Advancing the Common Good

Thursday, September 11, 2014

The Connector, United Way 2-1-1 and the Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley (ESFV) work together to make a difference in our community. (Right) A former client of ESFV shows off her lease and keys to her new apartment after successfully connecting to the community services she needed.

Contributors: Susan Perri, Marketing and Communications Assistant at United Way Fox Cities and Jennifer Dieter, Community Relations Director for the Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley

We believe that great things happen when we LIVE UNITED. That sounds nice, right? But in reality, what does that look like? We want to share with you three examples of our efforts in the community and how their interconnected services help to create lasting change…

The Connector (United Way Initiative)
The Connector, a partnership with Valley Transit, provides dependable transportation for second- and third-shift workers. In 2013, 16,793 rides were given to people who did not have access to other transportation options.

United Way 2-1-1 (United Way Community Service Program)
United Way 2-1-1 is an information hub that connects people with local health and human services. By dialing 2-1-1, callers are connected to Information and Referral Specialists who assess their needs and provide information about the most appropriate community resources. The service is free, confidential and available 24/7. In 2013, 23,893 referrals were made for those needing help in the 10-county service area.

Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley (United Way Partner Agency)
The Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley connects people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness to community resources they need to avoid future homeless episodes. The people ESFV serves face a lot of barriers to self-sufficiency including physical/mental health challenges, low-income jobs or unemployment, and lack of affordable housing. By working with community partners, ESFV is able to connect clients to resources, including The Connector, 2-1-1 and United Way-funded partner agencies to overcome these barriers and live independently.

All of these programs working together make a greater impact on issues in our community. To put it simply, when we work together, we get more done. You can learn more about our collaborative efforts by joining us for the United Way Experience Tour on September 16th from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. at the Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley (400 N. Division Street, Appleton). Sign-up to attend the tour.