United Way of the Southern Tier

Our Impact

When most people think of United Way of the Southern Tier, they think first of fundraising. It is true that United Way is the number one fundraiser as well as the number one funder of human service programs, aside from government, in Chemung and Steuben Counties. What many people don't know is how active United Way is all year round.

Program Funding

First and foremost, United Way is hard at work researching community needs, investing the money it raises and tracking results.

Teams of community volunteers spend literally hundreds of hours reviewing program proposals from area health and human service organizations to uphold United Way¡¯s promise to invest donor gifts wisely ¨C where they are most needed and where they will do the most good. A more in-depth look at the investment process is available here.

At the core of this decision-making process is a set of five key investment values that drive all funding decisions for United Way. They consider client need, the program¡¯s demonstrated ability to achieve positive results for the people it serves, how well the program aligns with United Way¡¯s strategic direction in the community, how effectively the program uses a broad array of resources to get results, and its efforts toward continuous learning and program improvement. Well-run programs that are aligned with United Way priorities and get solid results are good investments for our community.

Your donations are invested in programs and services that align with five researched community priorities:

Children and youth

Economic self-sufficiency

Healthy communities

Senior independence

Strong families

For a complete list of programs United Way is currently funding, click here.

Community Initiatives

Investments are also made in targeted community initiatives that strengthen the stability of families and their ability to access the services they need to be successful. United Way develops, supports and maintains positive community partnerships that leverage funding, services and other resources that yield positive results.

Current Community Initiatives

2-1-1 HELPLINE
A free hotline that helps connect people with programs, services and volunteer opportunities in our community, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The 2-1-1 HELPLINE directory is also available online and may be customized for special topics (i.e., Teen Helpline).
CA$H (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope)
This volunteer tax assistance program provides free taxc preparation and assistance for working families that make $49,000 or less.
Community Care Centers
Free health and dental care for the uninsured, plus other programs and services that help families.
2-1-1 HELPLINE Give Help
As the regional volunteer center, 2-1-1 HELPLINE Give Help connects volunteers with opportunities that match their interests, skills and availability. It is also a resource for businesses and nonprofits.
ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions
Building on our focus of promoting economic self-sufficiency, United Way of the Southern Tier has entered into a partnership with Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central New York to provide families with information about free credit counseling, budget counseling and debt repayment assistance. We encourage families to get financial help before it's too late, and to avoid predatory companies that take advantage of families in financial crisis.

Venture grants
United Way also periodically awards grants that address community needs that United Way volunteers believe need to be addressed. 2-1-1 Give Help mentioned above, for example, resulted from a venture grant intended to increase volunteerism in people of all ages.

Past venture grants:

The Wealth Health Skills initiative is designed to improve the financial literacy of low to moderate-income families. Participants receive information and coaching on topics such as personal finance, financial management, building savings and asset management.
S.O.S. (Supporting Our Seniors) is determined to help people remain in their homes, independently and for as long as safely possible. The program is a volunteer-based community partnership, that provides free non-medical support services to frail, eligible individuals age 60 and over in Chemung County.

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