Education

United Way Works To End America's Education Crisis

Education is the cornerstone of individual and community success. But with more than 1.2 million children dropping out each year, America faces an education crisis. The cost? More than $312 billion in lost wages, taxes, and productivity over their lifetimes. These trends are reversible, but only when communities and public, private, and nonprofit sectors work together.

Our Strategy

We can’t focus on high school alone. High school dropouts are 12 years in the making, usually starting early childhood education behind schedule. United Way’s model focuses on supportive communities, effective schools and strong families — strategies and approaches rooted in research. Tackling the education challenge requires re-framing education on a birth to 21 continuum.

How You Can Help

To reach our goal, we need your help. The strategies proven to work are those that connect communities to their schools: parent involvement; literacy volunteers in the classroom; mentors for disadvantaged students; business leaders engaged in early childhood advocacy. Call 803-259-2218 to volunteer as a mentor or reader in the schools or to supply needs in the local schools.

Income

We Helps Americans Achieve Financial Stability

As many as one third of working Americans do not earn enough money to meet their basic needs. Wages have not kept pace with the rising cost of housing, healthcare, and education and currently, 40 million Americans are working in low-paying jobs without basic health and retirement benefits. For families walking a financial tightrope, unable to save for college, a home, or retirement, United Way is here to help.

Our Strategy

To address the obstacles that prevent hard working families from getting ahead financially, we launched the Financial Stability Partnership™, an initiative that promotes community-change strategies to help families meet their basic needs while gaining the financial capability to plan for and accomplish, their long-term financial goals.

Over 300 United Ways and their local community partners are engaged in activities and initiatives to help build the financial stability of families in their communities.

How You Can Help

Volunteers make United Ways’ tax assistance and financial education programs possible. We need your help, even if you don’t have an accounting background. Volunteer to help by calling 803-259-2218.

Health

United Way Works For A Healthier America

Whether it is a neighbor without health insurance, a victim of abuse, or someone struggling with mental illness or an addiction, United Ways are working to ensure everyone has access to affordable and quality care.

Achieving our goal requires us all to become more aware of health risks and the potential effects they have on us and others, starting from before birth. Working to change policies and practices, such as extending health care coverage, will enable more people to live healthier lives.