09_Insert_Changing our Community

United Way of Central Ohio

Changing our Community United Way of Central Ohio works as a catalyst for change in our community, researching the most critical needs and working with volunteers and local agencies to develop strategies that will prevent problems from happening in the first place. With your help, we make a difference, not just today, but for tomorrow, too.

Together, we advance the common good for all by focusing on education, income, health and home. These are the building blocks for a good life: a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement, good health maintained throughout life, and a safe and decent place to live.

EDUCATION Kindergarten Readiness Community Issue: Nearly 30% of students entering kindergarten in Franklin County public schools scored in the lowest category on the literacy readiness assessment, indicating a need for intervention.

Our Response: United Way of Central Ohio helped launch the Ready to Read program, which in 2008 helped over 1,200 parents and caregivers and 100 teachers learn how to effectively teach pre-literacy skills to young children.

High School Graduation Community Issue: The median annual income for a high school graduate in Columbus is $25,420 – more than double the $11,000 median income a dropout makes.

Our Response: United Way supports Project Mentor, an initiative that provided one-on-one mentoring to 1,703 at-risk students in Columbus City Schools during the 2008-09 school year.

INCOME Financial Stability Community Issue: As of mid-2009, unemployment in Franklin County stands at 9%.

Our Response: In 2008, workforce development programs supported by United Way placed people in full-time employment 2,265 times. 33% of these jobs included health care benefits.

Emergency Assistance Community Issue: In central Ohio, 40% of those who receive emergency shelter are families. On a typical night, more than 200 children will sleep in a shelter bed.

Our Response: United Way helped establish the Family Stability Collaborative, which through intensive case management, helped 212 families avoid homelessness and work to keep their children in school.

HEALTH Barriers to Accessing Health and Wellness Services Community Issue: In 2008, more than 17% or 149,777 Franklin County residents 17 years old or older were without a regular source of care such as a medical office or a clinic.

Our Response: United Way-supported programs linked more 3,800 people to much-needed health care services such as physician visits, laboratory tests, mental health care, and pharmacy services during the 2007-08 program year.

Maintaining Healthy Nutrition and Fitness Community Issue: In 2008, 29% of Franklin County residents 17 years old or older, and 22% of children between the ages of 12 - 17 were identified as obese. That’s 245,203 adults and 25,219 children at risk of serious health issues.

Our Response: United Way helped launch the Happy Healthy Preschoolers program, which identifies preschoolers at risk of obesity and works with families to promote healthy lifestyles. Six program sites are now open and three more are scheduled to open by 2010.

HOME Safe Neighborhoods Community Issue: Columbus ranks 6th in the nation for property crimes. In 2007, 55,000 property crimes were committed in the city of Columbus.

Our Response: In 2008, United Way of Central Ohio’s Neighborhood Training Academy held 63 classes and had nearly 800 people benefit from skills-based training, including, self defense, preventing gang violence, assisting at-risk youth and developing street smarts.

Safe and Decent Housing Community Issue: There are nearly 5,000 vacant properties in Columbus – up 25% from just 18 months ago.

Our Response: United Way provided support for The Affordable Housing Trust of Columbus and Franklin County, which closed 702 loans creating much-needed safe, decent and sanitary housing for low-income residents in 2007.