We empower everyone in our region to achieve economic well-being so our entire community can thrive — now and in the future.
WORKING TOGETHER, WE’RE CHANGING LIVES
In 2024 you worked alongside us to create real, lasting change — change that follows the blueprint for a stronger, more resilient community where everyone has a full and fair opportunity to thrive.
The impact we make together isn’t measured only by dollars raised. It’s revealed by lives changed, families supported and opportunities created. By working together with local organizations, volunteers and advocates, we made real progress on issues that matter.
The numbers reflect not only our collective giving, but our collective power and collective impact. Each one is made possible by the unwavering support of people like you who give, volunteer and advocate for a stronger community. Thank you for being part of this work.
United Way Friends,
As we reflect on the past year, we want to thank you for your generosity. Because of you, we are creating lasting impact, expanding opportunities and providing critical resources to our community.
United Way has been around long enough to know offering programming and services isn’t enough, so we take a different approach. We build strategies with communities, setting priorities based on their concerns and informed by data. We collaborate and innovate, advocate and celebrate. We meet today’s critical needs so families get relief and can continue building toward a future of their choosing – one filled with promise and stability.
We’re also working to get ahead of crises by tackling the underlying causes of recurring problems more directly. This work isn’t easy. The challenges we face in our community are complex and interconnected, but together, we can make progress.
When we pool our resources — whether knowledge or networks — we can reach further, dig deeper and create meaningful impact. Together, we work to ensure the challenges families face today don’t hold back the generations of tomorrow.
Thank you for joining us in this important work and for trusting that we’ll respond where the problem or possibility is greatest. With your help, we continue to build on our successes, driving positive change and creating a brighter future for all.
Moira Weir
President & CEO
Brian Hodgett
Chair, Board of Directors
One in three students miss 10% or more of their school days.
One in four households in Ohio and Kentucky were impacted when a federal internet affordability program expired.
Property taxes in Cincinnati’s most under-resourced neighborhoods increased 74%.
In Greater Cincinnati, as elsewhere in the nation, this is a consequential time for families and communities. Economic shifts and policy changes show up in everyday lives: higher costs for essentials like food, housing, child care, transportation, health care and taxes.
Given the stress that financial strain can place on families, we’re paying close attention to the well-being of children in our communities. Some metrics, such as preschool enrollment, show progress. Others are causes for concern, such as an increase in chronic absenteeism — when students miss at least 10% of their school days each year.
There are many reasons children miss school. An important factor is family financial stability, which in turn, is related to the policies that restrict or provide access to good jobs, good places to live and other economic resources. For example, we consider digital access a key financial support, yet federal funding that helped families cover the cost of broadband ended in 2024, making it more challenging to access high-speed internet.
Other factors affecting family financial stability include inflation and rapidly changing home values. Higher prices for food, gas or other necessities mean reduced resources for housing. Plus, rising property values lead to higher property taxes. These larger economic trends explain why many of our neighbors find it harder to make rent or mortgage payments.
Solutions don’t come from incremental thinking — they come from bold, innovative ideas that challenge the status quo. United Way is committed to making our region a place where everyone can achieve economic well-being, which is why our supporters aren’t just contributing resources, they’re investing in a sustainable future for us all.
As a supporter of United Way, you play a vital role in building stronger families and communities. Your generosity drives our three essential focus areas: Educational Success, Financial Empowerment and Housing Security.
These priorities are deeply intertwined. Without safe and stable housing, children struggle to focus on their education; without financial stability, families can’t afford quality housing or invest in their children’s learning; without education, better job opportunities remain out of reach.
These challenges belong to all of us, and so do the solutions.
Your support enables United Way to bring together the right partners, resources and expertise to create positive, lasting change. By standing with us, you help ensure that every individual and family, no matter their starting point, can build a future filled with possibility and promise.
All children deserve a quality education that helps them reach key milestones, learn essential skills and prepare for meaningful careers. With your support, we break down barriers and create pathways to success from early childhood to career readiness. Through strategic partnerships and investments, we equip children and youth with the resources they need to reach their full potential, building a stronger community for all.
In 2024, thanks to you, we:
The earliest years of life, from birth through age 5, are periods of rapid brain development. Stimulating early learning experiences, including preschool, help to establish a foundation for all the development that follows. Your support connects more families and children to high-quality early learning experiences, building sturdy brain architecture that lasts a lifetime.
Early learning experiences matter tremendously – so we should all be concerned that in Greater Cincinnati, preschool enrollment rates remain below pre-pandemic levels. One reason is a shortage of affordable, high-quality options for preschool. Without a strong early learning system, children miss opportunities to develop foundational skills, and we add strain to the kindergarten and elementary school system.
Our preschool enrollment campaign helped address this challenge. Because of you, we were able to reach thousands of families and provide direct support in finding good early learning options through our helpline, United Way 211.
Thanks to your generosity, more families now have tools to make informed decisions about their child’s education. Together, we are creating a future where every child enters school confident and prepared.
Financial empowerment means more than making ends meet. It’s about having the stability to plan for the future, invest in education and weather life’s challenges. With your support, we’re breaking down barriers to financial security, ensuring every family has the tools and opportunities to prosper.
In 2024, with your support, we:
When families are financially stable, our entire community benefits. But financial insecurity remains a reality for too many of our neighbors. With your support, we provide resources, coaching and advocacy to build long-term stability for families.
A tax refund can restabilize a family whose budget has been stretched thin by rising costs or an emergency. The refund can mean a repaired car, keeping up on the rent or mortgage, or making a tuition payment. That’s why United Way’s Free Tax Prep is more than a service. It’s a lifeline.
In the 2023 tax year, our IRS-certified Free Tax Prep volunteers saved taxpayers $2.3 million in preparation fees and put $9.7 million in refunds into their pockets.
Behind those numbers are real people, like Paris and Mikey, parents of five dependent children, whose $5,000 refund provided family stability. And Rodney, whose first visit to a Free Tax Prep site brought relief after years of paying high tax preparation fees.
Together, we create pathways to financial security and ensure that every family has the opportunity to succeed.
A safe, stable place to live offers a steady platform for all the important aspects of family and community life: access to good jobs, good child care and schools, and social connections that provide support and a sense of purpose. On the other hand, when there are too few places locally that people can rent or buy with an average income, housing costs increase, leaving families with fewer resources for health care, nutrition and education needs. With your support, we’re working to ensure that all families — whether they rent or own — have a foundation for a bright future.
In 2024, thanks to your generosity, we;
When our neighbors live in fear of eviction, foreclosure or rising housing costs, everything else in life becomes more difficult. With your help, we provide emergency assistance, expand access to safe and stable housing for working families, and support long-term stability for families taking steps toward homeownership. Together, we’re not just providing housing solutions, we’re creating a future where every family can build the foundation they need to meet their goals.
74-year-old Tonya was overwhelmed. Both her fixed income and her emotional resilience were stretched by her husband’s illness. Bills went unpaid, and the power was shut off. She feared losing the home she shares with her daughter, who has a developmental disability. A call to United Way 211, our 24-hour helpline, ensured Tonya didn’t face this difficult situation alone.
A 211 team member guided Tonya through the crisis, helping her think through her options and needs, restore power and stay in her home. In addition to these tangible supports, Tonya found reassurance, encouragement and the resolve to move forward.
Because of people like you, we are strengthening our community by keeping more people safe in their homes. Together, we provide the help and human connection that make all the difference.
United Way is a critical change agent in our community. By uniting people, partners and public interests, we develop informed strategies that empower families to build secure and lasting foundations for their futures.
Together, we’re not only addressing symptoms; we’re tackling root causes – creating solutions that will benefit generations to come.
We accomplish more together than any of us can alone. Here’s how:
UNITED WAY HELPED MORGANNE STAY IN HER HOME
Living in subsidized housing and seeking greater financial stability, Morganne went back to school at age 39 to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN). But she struggled to balance working at night, attending classes during the day and being a parent to her two teenagers. When she cut back on her work hours, she fell behind on rent payments.
After she connected with United Way, we helped Morganne enroll in a local eviction-prevention pilot we were leading. The program made it possible for her family to remain in their apartment while Morganne continued school.
We all have a stake in our community’s well-being. At United Way, we embrace the powerful concept of collective action, ownership and prosperity for all.
Impact in Action
UNITED WAY 211: HELP THAT BRIDGES GAPS
While helping a family member pay rent, Karen fell behind on her own bills. She knew she’d lose her apartment if she didn’t get help, so she called 211. A United Way 211 team member determined she was eligible for an program that provides rent assistance and legal counsel to families facing eviction. In addition to United Way, partners include the city of Cincinnati, which funds the program, and Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati.
Within two weeks, the balance on Karen’s rent was brought up-to-date and she began to regain her financial footing.
Thanks to your support, United Way 211 is a trusted resource for more than 50,000 people in our community each year. Innovative partnerships and technological investments have transformed 211’s capabilities.
Today, United Way is not just a service to connect individuals to resources – it’s a platform to connect sectors and drive a deeper understanding of community needs.
“We’re privileged to have an abundance of programs and services available to residents in the city of Cincinnati, but navigating to the appropriate resources can feel overwhelming. So, we’ve eagerly collaborated with United Way 211 to strengthen our partnership and streamline resource referrals to better serve our city.”
-Sheryl Long, Cincinnati City Manager
Your voice makes a difference. Together with United Way, you’re helping ignite action toward positive change within our community.
In working together with donors, grantees, civic leaders and policymakers, we amplify community members’ lived experiences. These experiences address needs and influence policy improvements.
Our Year of Advocacy
Our approach to improving economic well-being in Greater Cincinnati is making a significant impact. The work we’re doing informs national efforts and inspires other leaders to follow suit. In 2024, Moira Weir, United Way of Greater Cincinnati President & CEO, joined Angela F. Williams, United Way Worldwide President & CEO, for a meeting with federal officials and other United Way leaders from across the country. They discussed innovative strategies to promote economic well-being and explored ways to address pressing issues families face in our region. Such meetings spark conversations and collaborations that can drive meaningful change at the local and national levels.
“Too many people still lack the basic connectivity needed to accomplish the everyday tasks many of us take for granted – things like working from home, getting an online education or even seeing a doctor. We’re closing the digital divide by partnering at the local level to provide not only affordable high-speed internet, but online skills training for anyone who needs it.”
– Lydia Mihalik, Director of the Ohio Department of Development, which oversees BroadbandOhio
The issues our community faces are complex and interconnected, requiring coordinated approaches to create meaningful change. That’s why we invest in an entire network of support.
From programs that support critical needs to innovative pilots aimed at long-term solutions, United Way believes our combined efforts can push our community beyond the status quo. Together, we’re investing in a brighter tomorrow for our entire region.
United Way also administered $5.1 million in public funds to support strategic community initiatives.
United Way announced a new grant in 2024, the Future of Manufacturing Fund, made possible with a $1 million investment from the GE Aerospace Foundation. The partnership aims to strengthen workforce development programs in response to growing demand in the aviation and manufacturing sectors. Five organizations were selected for the first round of funding in July.
“Manufacturers face growing demand as we work to upskill our workforce for the needs of tomorrow. Together, with United Way of Greater Cincinnati, we designed a program to enhance advanced manufacturing workforce skills programs and minimize training barriers, which is essential to the success of our industry and our local economy.”
– Jonathan Blank, GE Aerospace
With your support, we can transform our community and shape the future of our region.
We believe that the core of this effort must be to create robust, continuous pathways to social and economic mobility spanning from a child’s earliest years to their careers.
In addition to existing programming, United Way is investing resources to test and grow other successful approaches that encourage family stability. We’re exploring practical ways to meet today’s needs while building a brighter future for our children.
One of the key challenges families face is a lack of coordination among services — whether it’s health care, housing, child care or education. We will focus on connecting and coordinating programs and supports to ensure that all young people and families have the resources they need to thrive.
By collaborating with other public and private partners, we will foster a community-wide effort focused on enhancing student achievement, promoting better youth outcomes and empowering families. Together, we will secure a stronger foundation for every child and family in our community.
When you support United Way, you invest in a brighter future for all.
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