Common Focus Areas
United Ways identify and build on community strengths and assets, help individuals and groups with specific community interests find ways to contribute their time and talents, support direct-service programs and community-change efforts, and advocate public policy changes.
All of this is done in collaboration with diverse partners. Depending on the issue and how the community chooses to address it, United Ways work with schools, government agencies, businesses, organized labor, financial institutions, community development corporations, voluntary and neighborhood associations, the religious community, and others. The United Way of America has also worked with local United Ways along the Gulf Coast to sponsor four Alternative Spring Break programs in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 to help with the recovery and rebuilding of the areas devastated by hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, and Rita. Since 2008, the United Way of America has teamed up with the United Way of Southeastern Michigan and produced Alternative Spring Break programming in Detroit.
United Way also helps to promote other community service projects through their Alternative Spring Break Programs, such as the 10,000 Hours Show (10K). This is a program designed to motivate young people to become involved in community service projects by providing an incentive; free concert admission by providing 10 or more volunteer hours to local non-profit organizations. The concert is organized by a given campus and their local United Way and can be attended for free by anyone who puts in enough hours. The mission of the program is to raise awareness across the nation that young people can make a difference by joining their efforts to help meet the needs of their own communities. Their goal in part is based on "Helping develop the next generation of active community leaders", according to their website.
The 10,000 Hours show was first founded in the fall of 2002 by undergraduates at the University of Iowa. Ben Folds performed the first show, held in the fall of 2003, and it raked in a total of 13,573 hours completed by over 600 volunteers. Since then, there have been a number of other successful shows.
Because of the unique conditions in diverse communities, the issues United Ways address are determined locally. However, some common themes emerge:
- Helping children and youth succeed through engagement
- Strengthening and supporting families
- Improving access to health care
- Promoting financial stability
Recently, the United Way has also placed an emphasis on eradicating homelessness with an annual Greater Los Angeles' HomeWalk. Kobe Bryant has hosted the walk for two consecutive years. In 2012, 28 000 walkers participated and raised $2.2 million dollars to help fight homelessness and successfully placed 12 000 people into housing who previously were on the streets.
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