Community Matters

Achieving Community Impact

Community Impact means improving lives by mobilizing communities to create sustained changes in community conditions. Here is a snapshot of positive impact made possible when people come together to make a difference. There are countless other examples of impactful programs. These illustrate the challenges, the Triangle United Way approach, the community impact and the commitment made by caring donors and organizations to build a brighter future.

Click on the other Impact Areas listed below to learn more about each area.

Nurturing Our Very Young Children

Community Challenge: There are 45,203 children under six years of age in the Triangle in families in which all parents work.

Over 2500 families in the Triangle with children under five years of age live in poverty. The annual cost of high quality childcare ($9,864) is nearly 4 times the cost of tuition at UNC ($2,314). (Source: U.S. Census, 2000)

Approach to Success: Increased access to high quality early childhood education and development services, especially for low-income families and children with special needs.

More support for behavioral, emotional and social problems.

Bilingual services for Spanish speaking families.

Our Impact: 95% (405) of the children participating in high quality childcare centers receiving funds from the Triangle United Way increased their skill level.

This indicates that these children are more prepared to enter kindergarten.

Our Future Commitment: More children in high quality childcare

Strengthening Our Families

Community Challenge: Every 2 hours a child in the Triangle is reported to be abused or neglected. One in four women is a victim of domestic violence.(Source: Interact and the NC Child Advocacy Institute)

Approach to Success: Increased support services to prevent domestic violence, child abuse or neglect.

Greater access to coordinated services to ensure stability.

Increased access to family services for minority families, especially our growing population of Hispanic families.

Our Impact: Over 4,700 families sought counseling or parent education from Triangle United Way agencies.

Almost 90% of these families reported that they learned a new skill that will help them cope with life challenges.

This indicates that these children are more prepared to enter kindergarten.

Our Future Commitment: More families living in stable households free of abuse and neglect.

Access to Health Care

Community Challenge: Minorities, particularly African-Americans and Hispanics, lag behind Whites in access to health services.

Access and quality of health care services, especially services that are designed to promote and maintain good health, contribute to improved population health status.

Most of the uninsured in NC are minorities. (Source: DHHS, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities)

Approach to Success: Increased access to health services for minorities especially Hispanic/Latinos.

Greater access to health services for people who are uninsured.

Better physical, mental, and substance abuse services.

Our Impact: Of the 5,732 individuals who participated in Triangle United Way programs to help them access health care, 96% (5,501 people) reported improvement in their health status.

Our Future Commitment: Improved healthy lifestyles, especially for ethnic minority populations and the uninsured.

Investing in Our Youth

Community Challenge: According to the NC Department of Public Instruction, 1,672 youth dropped out of school in 2001-02.

Most the juvenile crime occurs during the week between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Approach to Success: Increased opportunities for success in school.

Increased educational enrichment and supports services, such as tutoring and youth development programs.

Accessible bilingual services for Spanish speaking youth.

Our Impact: Seven Triangle United Way agencies in Durham, Orange and Wake counties operate 10 programs with a specific focus on academic improvement through homework assistance, tutoring and mentor relationships. Of the 1,643 young people who participated in these programs last year, 45 percent (746 youth) improved their academic performance.

Our Future Commitment: Increased school performance rates.

Enriching the Lives of Our Seniors

Community Challenge: Almost 63,000 seniors in the Triangle are living with disabilities that may prevent them from living independently without support.(Source: US Census, 2000)

Approach to Success: Equitable access to quality services.

Support and services for their caregivers.

Support that reduces isolation within the community.

The ability to reside in their choice of location as long as possible.

Our Impact: Nearly 2,000 seniors living in the Triangle maintained independent lifestyles by utilizing supplemental meal programs delivered by three United Way-funded programs.

Our Future Commitment: Increased access to services for Seniors that encourage independence.

Meeting Basic Needs

Community Challenge: In 2003, of the 2,063 people who are homeless in Durham, Orange and Wake counties, 22 percent of were chronically homeless, meaning homeless for an extended period of time.

This percentage is double the national average. (Source: Durham, Orange, and Wake Point in Time Surveys, 2003)

Approach to Success: Access to food, clothing, shelter and tools for independence in a caring environment.

Coordinated systems of care to reduce red tape and improve delivery of services.

Information, support and resources to help them help themselves.

Our Impact: More than 24,300 households in the Triangle turned to United Way agencies to help them avoid homelessness with short-term emergency assistance and 372 homeless people have secured permanent affordable housing through these programs.

Our Future Commitment: Reduced proportion of people who are homeless.