This plan is a result of nearly two years of community volunteers, United Way partners and key stakeholders working together to identify Ottawa County's most pressing needs and, more importantly, identify the best approach to begin solving the underlying problems.
"This plan is a targeted community call to action that has the potential to make some very positive changes in Ottawa County," said Jamie Jennings, chair of United Way in Ottawa County's advisory board. "The plan includes achievable goals, practical strategies, and community indicators to measure how we're doing."
The Agenda focuses on three critical impact areas United Way considers the building blocks for a good life:
1. Education: By focusing on a quality education for our youth and encouraging academic completion, we substantially increase their ability to find a stable job.
2. Income: It is absolutely critical families are financially stable and independent. It is virtually impossible for families to be successful without sufficient income to last through retirement.
3. Health: Even if people have a quality education and adequate income, it means nothing if they do not have their health.
In addition to these three areas, United Way in Ottawa County will continue supporting a foundation of:
* Essential Services: Responding to basic needs including food, housing, disaster relief, legal services, etc.
* Outreach: Providing information, referral, and volunteer opportunities through programs such as United Way 2-1-1, United Way Family Information Network, and the United Way Volunteer Center.
From a strategic standpoint, the Agenda includes three tactics necessary for success: system change, advocacy, and program investment. To encourage community involvement, United Way is committed to providing opportunities in each of these areas.
"This is a great plan," said Chris Galvin, Director of United Way in Ottawa County, "but it's going to take a lot of us working together to pull it off. No one person could possibly do this alone, and that's the essence of LIVING UNITED."
The United Way Agenda for Change serves as an outline to advance the common good. It is a fluid, ever-evolving call to give, advocate, and volunteer; a call to a collective, focused action that will drive change and produce results in our community.
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United Way in Ottawa County creates lasting change by addressing the underlying causes of the most significant local issues and by bringing together a broad range of financial and human resources. United Way supports community services that are accountable for delivering measurable results and advancing the common good.
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