COMMUNITY IMPACT FAQ’s
Traditionally, Callaway County United Way has been accomplishing its mission by mobilizing resources through employee fundraising campaigns, corporate contributions and donations from thousands of generous individuals in the community. The contributions raised support over 200 programs that provide direct services to individuals and families through our member agencies. This approach has a direct impact on the lives of the clients receiving those services.
However, despite all the money we raised and services we and others have helped provide, many problems in our community are still growing. Nearly 5,000 people are living at or below the poverty line in Callaway County.
Many pressing issues in our community have developed because of economic conditions, historical trends, disconnections among the community system and other factors. Even when programs do an outstanding job influencing individual and family attributes, most are not designed, resourced or able to create changes in the host of conditions that are the root causes of these issues.
To address those community issues, we need to deal with conditions that created those situations in the first place and are causing them to get worse and worse. Changing those community conditions calls for a new approach as well as additional partners.
Aside from the direct impact approach that is supported through our campaign, the new business model adds another approach which is be focused on mobilizing the community’s people, time, talent, relationships, expertise, technology and financial assets and other resources to change conditions in communities that create so many problems for individuals and families. This way, we can improve the lives not just for program clients but for everyone who lives in Callaway County. This approach of improving lives by changing community conditions is what we call “Community Impact.”
To achieve community impact, the Callaway County United Way will work to mobilize not only business and employees, but individuals, organizations, and interests far beyond those with whom we traditional have worked with. We are committed to engaging them to identify and prioritize issues, devise solutions, and enlist a broad range of resources – not only money, but also relationships, talent, expertise, leadership, influence and technology. Creating lasting changes that improves lives will require new approaches and new partners. The Callaway County United Way and its partners will align their efforts behind a coordinated plan to change conditions. But it does not stop there. These changes generated by working together will be of no value if they don’t achieve what matters - improving lives.
Community Impact looks different for each community. It is an agenda that will be shaped by the unique needs, resources and characteristics of Callaway County. It is not a direction dictated by the United Way but developed and implemented in partnership with other members in the community.
In order to do this, we will pursue specific community changes as part of research-based strategies that focus on creating targeted improvements in people’s lives. We are not talking about stopping our support for direct services and we are not talking about deciding whether or not to pursue either a direct-service approach or a community change approach. These two strategies must go hand in hand for us to create meaningful impact in the lives of people. This means that the Callaway County United Way will continue to hold its funded programs in the highest standards and work with them and other partners to improve lives using one or both of these approaches as applicable to a situation - whatever it takes!
The Callaway County United Way has begun the process of organizational alignment to achieve Community Impact. In the next few months or so, volunteer groups will be getting together to discuss how we can more forward in this direction while at the same time strengthening our partnership with our funded-programs delivering direct impact to individuals and families.
As we work to transform our United Way to achieve community impact, we need to remember that this new business is not just about improving the lives of clients of Callaway County United Way funded programs. It is, instead, about improving lives of everyone in our community. All of us are affected by pressing community issues, whether we receive United Way funded services or not (although 1 out of every four of us will at some point in our lives). Changing community conditions is not just about influencing the health and human services sector. It is about influencing whatever sectors, systems, networks, groups or environments can play a role in improving lives in our community. Achieving community impact is the business of the entire organization.
Live United
A credo. A mission. A goal. A constant reminder that when we as individuals think outside ourselves, we have the power to facilitate change. When we think of other's lives as linked to our own, our compassion grows. When we reach out a hand to one, we influence the condition of all. When we build the strength of our neighborhoods. We bolster the health of our communities. And we change the lives of those who walk by us every day.
More, it is a command. TO GIVE. TO ADVOCATE. TO VOLUNTEER. Because united, we stand. United, we elevate. The new United Way is a campaign about the power of unity to advance the common good.
For more information on Community Impact and how you can get involved in being a change leader in our community, please contact 573-642-0536 or email community@callawayunitedway.com.