United Way of Danville Area
Improving lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities to advance the common good.
Education. Health. Financial Stability.
United Way of Danville Area seeks to reduce poverty by:
Engaging families and connecting them with resources to better prepare their children for success in school and later throughout life.
Promoting a healthy community and ensuring that everyone has access to the food, physical and mental health services they need.
Providing crisis support, emergency services, homelessness prevention, and job training to lead to family sustaining financial security.
These goals are ambitious, but with your help, and committed partners and a collective will for success, we can achieve them.
For more than 96 years, the United Way of Danville Area serving Vermilion County, Illinois and Fountain and Warren Counties in Indiana has responded to the needs of our local communities while simultaneously addressing the root causes of key issues. We do this by inspiring and uniting the power of individuals, the business community, and the public and nonprofit sectors around common goals. Together, we’re able to drive real impact in our neighborhoods, our communities, and our region. We know that by improving access to quality education, good health and building family sustaining financial stability we can help all thrive.
Education
Education is the cornerstone of individual and community success. But with more than 1.2 million children dropping out each year nationwide, America faces an education crisis. The cost? More than $312 billion in lost wages, taxes and productivity over their lifetimes. These trends are reversible, when communities and public, private and nonprofit sectors work together. United Way of Danville Area believes we must go upstream and start educating when children are young, engaging parents, grandparents, and caregivers, nurturing a love of life-long learning for all.
Our strategy is to engage parents, schools, businesses, and local government to work together to help parents prepare their children for successful school and life; to help provide homework assistance, youth mentors, leadership development, and substance abuse resistance training for youth; and to provide job training and continuous education for adults in the workforce.
Whether it is a neighbor without adequate food, health insurance, a victim of abuse, someone struggling with mental illness or an addiction, or many other issues that negatively affect health, United Way of Danville Area works to ensure that everyone has opportunities to get the help they need. One way is through providing our 2-1-1 call center for help, which is a 24/7 free, confidential number that people can call to be connected and get answers for their needs. We partner with businesses, health care providers, government entities, and community leaders to achieve measurable lasting positive impact on people's lives and health.
Achieving our goals requires us all to become more aware of health risks and the potential effects they have on ourselves and others, starting from before birth. Working together with others whose goals and missions intersect with ours - City and County government, businesses, schools, churches, neighborhoods, and others - we can combine our assets and achieve a healthier community. We offer Single Care prescription discount cards that have enabled local residents to save over $650,000 on prescriptions since we began distributing them in 2006. Local pharmacies are strong partners in this success, by making discounts available at their costs. We invest in programs that teach prevention of drug and alcohol abuse and encourage other healthy behaviors as well. We partner with others to combat gun violence and obesity in our communities, in particular with the partners involved in the Community Health Improvement Plan: Vermilion County Health Department, OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center, and Carle Foundation Hospital.
Health
Financial Stability
Financial stability is the bedrock of thriving individuals and communities. Yet, many face barriers to achieving economic security. In the United States, millions struggle with financial hardships, which not only affect individuals but also the entire community. United Way of Danville Area is committed to reversing these trends by empowering individuals with the tools and resources they need to achieve financial stability and upward mobility.
We believe in providing access to essential services and comprehensive support systems to help individuals build financial resilience. Through job training, coaching, credit counseling, and money management programs, we equip individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate today’s complex financial landscape and build a better future for themselves and their families.
Our strategy is to collaborate with local organizations, businesses, and government agencies to create pathways to economic success. We support initiatives that offer in-person and online resources, ensuring that individuals of all ages and backgrounds have access to the tools they need to thrive financially.
Education happens within the context of a larger community. Our approach extends beyond the school to help ensure students have the necessary support to do their best learning.
"The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others."
— Albert Schweitzer