United Way Inc.

Filing Period

Jul 1, 2012 to Jun 30, 2013

Signed

Jan 23, 2014

Return Version

2012v2.1

Gross Receipts

$10,742,304

Mission

Major Activities

Activity 2

HEALTH: Improving people's physical and mental well-being is one of the building blocks of a thriving community; however, numerous obstacles stand in the way of good health for many residents of Greater Portland. United Way funds 43 programs at 21 partner agencies that focus on health, helping us advance our health goals in the community. From addressing substance abuse to funding vision rehabilitation programs and outpatient mental health clinical services, United Way works tirelessly to improve life for thousands of residents in Greater Portland.In collaboration with several community partners, United Way developed the Let's Go! program. Let's Go! is a nationally-recognized, community-based childhood obesity prevention program that promotes healthy lifestyles for children, youth, and their families. The goal is to increase physical activity and healthy eating, reversing trends regarding youth obesity. We accomplish our goals using the 5-2-1-0 message: eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables per day; limit recreational screen time (TV or computer use) to 2 hours or less; get 1 hour or more of physical activity every day; and drink 0 sugar-sweetened beverages, choosing low fat milk or water instead of soda. This message is used consistently across the multi-sector model to reinforce environmental and policy change strategies. Let's Go!'s statewide efforts are now managed by Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center. United Way continues to provide key leadership in the statewide project and financially supports the work in Cumberland County by funding two full-time coordinators to implement the multi-sector model locally. In FY13, Let's Go! Dissemination Partners in Cumberland County reached 62,143 youth through their work with 40 schools, 52 early childhood sites, 24 afterschool sites and 25 health care sites. Let's Go! also recognizes sites in all sectors based on how many of the priority strategies are being implemented and written into policy (and enforced). In Cumberland County, Let's Go! Greater Portland recognized 9 schools, 15 childcare sites, 14 health care sites, and 12 afterschool centers. This was an increase from the 34 sites recognized the prior year.Statewide evaluation data shows that schools, afterschools, and early childhood programs are implementing and sustaining strategies that increase healthy eating and physical activity. Locally, 93% of child care programs rarely use food as a reward, 78% of schools provide opportunities for physical activity, 100% of afterschool sites limit sugary beverages, and 100% of registered health care practices display the Let's Go! poster and routinely determine BMI for all patients over the age of two.

Activity 3

FINANCIAL STABILITY: Many people in Greater Portland do not have a stable income that allows them to provide the basics- food, housing, and utilities. United Way has always taken a strategic approach to addressing critical issues, and financial stability is no exception. Financial stability comes from providing families with the resources and opportunities they need to meet their basic needs. United Way funds 14 programs at 9 partner agencies that focus on income and securing the basics, helping us advance our financial stability goals in the community. From addressing the needs of refugees and immigrants to transportation and legal services programs, United Way is linking community members to tools that will help them get on, or continue down, the path to financial stability.1. CA$H (Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope) Greater Portland is a partnership of community leaders and industry experts empowering individuals and families to achieve long-term financial stability. CA$H is a year-round resource for the community, offering free income tax preparation to qualified filers during tax season, helping employers bring financial education tools to their employees, and educating hard-working residents about how they can make the most of their money. CA$H connects the community to local programs and services, and utilizes its website, www.cashgp.org, as a financial education clearinghouse. In 2013, CA$H free income tax preparation events returned $1,488,146 in federal and state tax refunds to the community, and applied for $418,246 in federal earned income tax credits.2. United Way of Greater Portland serves as the Cumberland County Local Board administrator for the federal Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP). This program is designed to help communities respond to local emergency food and shelter needs. EFSP funds are intended to help local existing programs, such as food pantries and shelters, expand their capacity to serve those in need. Local funding decisions are made by the Local Board which sets priorities, advertises the availability of funds, makes funding recommendations, and provides technical support to recipient organizations throughout the grant period. EFSP's Phase 30 (April 1, 2012 through July 31, 2013) funding awarded 21 Cumberland County agencies grants totaling $93,005.3. United Way of Greater Portland convenes the Cumberland County Food Security Council, a coalition focused on increasing access to food for vulnerable populations throughout Cumberland County. Formed in 2011, the council is comprised of representatives from local businesses, farms, food pantries and meal providers, government agencies, and other social services providers. The Council has been engaged in a strategic planning process to determine priorities.The Council's focus includes developing a food security information infrastructure in Cumberland County to drive evidence-based strategic initiatives. This includes Listserv and a common database to collect and share data, which is in development. This effort involves building collaboration and consensus among the key food providers for the county, as well as the front-line pantries and meal programs served by them. The establishment of a common data collection tool and information infrastructure will help provide an accurate picture of the state of food security in the county and provide strategic direction to hunger reduction efforts, provide a formal mechanism for collaboration, communication, and data sharing among key food providers and help reduce the burden of duplicative data reporting on the part of front line providers. The Council's other major focus was to utilize a community conversation model in the Lakes Region of Cumberland County, to bring together partners from across the food system to identify and discuss the food access issue and potential solutions for particular communities and across many communities. A successful series of conversations in the Lakes

Filer

EIN

01-0241767