|
|
|
 Home > Community Impact > Agenda for Action
Agenda for Action
United Way of East Central Iowa is working towards achieving the goals our community identified as most critical through our Agenda for Action. By taking specific action, we are helping people in a more positive way: We are breaking negative cycles and tackling the root causes of problems to bring about lasting change. These focus areas mobilize the community, align investments and prioritize and create collaborations that produce results.
We bring together resources to address previously unmet needs – sometimes as the leader, sometimes a facilitator and sometimes as a partner at the table. All of this is done in collaboration with diverse community partners. United Way brings together partner agencies, businesses, schools, nonprofits, organized labor, government, neighborhood associations and faith-based organizations. To create a stronger community, we all need to be a part of the solution.
The Agenda for Action focuses on our communities most critical needs in three well-defined impact areas:
Education
Vision
Children will be ready to enter school and have developmental support so they stay on track and become ready for work and life.
Community Condition
• In our service area, only 60% of low-income youth are proficient in reading skills.
• Only 55% of low-income kindergarteners are proficient in early literacy skills.
• Research suggests that patterns of achievement and behavior are set by the third grade. Brain development begins before birth, and early experiences create the foundation for cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.
• State funding for early childhood programs that serve low-income families is being reduced. This will affect access to affordable quality care, health and education programs.
Target Population
• Low-income households with children
• Childcare providers and family members who assist with childcare
Outcome
Children will be ready to enter school and have developmental support so they stay on track and become productive members of the community.
Objectives
• Children, from birth to age 5, will have access to quality childcare and early learning experiences.
• Parents of young children will succeed in their roles as their child’s first teacher.
• Youth are healthy, socially competent, and prepared for a productive adulthood.
Community Strategies
Born Learning
Born Learning is an innovative and unique public engagement campaign that helps parents, caregivers and communities create quality learning opportunities for young children. The UWECI Young Leaders Society is sponsoring Born Learning. Their accomplishments to date:
• Distribution of Born Learning materials through St. Luke’s and Mercy’s newborn home visitation program.
• Installation of the Born Learning Trail at Bever Park, and future installations planned in Jones and Iowa counties.
• Distribution of Born Learning materials through partner agencies, early childhood programs and through area libraries.
Quality Childcare and Family Support
Agency partners are providing opportunities for low income families to access quality childcare and family support programs to help young children achieve school readiness. Accomplishments thus far include:
• 70 childcare centers and home providers working towards targeted quality improvements, affecting 2,500 children.
• Over 350 parents participating in regular family support programs, such as home visitation and parent education.
Ready by 21: Ready for College, Work, and Life
Ready by 21 is a national initiative to ensure that young people have the support, opportunities and services needed to prosper and contribute where they live, work, play and make a difference. Local accomplishments include:
• Youth agency participation in the Youth Program Quality Assessment.
• Organization of community stakeholders.
• Surveying and mapping of local youth development programs.
Return to Top
Income
Vision
Low-income individuals and families are connected to needed services that promote financial stability and independence.
Community Condition
• Families earning low wages are finding that their income does not cover the cost of their family’s essential needs.
• Single parent households are particularly vulnerable. 72% of female and 45%of male headed households do not earn a wage sufficient to support basic needs.
Target Population
• Low-income working single parent households.
• Over 4,000 single parent headed households with children under eighteen in the UWECI service area.
Outcome
Working single parent headed households with low incomes obtain and sustain a wage that supports their families’ essential needs.
Objectives
Working single parent headed households with low incomes:
• Have access to post secondary education and training that aligns with job market opportunities that provide a wage which supports family needs.
• Utilize public benefits that they are eligible for that are a net benefit to the family.
• Have access to essential needs/supports as they transition from public benefits to financial stability and independence.
• Have supportive personal, social service system and employment relationships that assist in reducing barriers and positively influence the family’s financial stability and independence.
Supporting legislation that helps low income families achieve financial stability including:
• Improved access to and availability of workforce training programs.
• Improved access to and availability of benefits and tax credits for low-income working families.
Community Strategies
UWECI is working to improve the lives of low-income families. Providing opportunities for low-income families to increase their income, build savings and gain and sustain assets are steps that can help individuals and families get off the financial tightrope, overcome basic subsistence needs and allow them to plan for their future.
Strategies that contribute to the achievement of financial stability and independence include housing and food assistance, case management, financial education, credit repair and debt reduction counseling, employment training and support, accessing public and employer benefits, savings campaigns and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
Earned Income Tax Credit
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is the nation’s largest and most effective federal aid program for low-income workers. EITC is a state and federal income tax credit available to working individuals and families making less than $40,000. Nationwide, 63.4% of EITC recipients use their tax credit to pay current bills or debt; 20% use it to gain assets such as a car, house or education.
2-1-1: Connecting residents to Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
2-1-1 continues to be a critical resource to our community, connecting residents to needed services. 2-1-1 connects individuals to free tax preparation sites and schedules tax assistance appointments for AARP and VITA. Last year, 2-1-1 scheduled over 3,700 appointments. This year 2-1-1 added tax scheduling services for Blackhawk, Jones and Iowa counties.
• In 2008, volunteer tax preparers assisted with filing over 3,700 tax returns, a 35%increase over 2007.
• Free tax preparation saved low-income families more than $400,000.
• In 2008, over $1.2 million was claimed in EITC.
Return to Top
Health
Vision
Uninsured and low-income families and older adults will have access to needed services that promote health and independence.
Current Conditions
Over 32,000 individuals have no health insurance in the UWECI service area and are unable to meet their individual and family health needs. Compared to persons who have health insurance the uninsured:
• Receive less preventative care
• Are diagnosed at more advanced disease states
• Once diagnosed, tend to receive less therapeutic care
• Have higher mortality rates.
Within a 2009 Access to Healthcare Needs survey, low-cost dental services, prescription assistance and healthcare financial assistance were identified as top needed health services. Main barriers to persons accessing health care services included: not knowing of available healthcare services and needing help connecting with available health services.
Target Population
• Uninsured and low-income families and older adults.
Outcome
Uninsured and low-income families and older adults will have access to needed healthcare services.
Objectives
Uninsured families and older adults will have access to comprehensive:
• Preventative Care
• Urgent and Emergency Care
• Intervention and Treatment
• Health Management
Supporting legislation that allows greater access to healthcare services:
• Increasing reimbursement rates for healthcare services.
• Expanding health insurance coverage for mental health conditions and/or alcohol or substance abuse treatment services.
Community Strategies
United Way is committed to improving people’s health through funded strategies that increase the capacity of vulnerable populations to live healthy lives, increases the availability of comprehensive services and treatment for individuals and families with mental health and/or substance abuse issues and provides community-based care to older adults that allows them to remain in their homes.
Community Based Services for older adults support independence and lower cost services. Agency partners provide opportunities for clients to access:
• Case management
• Transportation to medical appointments
• Nutritious meals
Women’s Leadership Initiative
The Women’s Leadership Initiative allows greater access for low-income women to needed health education and services. The initiative currently funds emergency dental services and prescription assistance for low-income women.
Return to Top
|
|