2016
UNITED WAY OF GREATER ROCHESTER
UNITING THE GOOD WILL AND RESOURCES
of the
GREATER ROCHESTER COMMUNITY SO THAT EVERYONE CAN THRIVE.
CONTENTS
Introduction
2 Community Impact
Community Fund
3-8
R
ochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative at United Way
9-10
Ways to Give
11
Leadership Giving
12
Get Involved
13
2 | INTRODUCTION
A CENTURY OF COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY
United Way of Greater Rochester’s mission is to unite the good will and resources of the
Greater Rochester community so that everyone can thrive. United Way addresses critical
challenges by connecting local people in need with evidence-based programs, strategic
funding investments, community initiatives, volunteer support and community leadership
to direct resources and solve problems.
Rochester is one of the most generous and caring communities in America. We work together
to create real, meaningful impact for the most vulnerable members of our community.
United Way is leading this charge with the support of donors, our business community,
local leaders, program service providers, volunteers and community members.
Looking Back
Nearly 100 years ago, George Eastman and local leaders created what we know today as United Way of Greater Rochester. In 1918, our community’s War Chest brought together many different agencies that were doing similar
work to share in one large appeal to help people in need.
While our role in the community has changed throughout the years, the legacy continues on: United Way brings together the resources of thousands of individuals and organizations to make a difference for local people in need.
Looking Forward
United Way’s vision is to unite a community where diverse organizations and individuals
share their strengths to drive sustainable change that advances the common good. We
will continue to build on our foundation of community generosity coupled with strategic
partnerships and program investments to improve lives across our community.
The organization is also emerging as a community convener at a time when Greater Rochester is evolving and reinventing itself. United Way sits at the center of the private,
public, philanthropic and not-for-profit sectors. It is uniquely positioned to bring everyone
together to build true community impact solutions that address our most devastating
community challenges like poverty, abuse, neglect, failing students, struggling elders,
hunger and more.
GET INVOLVED
JOIN US IN MAKING OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE!
3 | COMMUNITY IMPACT | Community Fund
THE COMMUNITY FUND
United Way Community Fund investments focus on prevention and the
application of best practices to create a significant impact for local people
in need. Community Fund programs provide a regional network of support
services and safety nets to help people across all walks of life and levels of
need. As the Community Fund grows, so will United Way’s ability to move
the needle on solutions to our community’s most critical challenges.
Poverty is consistently at the center of Greater Rochester’s most “wicked
problems.” As our community works together to combat the devastating
effects of poverty on families and individuals, resources and the local
economy, United Way’s community impact efforts support programs and services that impact existing and emerging needs so that everyone can thrive.
Tens of thousands of local people donate millions of dollars each year to
the Community Fund. 92 cents of every contributed dollar is used to meet
community needs. These gifts allow United Way to make a lasting impact
of change and improvement for our community today, and for generations
to come.
“WICKED PROBLEMS”
Complex challenges for which neither the problem nor the solution is clear or stable. Wicked problems in Rochester are often interconnected, for example issues related to poverty, education and the largest generation of our time entering retirement.
UNITED WAY’S INVESTMENT PROCESS
United Way revised its investment approach in 2008 to better address community needs through a focused,
strategic funding process. The organization convened hundreds of community members, subject matter experts,
community investment volunteers, service providers, people impacted by poverty and those needing services to
provide insight about Greater Rochester’s most daunting health and human service issues.
Community input focused on four major areas of impact and need—helping people meet their basic needs of food,
shelter and clothing so they can focus on addressing other major life concerns; giving babies a healthy start to life
with support for new parents; setting students on a path for success in school, work and life; and supporting our
aging population and those who are caring for elders locally.
Addressing poverty-related challenges and providing inclusive services for people with disabilities are overarching
standards throughout all community impact strategies and investments.
4
REGIONAL PARTNERS
United Way of Greater Rochester
partners with local United Ways
across the region on key initiatives, community outreach, donation processing
and administrative support. United Way regional partners
serve communities in Genesee,
Livingston, Ontario, Wayne and Wyoming counties.
POSITIVE RESULTS, LIVES CHANGED
All programs and initiatives supported by United Way Community Fund donations are monitored, measured
and evaluated to confirm they’re achieving positive results for our community and local people in need.
United Way organizes learning circles to share best practices among program providers, and evaluates its Community Fund investments in two ways:
PROGRAM-LEVEL MEASUREMENTS
COMMUNITY-LEVEL ASSESSMENTS
Program-level measurements to ensure results are meeting the needs of the people they serve.
Community-level assessments to make sure key
issues and challenges are addressed holistically.
5
GIVING BABIES THE BEST START
Goal
All babies are born into supportive, nurturing families, free from abuse and neglect.
United Way Community Fund Strategy
In-home parent education and support to help new parents learn about
giving their babies a positive, nurturing home and a healthy start to life.
MEET JACKIE & CHLOE
United Way Invests*
$2.1 million each year to help local babies
Community Challenges
• 52% of Rochester’s children live in poverty
• 1,752 local children were involved in proven child protective cases as a result of abuse or neglect in 2014
• $210,000 is the lifetime cost associated with every maltreated child in our community
At five years old, Chloe is ready
to take on the world. Her mom,
Jackie, participated in the inhome parenting support program
provided by Community Fund
investments. Without a job or
high school diploma, Jackie was
alone, pregnant and anxious
about her future five years ago.
The program helped her to finish
school, get a full-time job and
find a safe place for her and
Chloe to live.
RESULTS
Families participating in Community Fund programs achieve:
70% of parents improve activities related to reduction of child maltreatment
97%
96% of babies are born at a healthy birth weight
90% of families remain current with well-child pediatric visits at two years old
of families avoid child maltreatment, abuse and neglect
*Community Fund investments are based on 2014-2015 program funding. Dollar amounts will be updated in 2016 based on a new cycle of
Community Fund investments.
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PREPARING KIDS FOR SUCCESS
Goal
Every young person in our community is ready for college, work and life by age 21.
United Way Community Fund Strategies
High-quality, structured and inclusive After-School and Summer Learning
and Enrichment programs to give kids positive, productive activities during
their out-of-school time to help them continue to learn and grow.
Mentoring programs to help kids succeed with the help of a positive adult
role model.
United Way Invests*
$4 million each year to help local youth
Community Challenges
• 7% of Rochester City School District (RCSD) 3rd graders are reading
proficiently at grade level
• Low-income students are 5 times more likely than their higher-income
peers to drop out of school
• 51% of RCSD students graduate from high school in four years
MEET SHELDON
With a mentor to guide him
through the challenges of high
school, poverty throughout the
school district and the lure of
risky behaviors for teens, Sheldon soared through his Community Fund mentoring program and graduated from
high school with a full scholarship waiting for him at a local college.
RESULTS
Students participating in Community Fund programs achieve:
Thousands more days of
learning with higher school
attendance than students
who did not participate in
Community Fund programs
1
90% of students who participate in summer programming at Horizons/
Summer LEAP for three or
more years graduate from
high school on time
Students in summer programs maintain reading
and math scores into the next
year, eliminating detrimental
“summer slide”
full point higher GPA scores compared to their middle school peers
*Community Fund investments are based on 2014-2015 program funding. Dollar amounts will be updated in 2016 based on a new cycle of
Community Fund investments.
7
SUPPORTING ELDERS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS
Goal
Local elders and their caregivers have the resources they need to remain
vital and independent for as long as possible.
United Way Community Fund Strategies
Multi-purpose Aging Resource Centers to provide health, wellness and
social supports to local active elders.
In-Home Support programs to provide information and access to community
resources like care management, nutrition and transportation for elders
and their nonprofessional caregivers.
United Way Invests*
$2.4 million each year to help local elders and caregivers
Community Challenges
• 1 in 4 Monroe County residents is 55 or older; by 2040 that number will
increase to 30% of our population
• 15% of local elders live in poverty; 1 in 3 lives alone and many are struggling with disabilities
• $127,000 is needed to provide nursing facilities for one older adult per year, which can far outweigh the cost to help elders remain safely
in their own homes.
MEET HELEN & ESTHER
Helen (left) found herself completely alone and depressed
after her husband passed away
years ago. Esther (right) volunteers for a local Community
Fund program that provides peer care partners to elders
struggling with isolation, depression and lack of family
support. Helen gained a friend
and network of support with
Esther’s help. Esther gained a
friend as well as a meaningful
way share her skills in retirement.
RESULTS
Elders receiving services from Community Fund programs benefit from:
6,000 rides and transportation assistance for
grocery shopping, personal
care, doctor visits, chemo/
radiation, dialysis, surgical
procedures and more
250,000
13,000 calls per year to help elders and caregivers
with information, benefits
and support in accessing
local services
Daily healthy meals, exercise, activities and
learning opportunities at
three Multi-purpose Aging
Resource Centers throughout
Monroe County
daily meal deliveries right to the door of 1,500 local individuals
*Community Fund investments are based on 2014-2015 program funding. Dollar amounts will be updated in 2016 based on a new cycle of
Community Fund investments.
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MEETING BASIC NEEDS
Goal
All individuals and families have their basic needs of food, clothing and
housing met and have access to benefits and services that put them on a path to independence and self-sufficiency.
United Way Community Fund Strategies
Every individual and family touched by Community Fund-supported basic
needs programs is struggling with poverty and its devastating effects. Federal guidelines define poverty as an income of $19,090 for a family of three—more than $28,000 below the New York State Self-Sufficiency standard of $47,391 for a local family of three to actually cover their basic
needs without assistance. This disparity makes it incredibly difficult for local families to thrive without help and support.
United Way’s basic needs support programs provide food, clothing and housing assistance with a continuum of comprehensive services across a broad and diverse population of local residents. Programs eliminate barriers to securing basic needs including connection to services, help in getting public and private benefits and housing stability support. In addition, we provide safe emergency shelter for homeless youth and victims of domestic violence.
Community Challenges
MEET KENDRA
Kendra found herself homeless at
17 after the death of her father.
A Community Fund program gave
her a safe bed, food and shelter.
Caring adults at the program
helped to guide her through
high school graduation and on
to a degree from RIT. Kendra is
now a successful member of our
community who has built her
own foundation of independence
and stability after a difficult
childhood.
• Rochester has the 4th highest childhood poverty rate, and is the 5th poorest city in America among large metropolitan areas
• 1 in 3 city residents is living in poverty and many are struggling with disabilities United Way Invests*
• 101,000 local people struggle with food insecurity; many do not know where $5.2 million each year to help people meet their basic needs
their next meal will come from
• 4,700 domestic violence incidents are reported each year in Monroe County
RESULTS
Community Fund programs are helping:
27,500 people who call the local community
helpline with basic needs challenges
95,000
600 individuals and families receive assistance to avoid foreclosure
500 homeless kids get a meal and safe place to sleep
472 victims of domestic violence escape an abusive home
local people get nutritious meals through a food pantry or soup kitchen
*Community Fund investments are based on 2014-2015 program funding. Dollar amounts will be updated in 2016 based on a new cycle of
Community Fund investments.
9 | COMMUNITY IMPACT | Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative at United Way
ROCHESTER-MONROE ANTI-POVERTY
INITIATIVE AT UNITED WAY
The Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative at United Way is an unprecedented community-wide effort to reduce poverty in the Rochester
and Monroe County region by 50 percent over the next 15 years.
This initiative is made possible by extraordinary community collaboration
and integration with community leaders, local and state government,
service providers and practitioners, faith institutions, volunteers, youth
advocates, and importantly, the active participation of people impacted by poverty.
50%
GOAL
Reduce poverty in the Rochester
and Monroe County region by 50% over the next 15 years
Building the Foundation
The Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative at United Way (RMAPI) began in early 2015 with extensive community engagement, research and a rigorous design process that resulted in a roadmap for advancing the
initiative. Community workgroups developed recommendations for addressing poverty-related barriers in the
Rochester-Monroe region with specific focus on: Childcare, Education, Health and Nutrition, Housing, Jobs
and Workforce Development, Justice System, Safe Neighborhoods and Transportation.
Guiding Principles
Resource teams have identified common themes that will serve as the foundation for all anti-poverty planning and implementation efforts. RMAPI will advocate for consideration of these principles as Greater Rochester develops community-wide standards to address our most critical issues.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
A common theme expressed by
people impacted by poverty is the
desire to continue residing in their
current neighborhoods, on the
condition that the neighborhoods
meet their needs with enhanced
supports to improve the vitality of the communities.
STRUCTURAL RACISM
Structural racism can be defined as a system in which public policies, institutional practices,
cultural representations and other
norms work in various, often reinforcing ways to perpetuate
racial group inequity. The ongoing
effects of structural racism and bias continue as a major barrier for people of color as they attempt to
break free of poverty.
TRAUMA
Studies confirm that ongoing and
continuous stress arising from
threats to well-being negatively
affects cognitive function; in some
cases this can result in barriers
to performance, developmental
progress and goal achievement.
For people of color who are living
in poverty, structural racism and
trauma compound one another, and the impact is exponential.
ROCHESTER-MONROE ANTI-POVERTY INITIATIVE IS . . .
COLLABORATIVE, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN, PERSON-CENTERED,
DATA-INFORMED AND EVIDENCE-BASED.
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A Work in Progress
RMAPI is focusing its efforts on addressing the needs of the working poor to help them emerge from and stay out of poverty. The first areas of implementation include:
SYSTEMS DESIGN
Designing a comprehensive, integrated system of social supports in conjunction with the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge planning effort. The City of Rochester was one
of 16 cities worldwide to receive support from a team of experts in analyzing poverty
data and developing solutions.
ADULT MENTORING/NAVIGATING
Establishing an adult mentor/navigator role that helps working poor individuals to overcome barriers and acquire the resources, knowledge and skills necessary
to attain and retain a living wage job and break the cycle of poverty. EARLY CHILDHOOD SUPPORT
Ensuring support for the youngest members of our community that provides both
high-quality, affordable, accessible and flexible childcare needed for parents to engage in community, economic mobility and wellness-related activities; and in-home parent training proven to give new parents the skills to succeed as their
children’s first teachers.
A Community Effort
United Way is calling on our entire community to help lift our most vulnerable members out of poverty. Reducing
poverty in Rochester and Monroe County will require a long-term effort that can only be successful if it addresses
the barriers that prevent individuals and families from moving toward economic stability.
Our ultimate goal is to enable every child and family in the region to have the opportunity to live in a stable environment where the promise of economic stability—and economic mobility—is within their grasp.
To learn more about the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative at United Way and progress to date, visit endingpovertynow.org.
RMAPI aligns with the New York State Governor’s Rochester Anti-Poverty Task Force. The Finger Lakes Regional
Economic Development Council (FLREDC) included RMAPI as one of the four pillars of the region’s Upstate Revitalization Initiative (URI) proposal and won an award of $500 million dollars over five years for Rochester and the Finger Lakes region, beginning in 2016.
11 | WAYS TO GIVE
SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT
United Way is able to serve the Greater Rochester community day in and
day out because of the extraordinary generosity of the people who believe
that Rochester is worth fighting for. From $1 to $1 million, gifts to United
Way’s Community Fund fuel the support for thousands of people in need to help change their lives for the better.
Individual Donors
Tens of thousands of individuals and families trust United Way with their
annual donation to create lasting, meaningful change for the Greater Rochester community.
Business Community Support
United Way inspires the business and not-for-profit community alike, to build a better Rochester together. Hundreds of organizations proudly
support the mission of United Way and join in the efforts to unite the good
will and resources of our community with corporate donations, workplace
campaigns, volunteer efforts and more.
Charitable Gift Funds
Charitable Gift Funds make community-wide philanthropy efficient and
impactful. Donors advise United Way on distributions from their no-cost
fund, utilizing a flexible and convenient way to help advance the causes
they support.
Planned Giving
Donors design a gift plan that meets their estate planning needs while also helping United Way build a stronger community.
Endowment Fund
United Way’s endowment fund was established in 1925 and is supported
by thousands of donors who want to ensure their support will have a lasting impact for generations to come.
Government and Foundation Support
Government and foundation support for community impact priorities will
leverage new partnerships to help our entire community thrive.
SUPPORT FOR
LOCAL CHARITIES
While United Way’s primary purpose is to serve the existing and emerging needs of the Greater
Rochester community through Community Fund support and
investments, the organization
provides a valuable philanthropic
service to hundreds of health and
human service organizations in
the nine-county Greater Rochester
region by collecting, processing and transferring donations on their behalf through our donor designation program. United Way also provides processing services for national corporations, allowing companies
to support both United Way of
Greater Rochester and United Ways in other communities across
the country.
12 | LEADERSHIP GIVING
LEADING THE WAY
United Way’s leadership donors are the most generous, community-minded and influential individuals throughout
the Greater Rochester region. Members of the leadership giving societies contribute millions of dollars each year
to help United Way solve some of our most critical challenges. They also enjoy benefits of membership with annual events, networking and volunteer opportunities.
Tocqueville Society
The Tocqueville Society comprises community leaders who make an annual
gift of $10,000 or more to United Way, setting an extraordinary example of
generosity for others to follow. Unifying the philanthropic efforts of these
community leaders, the Society is named after Alexis de Tocqueville, a
19th-century French aristocrat who praised this country’s “spirit of volunteerism” and philanthropy.
Women’s Leadership Council
The Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) is made up of Rochester’s most
inspiring, proactive female leaders who are dedicated to making a positive
local impact with an annual gift of $1,000 or more.
Labor Leaders’ Club
The Labor Leaders’ Club recognizes philanthropy among union members in
our community who maximize the power of collective generosity. Members
contribute $1,000 or more each year.
African American Leadership Society
The African American Leadership Society (formerly Howard Wilson Coles
Society) recognizes the vital role African Americans play in improving the
quality of life in Rochester. Members contribute $1,000 or more each year.
Circulo Latino
Circulo Latino honors the influence and dedication of Rochester’s Latino
community. Members contribute an annual gift of $1,000 or more.
Young Leaders’ Club
The Young Leaders’ Club (YLC) recognizes and develops the spirit of philanthropy among our future leaders. YLC is comprised of individuals and couples, ages 21-40, who make an annual gift of $500 or more.
Tocqueville Society
United Way of Greater Rochester
13 | GET INVOLVED
SUPPORT AND SERVICE
United Way offers many opportunities for individuals and companies to make a difference in our community.
Whether you’re interested in philanthropy, volunteering time and talents or leadership development, United Way
is your community connection.
Donate
Donations to United Way and the Community Fund are the foundation for all that United Way does in service and
support for the Greater Rochester community. There are many ways to give, including payroll deduction through a
workplace campaign, electronic funds transfer, online donation, check, credit card and gifts of securities or mutual
funds.
Leadership Development
United Way provides annual leadership programs for emerging African American, Latino and Labor leaders in the
Greater Rochester area. The African American Leadership Development (AALDP), Latino Leadership Development
(LLDP) and Union Community Assistance Network (UCAN) Programs boast thousands of alumni with decades of experience serving our community upon graduating from the programs. United Way also offers one-day board
training opportunities for young professionals, the LGBTQ community and Asian-Pacific Americans.
Synergy Fund
The United Way Synergy Fund encourages Monroe County not-for-profit agencies to explore affiliation as a means of increasing operational efficiencies and improving program services to best serve their direct clients and the entire community. United Way supports the affiliation process with resources that include both technical assistance and implementation grants to help with the one-time costs of effecting an affiliation.
Day of Caring
Join the thousands of volunteers for the community’s largest volunteer event of the year. Held annually in May, there are hundreds of projects for individuals, groups and companies to get involved with, from reading to children, packing food, gardening, clean-up, repair projects and more.
ROC the Day
United Way powers the annual ROC the Day community-wide 24-hour day of online giving. Thousands of donors
come together each year to support hundreds of not-for-profit organizations from across the region. ROC the Day
has raised more than $4 million in just five 24-hour events, giving an end-of-year boost each December to the hundreds of charities doing great work in our community.
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PLEASE GIVE TODAY
TO MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE TOMORROW.
DONATIONS TO UNITED WAY AND THE COMMUNITY FUND
ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL THAT UNITED WAY DOES IN
SERVICE AND SUPPORT FOR THE GREATER ROCHESTER COMMUNITY.
IT TAKES A COMMUNITY
United Way is thankful for our village—an extraordinary group of donors, volunteers, leaders and service
providers who join forces to create lasting change for the Greater Rochester community. Many thanks to:
United Way Board of Directors
Donors
Local businesses
Corporate supporters
Cabinet and committee volunteers
Community Fund partner agencies
Community leaders
Organized labor community
Local and state municipal leaders
Regional partners
United Way staff
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT UNITED WAY OF GREATER ROCHESTER,
visit uwrochester.org, call 585.242.6400 or
email contactus@uwrochester.org.
CONNECT WITH US:
www.uwrochester.org
UnitedWayofGreaterRochester @UnitedWayROC @ROCUnitedWay
United Way of Greater Rochester
75 College Avenue • Rochester, NY 14607-1009 • www.uwrochester.org