Greater Twin Cities United Way: Improving Lives, Strengthening Communities
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United Way is the largest non-governmental funder of job programs in Minnesota. Watch Constructing the Future to learn how these programs build lives and the community.

Agenda for Lasting Change Goals

  • Reduce hunger in our area 20 percent by 2009. See goal overview.
  • In partnership with the governor's initiative, end long-term homelessness in the Twin Cities by 2010. See goal overview.
  • Improve the financial stability of 40,000 individuals by 2009.
  • Reduce family violence by increasing access to services 20 percent by 2012. See goal overview.

Community Issues

  • Approximately 580,000 people in the metro area are living in or at the edge of poverty and 32 percent are children. (U.S. Census Bureau. 2005-2007 American Community Survey.)
  • Nearly 435,000 households in the nine-county region use a food shelf. (Hunger Solutions.)
  • A family of four needs an income of $39,000 to meet basic needs, including a two-bedroom apartment, yet half of the jobs currently open in Minnesota pay $20,800 or less for a 40-hour work week. (Jobs Now Coalition, Wage and Budget Calculator; Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Minnesota Job Vacancy Survey, 2nd quarter 2009.)
  • United Way 2-1-1--our community resource and referral line--made over 400,000 referrals to people in need last year. Nearly one-half of all calls were for basic needs. (United Way 2-1-1.)

Responses

  • Investing $300,000 and leveraging additional community investment to quickly move families out of shelters and into affordable, stable housing.
  • Providing annual, sustaining grants to 37 job-training programs working on placement, retention, development of skills and career advancement for those living in or near poverty.
  • Requiring that all food shelves and meal programs supported by United Way provide information and referrals to federal food programs, asset-building services and emergency services to those in need, ensuring maximum support for those who qualify.
  • Making $1.4 million in emergency grants to help local food shelves, food banks and on-site meal programs meet increased needs.
  • Raising, with our partners, 6.4 million new pounds of food to distribute to those in need, and investing in the Walk to End Hunger, a Thanksgiving Day-event in collaboration with the Twin Cities Hunger Initiative to raise awareness and combat decreasing donations to food shelves.
  • Expanding Claim It! A Community-wide Partnership to help an additional 12,293 people claim the tax credits they have earned, bringing an additional $28 million into our local economy.

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