Lake Area United Way, Inc.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
After 18 months of intensive research which included community convening, data review and analysis, the Lake Area United Way board voted unanimously to focus on the issue of ALICE households in Lake County. ALICE, a United Way acronym, represents the growing number of individuals and families who are working, but are unable to afford basic necessities of housing, food, child care, health care, and transportation. In Lake County, ALICE represents 1 in 4 households. These individuals and families are faced with difficult choices daily. Put food on the table or gas in the car? Take a sick child to the doctor or pay the utility bill? We believe that these are hard choices that no working family should have to make. Utilizing the collective impact approach, Lake Area United Way intends on tackling the root cause of struggling working families in Lake County. To do this, we have developed a five year implementation plan.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Community Fundraising
Service List: Funding/Fundraising Information and Referral
Resource Round Up App
An interactive app designed for Struggling Working Families, Resource Round Up connects families to community resources, programs, and supports for which they are eligible. Families can also search and connect to quality child care providers and receive direct text message alerts to their mobile devices to inform them of new community programs and resources.
United For Families Network
United Way's coalition of non-profits, faith based organizations, and government entities that share a common mission of supporting Struggling Working Families. United For Families convenes providers on a regular basis, provides a vehicle for ongoing and consistent communication among providers, serves as a catalyst for cross-sector collaboration, and encourages better coordination of efforts among providers.
Volunteer Lake County!
Creates opportunities for people to volunteer, learn, and lead in their communities. We strive to provides volunteers with a high-quality experience that fuels further actions, and we envision a day when everyone is inspired and equipped to be the change they want to see in the world. Volunteers can connect to local service opportunities through our online volunteer center, www.volunteerlakecounty.org.
Companies can encourage employee volunteerism through customized online portals where they can post service opportunities and track how employees are giving back.
FamilyWize
Prescription Savings Card is free to everyone and easy to use with no registration or eligibility criteria. FamilyWize applies to all FDA approved prescription medications and saves and average of 43%.
Level Up
Level Up is a pilot program designed to provide ALICE families with information and referrals for services including job skills training, scholarships, basic needs supports, mental health resources, and one-on-one support from a Family Career Navigator. The Family Career Navigator helps the participants create goals and then walks with them along the path to self-sufficiency. Participants take place in monthly meetings where they can network with other members of the program as well as hear from content experts on things like resume writing, interview skills, self-care, financial planning, etc.
NWI COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund
The NWI COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund launched on March 18, 2020, to help ensure individuals, children and families in need are supported during this pandemic. Lake Area United Way and a coalition of partners are working with the human services sector to identify these immediate needs and make emergency funds available to organizations working directly with vulnerable populations.
The coronavirus is not just a health crisis. It’s an economic crisis, and the depth and magnitude of its spread is uncertain. At Lake Area United Way, we are committed to keeping you up-to-date on the unprecedented effort to help our most vulnerable populations during this crisis.
Charity Tracker
Charity Tracker provides non-profits and faith based organizations a universal, shared, web-based database to gather and report statistical information on individuals and families served. Benefits include: reduces duplication of services, maximizes existing resources, makes the application process easier for individuals and families, provides organizations with real time data.
ALICE Jobs Work Group
In Lake County, ALICE represents 1 in 4 households. These individuals and families are faced with difficult choices daily. Put food on the table or gas in the car? Take a sick child to the doctor or pay the utility bill? We believe that these are hard choices that no working family should have to make. Utilizing the collective impact approach, Lake Area United Way intends on tackling the root cause of struggling working families in Lake County.
After much research and evaluating of community needs, Lake Area United Way came to the conclusion that a focused effort should be made around the issue of jobs for ALICE families. We are working on developing strategies to help these families improve job skills and educational opportunities so that they can find employment in jobs that will lift them out of the ALICE classification. We are creating a collation of community organizations that can help us develop these strategies and make sure they are successful.
ALICE Families Child Care Work Group
In Lake County, ALICE represents 1 in 4 households. These individuals and families are faced with difficult choices daily. Put food on the table or gas in the car? Take a sick child to the doctor or pay the utility bill? We believe that these are hard choices that no working family should have to make. Utilizing the collective impact approach, Lake Area United Way intends on tackling the root cause of struggling working families in Lake County.
For many families in Lake County finding quality, affordable child care can be difficult. Many ALICE families in particular face difficult choices in order to afford care. Lake Area United Way is putting together a coalition of community groups to work on creating and implement strategies to help ALICE families access affordable, quality child care.
Where we work
External reviews
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
In 2015, Lake Area United Way embarked on a three year process to transition to a community impact business model. In this new model, our organization is taking a laser like focus to complex social issues negatively impacting the community. Utilizing collective impact, LAUW will serve as a backbone organization convening a diverse group of stakeholders to address the root cause of community issues.
Collective impact is a framework to tackle deeply entrenched and complex social problems. It is an innovative and structured approach to making collaboration work across government, business, philanthropy, faith based, non-profit organizations and citizens to achieve significant and lasting social change.
As a backbone organization, Lake Area United Way will guide the collective group in developing vision and strategy, support aligned activities, establish shared measurement practices, build public will, advance policy, and mobilize funding.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Outcome A: United for Families Network expands representation and participation of the faith based sector and major ALICE employers.
Outcome B: United for Families Network members actively participate and engage in network activities.
Outcome C: Charity Tracker participants are amenable to changing how services are delivered to ALICE households
Outcome D: ALICE households benefit from Charity Tracker Referrals
Outcome E: Work Groups identify and recommend common goals and strategies for LAUW investment in child care and jobs as well as key performance indicators and action plans.
Outcome F: A “community of care” is established and providers take a holistic approach to serving ALICE households.
Outcome G: ALICE households have increased access to essential programs and services
Outcome H: A collective approach is taken to address systemic issues impacting ALICE households.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Lake Area United Way is uniquely positioned to implement Charity Tracker and the United for Families Network due to our proven track record of serving as a community convener and collaboration builder. Over the course of our organization's history, we have developed long lasting relationships with local nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government partners. In previous endeavors, Lake Area United Way has leveraged these relationships to drive collaborations that have impacted significant issues in our community such as early childhood education. We are also members of FSG's Collective Impact Community of Practice which as provided our organization with access to more than 200 national funders that are active practitioners in the collective impact movement.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Utilizing the collective impact approach, Lake Area United Way intends on tackling the root cause of struggling working families in Lake County. To do this, we have developed a five year implementation plan. Phase I and II of the plan have been successfully completed. The priority focus areas of need are Child Care and Jobs. LAUW has formed and is facilitating cross-sector Work Groups who will help LAUW determine the scope of each group, develop strategies for impact around child care and jobs, and drive implementation of those strategies. Lake Area United Way has also created the United for Families Network (UFFN). UFFN is the coalition of social service agencies, government entities, and faith based organizations that deliver services to ALICE households established in 2016 and cultivated in 2017 and 2018. To date, more than $4.5 million of assistance has been provided to households in Lake County by the participating organizations using CharityTracker.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Lake Area United Way, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 06/05/2020
Mr. Chris White
The Times Media Company
Term: 2019 - 2020
Michael J. Jasaitis
Austgen Kuiper Jasaitis P.C.
Marijo Dluzak
Dluzak & Associates, Inc.
Louie Gonzalez
Ivy Tech Community College
Julian Marsh
Gary Housing Authority
Aaron McDermott
Latitude Co.
Marisa Smoljan
McMahon & Associates CPAs, P.C.
Evelyn Morrison
Methodist Hospitals
Allen Spajer
Frank Mrvan
North Township Trustee
Desila Rosetti
Organizational Development Solutions, Inc.
Christopher White
The Times Media Company
Matt Saltanovitz
Indiana Economic Development Corp.
James R. Dye
JWD Management, Inc.
Tom McDermott, Sr.
Michael Schneider
First Financial Bank
Jeff Strack
Strack & Van Til LLC
Phil Taillon
City of Hammond
Leo Correa
St. Catherine Hospital
Jennifer Montague
NIPSCO
Michael Wortham
BP America, Inc.
Sherri Ziller
Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
No data
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data