UNITED WAY OF MONROE COUNTY INC

The Financial Stability Alliance (FSA) is a cohesive network that aims to increase the financial stability of residents in south-central Indiana. The group was formed as a collective network led by United Way. The alliance advocates for policies and changes that will improve people’s financial lives; strengthens its members through development opportunities and sharing best practices; and measuring collective results, including the status of financial stability in the region. ​

​Many individuals in our community are one unexpected event away from experiencing a financial crisis. Residents struggle to pay bills, have little to no savings, and must make tough choices such as deciding between quality childcare or paying rent. There are many services that individuals have access to for help but it can be difficult and time-consuming to access the resources they need. By collaborating closely as a cohesive network, we can improve the overall system and delivery of financial stability.

Local financial institutions and community partners are collaborating to help residents access mainstream financial services and financial education. Residents who have never had a bank account or have had difficulties in the past are finding that many traditional barriers have been reduced or eliminated. These can include minimum balance requirements, past unpaid overdraft charges, or lack of a U.S. driver's license or state-issued identification. To learn more, visit www.monroeunitedway.org/bob.

The Free Community Tax Service helps residents file their federal and Indiana tax returns for free and claim the Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC), if eligible. United Way partners with several local organizations to help local residents retain more of their earnings.

In the 2023 tax season, the Free Community Tax Service program brought together 54 volunteers to help local residents file 865 federal returns, saving clients as much as $395,305 in tax preparation fees and bringing back more than $980,004 in refunds and credits. United Way managed 7 full-service tax sites, and AARP managed 2 sites. Clients reported using those funds and the $172,562 in EITC to pay for food, clothing, bills, and rent, and to put toward savings. 115 filers received EITC. Working families received $209,308 in child tax credits. The Free Community Tax Service helps many seniors in our community, who make up about 67% of the clientele.

https://www.monroeunitedway.org/FreeTaxes

Every fall, before the winter heating season, United Way bring representatives from local utilities together with social services providers to provide current information about cost-saving programs geared at low- and moderate-income customers. For current information, visit www.monroeunitedway.org/UtilityAssistance.

Community Organizations Active in Disaster for Monroe County (MoCOAD) helps people rebuild after a community disaster. The MoCOAD network is composed of representatives from business, faith groups, local government, and non-profit agencies. MoCOAD helps our community mitigate, prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from large-scale disasters.

With your help, United Way of Monroe County is creating long-lasting regional change by addressing underlying challenges facing fellow community members.

The Community Action Fund (CAF) aims to eliminate inequities experienced by low-income and under-resourced populations so that everyone can experience a safe, healthy home environment, achieve educational potential, and increase financial stability.

The CAF provides flexible funds that create immediate good and can also act as matching funds to bring state, federal, and private grants into our community.

Funded programs focus on empowering individuals, communities, and the safety net. Guided by community needs data and our strategic plan, the Community Impact Committee determines where donated monies will have the greatest impact.

Funded programs are carefully reviewed, adhere to an inclusive non-discrimination policy, and meet standards of nonprofit efficiency, effectiveness, governance, and transparency.

Parents and caregivers in south-central Indiana can access child development information, local resources, expert tips, and games at their fingertips. United Way of Monroe County is teaming up with Bright by Text, a national parent texting program, to send free messages to caregivers of children from prenatal to age 8.

Available in English and Spanish, messages are customized to a child's age to support early development, literacy, language, health, and safety.

To sign up, text SCIKIDS to 274448. Enrollees will receive 2 to 4 supportive text messages per week. There is no cost to enroll, but data and message rates may apply depending on the phone provider service plan.

Bright by Text partners with experts like PBS, Vroom, Sesame Street, CDC, and others to develop content. Messages also include information specific to south-central Indiana, like digital library resources, food pantries, and preschool open enrollment periods.

Visit www.monroeunitedway.org/brightbytext.

Launched in 2021, Heading Home of South Central Indiana is a community-wide collaboration based within United Way of Monroe County in partnership with the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County that is working to strengthen housing security and decrease homelessness in the region including Monroe, Morgan, Lawrence, Owen, Greene, and Martin counties.

The work is guided by the community-developed Heading Home Plan, which identifies system-level issues that can be improved to eliminate barriers to housing or expedite access. The plan is grounded in the concept of Housing First, which stresses the need for secure housing before other issues can be addressed.

Additional partners include the South Central Housing Network, the City of Bloomington, Monroe County Government, and other community organizations.

https://headinghomeindiana.org

United Way, along with the Financial Stability Alliance, is offering free financial coaching for local people in Monroe, Owen, and Greene counties.

Participants work one-on-one with a financial coach who helps create personalized goals and then they systematically work towards achieving them.

On average, participants pay off $2,500 in debt and save over $2,000, all while increasing their financial confidence. These savings have allowed participants to weather medical bills, improve their credit score, qualify for a mortgage, make costly home repairs, and in some cases, avoid eviction.

Visit www.monroeunitedway.org/FinancialCoaching to find out more about enrollment. This program is free to participants thanks to generous support from German American Bank. If you are an employer who would like to offer this benefit to your employees, contact [email protected].