcare to maintain employment. A child falling behind in school may also be experiencing housing instability. A family facing a medical crisis may also be struggling with transportation, food insecurity, or access to affordable healthcare.
These challenges are interconnected, which means the solutions must be interconnected too.
No one organization can solve these issues alone.
That's where United Way comes in.
We Bring People Together to Solve Complex Problems
United Way's greatest strength is our ability to convene.
We bring together nonprofits, businesses, schools, government agencies, volunteers, donors, and community leaders to work toward shared goals and lasting change.
Our work is guided by a simple belief:
- Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed.
- Every family deserves the opportunity to achieve stability.
- Every community deserves the resources to thrive.
By aligning resources, coordinating services, and investing in evidence-based solutions, we help ensure that support reaches people when and where they need it most.
How We Create Change
United Way focuses on four key areas that help families move from cycles of crisis to cycles of long-term success:
Youth Opportunity
We help children and young people build the foundation for a successful future through:
- Early childhood education
- Literacy development
- College and career readiness
- Mentoring and youth development programs
One example is the Midlands Reading Consortium (MRC), which serves more than 4,652 students in 18 schools across nine districts through one-on-one reading support, classroom reading programs, STEM education, family engagement events, and book distribution.
For more than 20 years, MRC has helped students strengthen literacy skills and build confidence as learners.
Another example is Young Men United, an initiative that provides mentorship, career exploration, paid internships, college navigation, and wraparound support to help young men successfully transition from high school to higher education or the workforce.
Healthy Community
A healthy community requires access to basic needs and quality care.
United Way supports programs that provide:
- Medical, dental, and vision care
- Food assistance and nutrition support
- Mental health services
- Supportive housing for individuals living with serious mental illness
By investing in prevention and access, we help families build healthier, more stable lives.
Financial Security
Financial stability creates opportunities for families to plan for the future.
United Way supports initiatives focused on:
- Homelessness prevention and response
- Affordable housing solutions
- Workforce development
- Career training and job placement
- Housing stability and rental assistance
Through our Whole Family Strategy, we coordinate services that address both immediate needs and the root causes of instability.
Rather than focusing solely on short-term crisis response, we help families increase income, maintain stable housing, and create better outcomes for their children.
Community Resiliency
Strong communities are prepared to respond when challenges arise.
United Way supports:
- 211 resource and referral services
- Volunteer mobilization
- Disaster preparedness efforts
- Nonprofit resilience planning
- Long-term disaster recovery
Whether responding to natural disasters or emerging community needs, we help ensure the Midlands is ready to adapt and recover.
More Than Programs
Many people think United Way simply raises money and distributes grants.
While grantmaking remains an important part of our work, our impact goes much deeper.
We coordinate initiatives, mobilize volunteers, convene community partners, identify service gaps, strengthen nonprofit capacity, and invest in solutions that create measurable outcomes.
We focus on collaboration because lasting change happens when organizations work together rather than in isolation.
Why Volunteers Matter
Solving complex challenges requires more than funding.
It requires people.
Volunteers help transform awareness into action.
When people volunteer, they gain firsthand insight into community challenges. They become advocates for change, champions of local nonprofits, and partners in building a stronger Midlands.
Whether reading with a student, mentoring a young person, assembling school supplies, serving on a committee, or supporting disaster recovery efforts, volunteers help expand the reach and impact of our work.
The Bottom Line
United Way exists to bring people together to solve our community's toughest challenges.
We meet immediate needs while investing in long-term solutions.
We support nonprofits while strengthening the systems that connect them.
We mobilize volunteers, donors, businesses, and community leaders around a shared vision for a stronger Midlands.
Because when we work together, we can do more than address today's challenges-we can create opportunities that change lives for generations to come.
Help Multiply the Impact
The challenges facing our community are complex, but one thing remains true: lasting change happens when people come together to make a difference.
Every volunteer who reads with a student, serves a nonprofit, assembles supplies for families, responds to a disaster, or mentors a young person is helping build a stronger Midlands. But those connections don't happen by accident.
The Volunteer Center of the Midlands powers the network behind community impact-connecting people to meaningful service opportunities, strengthening nonprofit partners, mobilizing volunteers during times of need, and creating pathways for individuals and companies to take action.
When you give to the Volunteer Center, you're not just supporting a program. You're investing in the people, partnerships, and volunteer-powered solutions that help United Way and our nonprofit partners meet immediate needs and create lasting change.
Make a gift today and help multiply your impact across the Midlands.
