United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut Inc.

United Way of Western CT has spent the last several years focusing on the sustainability of households living paycheck-to-paycheck that we call ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). Research conducted in partnership with Rutgers University indicates that more than one in three of our Connecticut neighbors live at or below a basic cost of living threshold or in poverty. These families and individuals deserve more. They work hard, contribute in meaningful ways to our communities, and raise their families in our neighborhoods. Without targeted, smart interventions, these households risk sliding into poverty.

To achieve a stronger community, it is essential that together we create an environment where individuals and families are self-sufficient and can achieve financial independence. United Way is targeting funds with the focused purpose of helping these struggling households. We are finding innovative solutions that go beyond anything we have done in the past.

Through a multifaceted approach, we are working to address the immediate needs of ALICE® households through our food accessibility and basic needs work. We are helping to build the financial stability of ALICE households by offering them financial literacy programs, personalized budget coaching and access to unique savings incentives. And, we will break the cycle of poverty by supporting the educational needs of children and adolescents from cradle to career.

United Way is an objective convener and funder around issues challenging hard-working, struggling individuals and families in our communities. We have a pulse on the community's needs with regard to education, financial stability and health of our residents.

We do what no other nonprofit does: we bring together the people and resources to solve the complex problems that no one organization can solve alone. United Way is uniquely positioned to unify the collective resources of the business community, government, nonprofits, community leaders and donors to address the critical needs of our community.

Without United Way's strategic vision and leadership around the ALICE population, the work that we are performing would not otherwise have come to be.

United Way is the most efficient, transparent organization that you can support. Between volunteer time, in-kind resources, and leveraged partnerships, United Way multiplies the value of each gift exponentially to accomplish the greatest impact in the community. United Way mobilizes nearly 1,500 volunteers on the ground locally each year.

We have made great progress. We have expanded our Financial Opportunity Center which provides budget coaching and financial literacy support to ALICE households. We have launched a matched savings, asset-building initiative to help families begin to save for emergencies. We made major investments in the area of food insecurity, partnering with the CT Food Bank to bring monthly Mobile Food Pantries to our three largest communities - Danbury, Stamford and New Milford. We have expanded our support of early childhood slots and invested in afterschool and enrichment activities for ALICE households. We also serve as the backbone organization for the Stamford Cradle to Career collective impact initiative aimed at eliminating the achievement gap in Stamford, CT.