United Way's Goals

When people have good health, the benefits ripple across our community. United Way strengthens our community's health and keeps people independent. We do this through three goals in the Health area:

• Provide access to healthcare
• Increase healthy behaviors
• Maximize independence

Community Issues

• Approximately 200,000 Minnesotans in the seven-county metro area are uninsured and an estimated 56 percent are potentially eligible for public coverage.(Health Insurance Coverage in Minnesota, Preliminary Results for 2007. Minnesota Department of Health. Health Economics Program and University of Minnesota School of Public Health. April 2008.)
• On average, low-income children have twice the reate of severe vision impairment as their peers. Fifty percent or more of minority and low-income chilren have vision problems that interfere with their academic work. (Christensen Gould & Gould, 2003.)
• Tooth decay in baby teeth has increased 15 percent among toddlers and preschoolers ages 2 to 5 years old, creating need for costly treatments and emergency care, and causing absence from school. (Trends in oral health status: United States, 1988-1994 and 1999-2004. National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. April 2007.)
• By 2030, nearly 50 percent of all elderly households will be one-person households, doubling the number of persons over age 65 who live alone. (Aging Initiative: Project 2030. Minnesota Department of Human Services, 1998.)

Responses

• Investing $3.5 million annually in multi-year funding to support increased access to publicly funded healthcare programs and community-based clinics and agencies. Programs will deliver integrated care that meets a patient's primary medical, dental and mental health needs, improving individual health and reducing expenses through more efficient service delivery.
• Supporting preventive health screenings and needed follow-up services for nearly 6,600 chidren to increase early detection of vision, hearing, asthma, mental health and other concerns.
• Providing nearly 11,000 children up to age 5 and over 2,000 pregnant women from low-income, underserved populations with essential preventive and dental treatment services through our expanded United Way Bright Smiles partnership. Bright Smiles provides opportunities for our youngest children to avoid oral health problems that are nearly 100 percent preventable.
• Partnering with the University of Minnesota and W.I.S.E. Charter School to reduce obesity for over 300 high-risk students and their families. Our partnership is developing a healthy school environment with increased healthy eating and physical activity.
• Assisting caregivers who help maximize the independence of seniors and those living with disabilities so they can live in their homes.

Learn More

• See United Way's Agenda for Lasting Change
• Read our United Way Overview.
• View the Health and Independence Impact Plan Executive Summary (PDF).
• View Health and Independence Success Stories.
• You can help. United Way Caring Connection has hundreds of volunteer opportunities available in our community.