DONATE
VOLUNTEER

Engaging Our Community to Address Critical Issues

The critical issues we face in central Iowa are like complex puzzles. Puzzles have many pieces, every piece is interconnected and impacted by the others, but most importantly — complex puzzles are better solved when everyone works together.
 
Critical community challenges do not happen in a silo; they send ripples across the community that impact every aspect of central Iowans’ lives. These challenges are larger than any one individual or any one organization. Working independently, unaware of what others are doing, can lead to missed opportunities for collaboration and impact.
 
United Way of Central Iowa holds a unique role in our community as a convener, engaging every voice in our community to empower all. Central Iowa looks to United Way to bring everyone together, find alignment to address an issue, identify strategies, and execute collectively on those strategies.
 

Increasing Food Security

Central Iowa is at a critical juncture with record high
utilization of our food security network. In 2023, 1 in 4
central Iowans visited a food pantry, and of those visitors
most are a part of central Iowa’s essential workforce. It is
imperative that the community works collaboratively to
ensure the needs of all central Iowans are met in an
equitable, dignified, and respectful manner.
 

Creating Youth Opportunities

Recent school shootings in central Iowa brought the
issue of youth violence to the forefront in our community.
Experts agree that youth disengagement (not being
enrolled in school or being under-employed) can be a
determining factor in contributing to youth violence.
Youth engagement has been declining in central Iowa.
 

Addressing Childcare Capacity

Childcare is a critical workforce support and essential for children's healthy development. Access to safe, affordable, quality childcare for working families can enable them to have stable jobs and secure a living wage. This, in turn, affects their family's access to healthcare, ability to obtain affordable housing, and their children's academic success. 
 

UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL IOWA
1111 9TH ST  •  Suite 100
Des Moines, IA 50314
(515) 246-6500   •   contactus@unitedwaydm.org

Need Help? Dial 2-1-1

211 Iowa - Get Connected, Get Help
 

 

 

Charity Navigator four star rated charity badgeUnited Way of Central Iowa is proud to have earned a four-star rating for 18 straight years from Charity Navigator, an American independent charity watchdog organization that evaluates charitable organizations in the United States. This record places United Way of Central Iowa in the top 1 percent of charities nationwide. Click the logo to review our complete evaluation.

candid-seal-platinum-2024United Way of Central Iowa has received a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, the world's largest source of information on nonprofit organizations. The seal is given to nonprofits who have achieved the highest level of transparency through disclosures, information made available to the public, and accuracy and frequency of updates. Click the logo to learn more.

© 2024 United Way of Central Iowa. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy Policy