United Way of Pioneer Valley, Inc.

For more than 95 years, United Way of Pioneer Valley has held a reputation as our community's fundraiser. But United Way doesn't just raise money; today's United Way is a focused, results-driven system that works year-round to change community conditions and create lasting solutions. We are impacting our community today and building the foundation for tomorrow. Through strong partnerships with volunteers, local businesses, government and nonprofit organizations, United Way accomplishes what no one can do alone.

Accountability — Transparency and fairness in all our relationships that instills the highest level of public trust in our effort
Creativity — Continuous improvement and innovative approaches to improving community conditions
Diversity — The dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every individual
Excellence — Providing the highest quality of service to achieve our goals with clear and measurable outcomes
Relevance — Clear identification of our value to the community using data driven and community engagement strategies to guide our work

For more than 95 years, United Way of Pioneer Valley has held a reputation as our community's fundraiser. We bring together non-profits, businesses, governmental agencies, and municipal departments to address common issues. Examples include: Thrive Financial Success Centers and Holyoke Early Learning Initiative. We provide support for complex systems, such as extensive guidance from a professional evaluator for grantees and volunteer program management/engagement for corporations. We assist non-profits to enhance their operations so they can better serve their clients, forexample: Evaluation preparation for Education/Health grants, Americorps VISTA member support for the regional Addiction Task Forces. We can accept and leverage funding from public and private sources outside the region—such as Department of Housing and Community Development and Federal Emergency Management Agency— to support local services.

Here are just a few of our tangible results:

52,000 people in Hampden County do not use mainstream banks or credit unions, so United Way of Pioneer Valley convened the Financial Stability Network- comprised of non-profits, banks, and quasi-governmental agencies- to promote financial literacy, and strengthen linkages among providers to better serve those residents
1,061 people attended United Way of Pioneer Valley supported Financial Literacy classes last year in the Springfield area; participants in these programs showed an average of a 20% annual increase in their credit scores.
150 Pioneer Valley families had heat in their homes during the frigid Winter because United Way of Pioneer Valley's Warming Hearts campaign raised $60,000 for fuel assistance.
80% of their students improved their grades, attendance, and graduation rates because United Way of Pioneer Valley supports the Mass Mentoring Partnership, which provides quality training and resources for 11 mentoring programs in Hampden County, serving more than 600 students. In addition to grades, attendance, and graduation rates, mentoring helped these students develop a sense of connectedness in their community.
5,330 low to moderate income taxpayers received free tax assistance from 66 IRS-trained VITA volunteers because United Way of Pioneer Valley brought two local agencies together to coordinate efforts for the Volunteers in Tax Assistance (VITA) program. More than $2.5 million in tax credits were recirculated into the local economy, and more than $4.5 million was received in refunds by low income taxpayers.
257 Springfield Public School students increased their attendance last year because United Way of Pioneer Valley launched Stay in School, a partnership with the Springfield Public Schools Department that underscored the connection between establishing good attendance habits, improving high school graduation rates, and preparing students for job training and career options.