The United Way of the Wabash Valley will be holding an idea share and info session at noon on April 15th at the Vigo County Public Library Main Branch in their downstairs conference room. We will start identifying potential solutions to serious issues and seek expert and passionate volunteers looking to help address those issues facing our communities throughout the United Way 6-county service area. As a result of community conversations over the last two years, the United Way of the Wabash Valley has started forming impact councils that focus on a number of areas that contribute to the overarching issue of poverty as part of the organization’s new collective impact model.
This new collective impact model will address United Way’s bold goal of moving 10,000 families out of financial struggles and into stability to reduce the cycle of poverty in our community. In order do this the United Way plans to create impact councils associated with five areas that dominated the discussions throughout the community – education, health, financial stability, neighborhoods, and safety net. These councils are multi-sector volunteer-led committees that will bring together subject matter experts, people who are passionate about the issue, people whose lives are affected by the issue, business leaders, and other organizations working to affect each area. Members of the impact councils will recommend and monitor the investment of United Way resources in order to bring successful results to their specified outcome targets in support of the overall United Way community goal to move households to financial stability.
The United Way has already formed two councils—the substance use disorder council and early childhood education council. The next councils to be formed will focus on addressing neighborhood safety and blight, improving graduation rates, alleviating financial struggles, and improving the health of our community. The upcoming session is an opportunity for those interested to learn more about serving on a council and begin discussing and brainstorming the strategies and opportunities to maximize impact in these areas.
The session is open to anyone interested and will be at noon on Monday, April 15th at the Vigo County Public Library Main Branch (1 Library Square) in Terre Haute. We invite people to come and learn more about these new and exciting volunteer opportunities with the United Way and help us create impact in our community. In order to reserve a spot, contact Phyllis Mickey at the United Way of the Wabash Valley at 812.235.6287 or by e-mail at [email protected].
