Throughout our history, United Way has done extraordinary work to improve people’s lives and build strong communities. With our focus on community Impact, United Way has a key role to play in advocating for good public policy. United Way of York County (UWYC) works to inspire and unite our One York Community to equitably advance education, health and economic mobility. The cornerstone of UWYC’s work is its mission, which identifies the strategies we use to build a strong community.
We continue to advocate for policies in Education, Health, and Economic Mobility. These include: Kindergarten readiness, high school graduation, families who are economically stable, PA 211 information and referral services, access to health care, and preservation of charitable giving incentives.
Your community needs YOU to have an impact on public policy decisions. Advocating in your community does not simply mean lobbying on a specific piece of legislation.
There are many ways that you can advocate. See below for ways you can make a meaningful impact in your local community.
ECONOMIC MOBILITY
When you finally land that job you’ve been hoping for, you don’t let anything get in your way — not even being homeless. Things had finally turned around for Jesse and he was grateful to be working at a production warehouse, but he still wasn’t able to afford an apartment. But when Jesse had his taxes prepared at United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site, he found out that he’d be getting the Earned Income Tax Credit. He and his wife Juana used their return to move out of their car and into a home.
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps millions of workers like Jesse keep more of what they earn to pay for their needs: Reliable transportation to get to work, housing, and food. United Way helps people claim the EITC at tax time.
One in five who are eligible for the EITC are leaving money on the table – money that can make a big difference in paying bills and putting food on the table. Anyone can do their taxes for free at MyFreeTaxes.com and can connect any credits for which they are eligible.
EDUCATION
United Way of York County believes that every child in our community should have access to an early education. Currently, only 16% of the children in York County have access to a qualified early education program.
Please add your name to the list of supporters through PreK for PA in advocating for state funding.
Click here to get started!
Speak Out
Be Informed
Learn how your community ranks in academic attainment, income stability and health. Use the United Way Common Good Forecaster, a powerful online tool that lets people see for themselves how improving the education level has a positive impact on several key economic and social measures
Engage With Your Community
Host a community conversation with your friends, coworkers or neighbors. Learn about what people say are their aspirations for your community and talk about how you can work together to address challenges. Read the Harwood Institute Community Conversation Guide. (.pdf)
Raise Awareness About a Cause
Use social media tools to educate your friends and networks about an issue you care about. Connect with us at the links below:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/UnitedWayofYorkCounty
Twitter: twitter.com/UnitedWayofYork
Instagram: www.instagram.com/unitedwayofyorkcounty
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/unitedwayofyorkcounty