Blog

July 12, 2021

  How you’re Helping Here through United Way   This July looks very different than last July. Busch Stadium is open, and we’re able to watch the Cardinals play. Friends and family are finally able to come together. The community we all love so dearly is opening back up.   That love for our Missouri […]

June 18, 2021

  How our community is creating new safe spaces for children to learn   Last summer, we worked with our safety net nonprofits to create safe places for children, so

June 17, 2021

  7 Ways You Can Help Your Community this Summer   Making your summer to-do list? Don’t forget to add volunteering!   Volunteering is a great way to help right here in the St. Louis community by building capacity for local nonprofits and deepening their impact. And, this year, volunteering is more important than ever […]

May 14, 2021

  Breaking down big vaccine barriers: Access to transportation   Access to safe, reliable transportation is a major barrier that many of our neighbors face every day, and it’s one of the top reasons people miss medical appointments. COVID-19 has amplified these challenges in accessing care, including the COVID-19 vaccine.   Thanks to a unique, […]

  Five tips to support a loved one’s mental health   At more than a year into the COVID-19 crisis, our community is still facing incredible challenges that are impacting our neighbors’ mental health. United Way and our partner nonprofits have seen it firsthand.   “We are hearing about increases in anxiety, lower moods, and […]

  Our mental health check-in checklist   May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to lift up the importance of maintaining mental health – and the perfect time to check in on how you’re doing.   Our safety net nonprofit partners know that taking care of our mental health is one of the most […]

May 13, 2021

  A Man’s Best Friend: Duo’s K9 Bridge 4 Heroes   Mental health affects all aspects of a person’s life – from how they think and feel to how they make choices or relate to others.   Rates of mental health conditions have been increasing for years, and our strong network of local organizations is […]

May 10, 2021

  Our youth need mentors to lead by lifting By Michelle Tucker, President and CEO of United Way of Greater St. Louis The following blog post originally ran in the St. Louis American   In the St. Louis region, nearly 1 in 5 kids live in poverty, according to United Way’s recent Community Needs Assessment […]

  NEWS RELEASE United Way Food Drive to Help Southwest Illinois Residents Facing Hunger   ST. LOUIS (May 10, 2021) — United Way of Greater St. Louis’ Illinois Division will host a food drive beginning May 10 and running through June 1 to help local people facing food insecurity. The food drive is aimed at […]

May 6, 2021

  How United Way is improving health in the St. Louis community   Many of our neighbors in the St. Louis region face barriers in navigating the healthcare system and finding the help they need to thrive – and it’s putting local people at risk.   “High costs of care, being uninsured or underinsured, or […]

  United Way Partner Nonprofit Helped Support Her During Her Formative Years   From the time Trisha Gordon* was born, the odds were stacked against her.   She was born prematurely at 24 weeks, with underdeveloped organs, including her brain and lungs. Doctors told her parents she had a noticeably short life expectancy. Trisha was […]

April 15, 2021

  How United Way invests in the St. Louis region’s financial stability   Rose’s* journey toward financial empowerment started when her family was at a crossroads.   Their landlord asked her family to move so that the landlord could move back into the house. Rose had a steady job cleaning houses, but she had no […]

April 1, 2021

  The Four Ways You’re Helping Here in the St. Louis Region   As a community, we are all interconnected. Each of our actions impacts others. We rely on each other to thrive, and when one of us is helped, we are all lifted.   That means that you – yes, you – are an […]

March 12, 2021

    Three ways United Way fosters learning   The world is full of new and exciting things to learn, especially for kids. But, for some, access to resources, tools, and supports are limited, which causes barriers to learning.   Children make up about 23% of the U.S. population, and less than half of Missouri […]

February 10, 2021

  NEWS RELEASE Agencies receive more than $46,000 to address the digital divide   ST. LOUIS (January 21, 2021) — United Way of Greater St. Louis recently awarded 10 one-time grants totaling $46,914 to local nonprofits, community agencies and faith-based organizations working to bridge the digital divide in the St. Louis region. In total, the […]

February 8, 2021

  United Way 2-1-1 to the Rescue! Mike’s Story Mike’s father-in-law had an urgent need, and thanks to United Way 2-1-1, he was able to get it addressed.   Last year, Mike’s father-in-law, John, experienced a significant decline in health. So much so that he required a wheelchair to leave home. Unfortunately, his house contains […]

  United Way 2-1-1 Got Mary Back On Her Feet After grief and homelessness, Mary* was able to find resources through a friendly United Way 2-1-1 operator.   Several years ago, Mary lost a family member and had lost the extra support she was receiving to care for another family member. She was unable to […]

    Just a call, click or text away – and ready for anything United Way 2-1-1 is the crucial tool that our community needs to help local people navigate new and ongoing challenges. With a database of more than 24,000 programs and services throughout Missouri and Southwest Illinois, 2-1-1 connects local people with free, […]

January 19, 2021

    Paving the path to stability – together   For young adults, a career in a high-demand industry can pave the road to financial stability. But those facing barriers such as poverty, instability at home or lack of access to critical resources experience additional challenges in a new job.   United Way safety net […]

January 11, 2021

  Agencies receive $130,000 to help East St. Louis area youth   ST. LOUIS (January 11, 2021) — United Way of Greater St. Louis awarded 10 one-time community enhancement and COVID-19 response grants totaling $130,000 to local nonprofits, community agencies and faith-based organizations that provide programs and services to youth in the Greater East St. […]

November 12, 2020

    Volunteer as a board member at a nonprofit you believe in   The following blog post originally ran in the St. Louis American.   Joining the governance board of a local nonprofit can be one of the best ways to make a significant impact in our community. Although it’s been more than a […]

November 5, 2020

    How United Way’s network is helping during COVID-19   For far too many families across the region, they’re forced to choose between paying for a hot meal for the family or rent to keep their home. A needed medication or filling up the car to drive to work.   People across the St. […]

November 4, 2020

    United Way and Labor movement unite to support Southwest Illinois community   The following blog post originally ran in the Edwardsville Intelligencer.   United Way and organized labor first teamed up when our community and nation needed it: in 1941, when the world was at war.   Now, almost 80 years later, […]

October 15, 2020

    How United Way equips nonprofits to serve our region   Our region is only as strong as our local nonprofits. These organizations feed, shelter, educate, inspire and engage 1 in 5 people each year. They lay a strong foundation for all of us to meet our everyday needs, as well as recover from […]

October 9, 2020

Four reasons giving back gives careers a boost   It’s no secret – employees just entering the workplace, including millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) and Gen Z (those born after 1997), are the future of our business community and our region. These two groups will make up 58% of the workforce by 2030, […]

July 14, 2020

    United Way steps up to help St. Louis during COVID-19   In early March, all of our lives changed when the COVID-19 crisis started to impact the U.S. As the way we live and work shifted, we knew we were going to need to step up for our community in a big way. […]

July 13, 2020

    Go behind the scenes of our community’s disaster response By Regina Greer   In the wake of a disaster, every hour, every resource matters to move from crisis to recovery.   When disaster strikes, hundreds or even thousands of survivors need help with anything from cleanup to counseling, from food to housing support. Hundreds of nonprofits step forward to offer […]

June 10, 2020

  United Way of Greater St. Louis awards $720,000 in COVID-19 Response grants Organization has invested more than $1.2 million into local nonprofits since crisis began in March   ST. LOUIS (June 8, 2020) – United Way of Greater St. Louis today announced it has awarded 50 nonprofits with response grants totaling $720,000 to address […]

June 5, 2020

  Economic Impact Payments are being sent to millions of Americans to help during this economic and health crisis. Over 2 million people in Missouri and 4.8 million in Illinois will receive an Economic Impact Payment.   But you may be wondering: what should you do when you get your payment? The answer will be […]

May 19, 2020

    Supporting essential workers   From healthcare workers to grocery store employees to bus drivers, essential workers are keeping our region safe and healthy right now. But with kids home from school and many childcare facilities closed, parents need a safe place to send their children so they can continue to work.   With […]