Building on our 98-year history, the United Way of Washtenaw County (UWWC) serves a county of 358,000, and focuses specifically on issues related to poverty and inequity. With a 14% poverty rate and an additional 23% of the population struggling to meet their basic needs (ALICE report, 2017); poverty and inequity continue to systemically marginalize some of our neighbourhoods. Washtenaw County ranked in the bottom 8% for upward income mobility in Harvard’s “Equality of Opportunity Study”, a measure of the chance for a child from a lower-income household to rise into the middle class and beyond. This illustrates how upward mobility is increasingly determined by neighbourhood and zip code. Ann Arbor also ranked as the 8th most economically segregated community in the nation, worse than New York and LA. (Martin Prosperity Institute study, 2015)   United Way of Washtenaw County invests in solutions that improve lives. Our 2018-2021 Strategic plan recognizes equity as the foundation of our work. We apply an equity lens to our focus areas to ensure that we are intentional and successful in addressing the needs of our community, and have made a long term commitment to systems change beyond this three year plan. We invite you to participate and work with us on the strategies and actions described within this plan, as the power of the United Way lies within all of us. Each person in our community who is willing to lend a hand and volunteer amplifies our impact through aligned and collective action.

Community Impact Fund Our Community Impact Fund is used where the needs are the greatest. We utilize our Community Impact Fund to invest in nearly 100 programs that support our priority areas at 60 community organizations. In FY 2018-19, 84% of our Community Impact Fund dollars were invested through Coordinated Funding, while 14% were invested through our own discretionary grant funds. All of our investments align with our strategic focus areas: Early Childhood, School-Aged Youth, Health & Nutrition, Housing & Homelessness, Older Adults, and Financial Stability. United Way Discretionary Funding Our Opportunity Fund supports programs, projects or initiatives that are responding to critical or emergent community needs. Our Basic Needs Fund supports the immediate, most basic needs of individuals, children and families in need. Our Financial Stability Fund supports existing and emerging agency programs and initiatives focused on increasing financial capability and self-sufficiency of low-income individuals. Our Strategic Planning Fund supports the strategic planning efforts of local human service organizations. Fiscal Year 2018-19 Overview of FY19 Community Impact Investments Detailed List of FY19 Community Impact Investments Fiscal Year 2017-18 Overview of FY18 Community Impact Investments Detailed list of FY18 Community Impact Investments FY18 Opportunity Fund Investments FY18 Financial Stability Fund Investments Fiscal Year 2016-17 Overview of FY 2016-17 Community Impact Investments Detailed list of FY 2016-17 Community Impact Investments Financial Stability Fund Investments Fiscal Year 2015-16 Overview of FY 2015-16 Community Impact Investments Detailed list of FY 2015-16 Community Impact Investments Visit our Grants page to learn more. Coordinated Funding United Way of Washtenaw County is a proud member of the Washtenaw Coordinated Funders. The Washtenaw Coordinated Funders adopted a funding model with three distinct components (Sector Leaders (formerly Planning & Coordinating Entities), Program Operations Funding & Capacity Building Grants) designed to prevent gaps and avoid redundancies in services while streamlining application and reporting procedures for grantees. This effort involved better sharing of information, closer work with local nonprofits to establish common community goals, and increased cooperation in funding decisions.   The Washtenaw Coordinated Funders seek to better coordinate our funding of human service programs in Washtenaw County around shared priorities. This effort involves better sharing of information among us, closer work with local nonprofits to establish common community goals, and increased cooperation in our funding decisions. Program Operations Grants are multi-year funding to support essential services within five priority areas: early childhood, school-aged youth, safety net health & nutrition, housing & homelessness, and aging. Capacity Building Grants support one-time initiatives that strengthen a nonprofit organization and/or the local nonprofit sector as a whole. Annual focus of this fund shifts in response to local capacity building needs. Systems Change Investments support shifting the conditions that hold problems in place. FY 2016-17 investments by the Washtenaw Coordinated Funders FY 2015-16 investments by the Washtenaw Coordinated Funders Washtenaw Coordinated Funders website For more information please click on this link : https://www.uwwashtenaw.org/yourdollarsatwork

Goal: All children enter school ready to succeed. Strategy 1: Build Parenting Skills When parents become their child's first and best teacher, kids start school on a path to success. We fund best practice programs that teach the highest need parents how to nurture their children's developmental needs and provide a safe environment for growth and learning. Strategy 2: Provide High Quality Childcare: Child care isn’t cheap. Many low-income parents can’t afford quality care and have few options for safe environments for their kids. Children arriving at kindergarten who’ve been in the care of nurturing adults, with good social and literacy experiences, are prepared to succeed in school and beyond. With your help, we make this quality of child care accessible to low-income families.   Strategy 3: Strengthen Social Emotional Health   We know that home visitors are one of the best ways to connect high need families with the resources and knowledge they need to be the best parents they can be. We fund these programs to reach vulnerable families and support children from birth to age 3. Stories Worth Telling: Child care scholarship gives family a bright future:  Allan, 31, was a single father caring for his 5-year old daughter alone. His goal was to complete his education to better his financial situation and provide for his daughter, as well as set a good example for her. Due to mental health issues, the mother was unable to provide any financial or physical supports for him. As the relationship ended, Allan used the opportunity to move back to Ann Arbor, re-enroll at EMU and enroll his daughter in Community Day Care Center, a high quality and educational co-op. His daughter was in need of structure and stability.   Our partners at Child Care Network (CCN) provided Allan with a child care tuition scholarship that included coverage for his part-time work hours, class and study time. Community Day Care partnered with CCN and provided him a partial in-house scholarship to help CCN maximize United Way funding. Through various funders, Allan received 6 semesters of scholarship, averaging $100 per week. Allan graduated with Honors from EMU. He obtained his BSW and is currently enrolling in the U of M Masters program in the Fall of 2013. His daughter has excelled at Community Day Care and is getting ready to enter Kindergarten.   "Thank you so much for your continued support. I will have you know it has allowed me to complete my BSW with honors (August 2013) at EMU, as well as gain entrance to the UM MSW advanced standing program with a Dean’s Mission Scholarship. After, I will continue my mission of empowerment of others, as you have empowered me on this mission. Thank you."   Allan's situation and outcome is commonplace. Child Care Network works diligently to ensure that parents and their children achieve their goals and life dreams. We are very proud of Allan! Without United Way and Coordinated Funding, CCN would not have been able to assist Allan and other parents in similar situations, for the duration and amount of funds. His daughter would not have had equal access to such a quality early learning and care program, as DHS would not have assisted him and he had no other familial support. Allan most likely would not have completed his degree in such a quick time frame. Soon, he will be giving back to our community, and CCN, as a highly degreed professional.   Why This Matters From infancy through high school, children's educational outcomes are dependent on the quality of their learning experience. Quality early childhood education, in particular, has been shown to have a significant positive effect on future success, because brain circuits are developing actively then.1 In fact, 85% of the brain's development happens before a child enters kindergarten.2 When children receive quality early childhood education, they are more likely to read at grade level by 3rd grade.3 The number of words a child knows at age 3 strongly correlates with reading and comprehension levels at ages 9 and 10.4 For a family in poverty, licensed child care for one child in a two-parent household can cost more than 50% of a family's income. (Average cost per year is $10,294 per child.)5 In Washtenaw County, the Infant Mortality Rate varies widely between white and black infants: 4.9 for white infants, but 12.3 for black infants.6 In 2016, there were 485 cases of substantiated abuse & neglect of children ages 0-8 in our county.7 Our Data Portal gathers information about gaps and needs, solutions and best practices within each of our Priority Areas: Early Childhood, School-Age Youth, Hunger Relief, Homelessness & Housing, Senior Assistance and Safety Net Health. You’ll also find tools, resources and local blueprints for change.    

School-Aged Youth: Goals: Increase the high school graduation rate Youth feel physically and emotionally safe Strategy 1: Foster Literacy, Academic Success, and School Engagement Education is a lifelong experience that begins well before a child ever sets foot in a classroom and continues long past a cap‐and‐gown commencement. It is the broadest avenue to opportunity and the most influential factor in ensuring that children will grow up to do as well or better than their parents. We fund programs that intervene and support economically-disadvantaged youth with a focus on tutoring, attendance, educational advocacy and more.   Strategy 2: Out-of-School Programming Students that feel safe outside of school can better focus on their education. We fund programs that provide security and support for youth outside of school. Strategy 3: Facilitate Youth-Adult Relationships Having a single, supportive adult in their lives is one of the strongest indicators for student success. We fund programs that provide youth with mentors or other adults that can model, support or advocate for youth. Strategy 4: On-Site School Programming Supporting a safe environment for youth and giving them the tools to stay safe themselves is vital. We support work that focuses on teaching youth about conflict resolution, positive interactions, community safety and more.   Stories Worth Telling Student Success is About More Than Grades: Guest post from our partners at Peace Neighborhood Center Samantha is the youngest daughter of a single-parent household headed by her mother along with her two older sisters. Samantha was a sixth grader in Peace Neighborhood Center's Alternatives for Youth After School Program this past school year, a program funded in part by United Way. When Samantha first started coming to Alternatives for Youth, she exhibited severe social issues that were impacting her success in school. While she was doing average work academically, she demonstrated very poor social skills. It came to the staff members' attention that she was fearful of interacting with others and often suffered panic attacks when forced to do so. She had no meaningful relationships with her peers and had difficulty advocating for herself or expressing her opinion to others. Peace Neighborhood Center staff members identified the problem as a form of social anxiety disorder and worked with her teachers and mother to address the issue. While at Peace, staff members worked one-on-one with her and got her involved in the STARS Mentorship for Girls program. As a part of this program, Samantha was challenged to come out of her shell and interact with the other girls in the program, but in a comfortable setting with the support of Peace staff members. Samantha's inclusion in daily activities at Peace slowly began to make changes in her social behaviors. Over the course of the school year, she spent less time removed from others and took her nose out of the books she constantly brought with her as a defense mechanism. She began to smile more and joke with others. She is now an active participant in the STARS group. She also is demonstrating a better ability to advocate for herself and to express her opinion to others. At school, her academics have also shown improvement as she is more engaged in her studies and with her classmates. She has not experienced a panic attack in months. "Peace Center makes me feel safe. It's a fun place." - Samantha While Peace Neighborhood Center has often dealt with behavioral issues, it is more common for the children in the program to demonstrate delinquent or angry behavior. Dealing with a social anxiety disorder requires a different approach, one that discipline alone will not address. Thankfully, Peace Neighborhood Center staff members are trained to address a wide array of issues utilizing various youth development strategies and approached Samantha's issues with love and patience to great success. The grant from United Way of Washtenaw County and the Coordinated Funders is crucial to Peace Neighborhood Center’s ability to provide services to as many youth in need as possible. Without the financial backing of Coordinated Funding and the United Way of Washtenaw County, Peace would be forced to reduce the size and scope of their youth programs, leaving students like Samantha unable to receive after-school help to work on her issues.  United Way of Washtenaw County, along with our Coordinated Funding partners, support programs to ensure that youth feel physically and emotionally safe in and out of school. We're proud to have partners like Peace Neighborhood Center in this vital work! Learn more about our Five Priority Areas of funding: Early Childhood, School-Age Youth, Housing & Homelessness, Safety Net Health & Nutrition, and Seniors. Why This Matters While Washtenaw County boasts an average graduation rate higher than the state average (87%), economically disadvantaged youth graduate at a significantly lower rate: 72%1 In order for children to meet developmental milestones, learn, grow and lead productive lives, it is critical that they be healthy. Good social-emotional and mental health is a key component of children’s healthy development. Poverty, trauma, and inadequate treatment are three factors that have been shown to have a sustained, negative impact on children’s social, emotional and mental health.2 Recent surveys of Washtenaw County students revealed that 29% of  middle school students reported being bullied on school property in the past year, while 68% of African-American students witnessed in-school physical abuse. Among middle and high school students in Washtenaw County, 25% report depression and 15% have seriously considered suicide within the past year. Twelve youth (ages 15-24) in Washtenaw County died by suicide in 2016. Our Data Portal gathers information about gaps and needs, solutions and best practices within each of our Priority Areas: Early Childhood, School-Age Youth, Hunger Relief, Homelessness & Housing, Senior Assistance and Safety Net Health. You’ll also find tools, resources and local blueprints for change.  

United Way of Washtenaw County’s Young Leaders Society partnered with Ypsilanti’s Erickson Elementary by investing $10,000 to promote a grade-level reading program called Club Connect. Funds supported the creation of a Reading Oasis in the school, stocked with over 1,000 books, and online out-of-school reading resources for students as well as parent engagement tools. A beautiful mural painted by teacher Stacy Schwartz is the cornerstone of the room. Principal Kelly Mickel shared, “This opportunity enables us to further develop our school-wide culture of reading. The Reading Oasis is a special place for students and their families, a place where reading becomes a habit and students learn to be engaged and motivated readers.” The award also expands collaboration in the community that includes a new partnership between United Way of Washtenaw County, 826Michigan and the Ginsberg Center at the University of Michigan. This partnership will bring additional literacy and reading programming and volunteer support to Erickson Elementary. Through an additional grant investment by UWWC, Erickson students will have the opportunity to participate in 826Michigan literacy field trips and writing workshops. “I am excited to announce that the Young Leaders Society launched our first Club Connect Reading Oasis at Erickson Elementary (which is part of Ypsilanti Community Schools) on Tuesday, April 26, in conjunction with an 826 Michigan writing workshop." Kate Weber, YLS Steering Committee Chair shared. “In addition to funding, our members are looking forward to volunteering at Erickson Elementary.” In 2015-2016, 87 schools in 15 different states have adopted Club Connect. More than 46,000 books have been donated and 43,500 students impacted. For more information regarding the Club Connect Reading Oasis at Erickson Elementary or the Young Leaders Society email us at yls@uwwashtenaw.org.  Visit the Young Leaders Society Facebook page to view more pictures from the launch.

Goal: Increase access to health services. Strategy 1: Benefits Advocacy and Referral Coordination Navigating the system of benefits and care available can be time-consuming, confusing, and complex for anyone. We support programs that assist clients with enrolling in public benefits, such as Medicaid and SNAP (food stamps) and help people find providers for the services they need to stay healthy. Strategy 2: Accessing Care Services We want to live in a community where everyone, regardless of income, can access health care. We support programs that provide primary care, dental care, mental health care, and substance use disorder to low-income residents. Goal: Decrease food insecurity. Strategies Strategy 1: Hunger Relief Our partners at Food Gatherers distribute at least 6 millions pounds of food per year through their extensive network of food pantry and congregate meal partners. At least 50% of the food distributed is protein, fruits and vegetables. We support Washtenaw County's food bank and food rescue organization to alleviate hunger. Strategy 2: Nutrition Education Enhanced Produce Distribution Healthy food is great, unless you don't know how to cook it or don't know why it's important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. We support programs that ensure people that have access to all that fresh produce distributed by Food Gatherers also know how to cook it and serve it to their families. Strategy 3: Home-Bound Food Distribution Individuals that are unable to leave their homes can suffer serious health declines from a lack of proper nutrition. We support programs that deliver nutritions meals (hot and cold) to home-bound, low-income residents so they can maintain or improve their health. Stories Worth Telling: The Care They Deserve: “The first few years of a child’s life make a world of difference, shaping who he or she will become, what he or she will achieve and how he or she will contribute to society as an adult.” -Kelly Stupple, Child Health Advocate Washtenaw County is blessed with a high standard of living, tremendous educational opportunities, world-class health care and a richly diverse population. For Kelly Stupple, Child Health Advocate at Washtenaw Success by 6 Great Start Collaborative, those virtues also come with a host of challenges, especially for the county’s most underserved residents. One of those challenges is securing and maintaining health and dental care for low income and uninsured children and families. Success by 6 Great Start Collaborative focuses on providing ALL children with the tools needed to succeed by kindergarten. Among the barriers to their success, however, are chronic health conditions like asthma and obesity, trouble accessing primary care, lack of immunizations and gaps in health coverage. That’s where Kelly fits in. As Child Health Advocate, she’s like a health care GPS, helping qualified families locate and retain the publicly funded health insurance and other resources they need to maintain good physical, emotional and dental health. She also troubleshoots for at risk families, from helping locate transportation and emergency housing to childcare referrals and nutritional assistance. Among the programs supported by United Way is the Great Start Smiles Oral Health Program, a robust initiative promoting good dental hygiene and fluoride varnish protection. United Way funds the cost of the program’s dental hygienist. This standalone program — and the statewide Healthy Kids Dental Program — is proactive, preventive efforts that teach healthy habits for a lifetime. Key to their success is growing dentist participation, thanks to Medicaid and state reimbursement that approximates Delta Dental insurance rates. Another priority for Kelly is prenatal care, which lays the groundwork for a healthy future. Unfortunately, many obstetricians practice in affluent, NOT low-income communities. This poses a serious threat to the underserved including a disabled client whose high-risk pregnancy requires close medical attention. With her Medicaid discontinued — and her income limited — her OB refuses to see her. “She is trying to have a healthy pregnancy. I’ll do whatever is necessary to get her the care she, and her baby, deserve.” That commitment is at the very heart of Success by 6 Great Start Collaborative. Why This Matters Healthy people are the foundation for vibrant, productive communities. Washtenaw County ranks first among Michigan counties in “health factors” according to the 2014 County Health Rankings released March 26, 2014. However, even in Washtenaw County, where you live affects your health. While Chelsea residents can expect to live up to age 85, which contrasts starkly with Ypsilanti township, where the average life expectancy is age 661. Further, while infant mortality rates have improved overall, black babies under one year still die at almost twice the rate of white babies in Washtenaw County2. One in seven people in Washtenaw County struggle with food insecurity or hunger. Food security means having enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle. Food is a basic human need. People that are not food secure are more likely to suffer from malnutrition, be obese, and have poor health outcomes, as they are often forced to choose the cheapest food options, even if they are not the most healthy options.3 Food insecurity is especially harmful to children. Hungry children are sick more often and are more likely to be hospitalized. They are more likely to suffer growth and development impairments. Hungry children, ages 0-3, are unable to learn as much, as fast, or as well as their peers during this critical period of rapid brain growth. They do more poorly in school and have lower academic achievement because they are not prepared for school and cannot concentrate. Hungry children often grow into workers that are not as well prepared mentally, physically, emotionally or socially to perform effectively in the contemporary workforce.4 Our Data Portal gathers information about gaps and needs, solutions and best practices within each of our Priority Areas: Early Childhood, School-Age Youth, Hunger Relief, Homelessness & Housing, Senior Assistance and Safety Net Health. You’ll also find tools, resources and local blueprints for change.

Goal: Reduce the number of homeless families and individuals. Strategy 1: Homelessness Prevention The best way to fight homelessness in our community is to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place. We support programs that triage those at highest risk of becoming homeless to connect them with services to stay housed or find housing. Strategy 2: Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing and/or Homelessness Outreach In the most recent Point In Time Count, 387 Washtenaw County residents were homeless. We support programs that provide short-term shelter and connect individuals and families with resources they need to get back on their feet. Strategy 3: Rapid Rehousing The faster someone experiencing homelessness is re-housed into permanent housing, the better their own outcomes and outlook for the future (at a lower cost than shelter), for a variety of reasons. We support programs that work to place at-risk individuals and families into permanent housing as quickly as possible, in line with national housing best practices. Strategy 4: Permanent Supportive Housing Some adults will always need addtional support to live stably and independently (such as adults with disabilities or mental illness). We support programs that provide housing supports, such as on-site social workers or connection to employment opportunities)  to keep people in stable housing permanently and keep them a part of their community. Why This Matters Washtenaw County is a more expensive county in which to live, with a cost of living index higher than state and national averages.1 Of the 358,880 individuals living in our County, 14% live below the poverty line, which is only $12,140 for an individual or $25,100 annually for a family of four.2&3 This translates to over 50,000 people in Washtenaw County living in poverty.  The number of income-restricted units in Ann Arbor dropped from more than 2,100 in 2000 to less than 1,600 in 2012. Families making between $20,000 - $34,999 devote an average of 75% of their annual income to housing costs; one is considered “housing burdened” when more than 30% of income pays for housing.4 Approximately 4,600 adults and children received services to address homelessness in 2014. Contrary to popular belief, 1306 were families with children and 70% had attained at least a high school diploma. On a given night in 2018 there were 256 people in emergency shelter, and 28 people without shelter.5 Our Data Portal gathers information about gaps and needs, solutions and best practices within each of our Priority Areas: Early Childhood, School-Age Youth, Hunger Relief, Homelessness & Housing, Senior Assistance and Safety Net Health. You’ll also find tools, resources and local blueprints for change.  

Goal: Increase or maintain independent living factors for vulnerable, low-income older adults. Strategy 1: Senior Crisis Intervention A senior citizen on a fixed income can quickly find themselves in crisis, which can jeopardize their ability to maintain their independence. We support programs that intervene when seniors need it most to keep them from losing their homes, get the medical care they need, pay their utility bills and more. Strategy 2: Senior Service Network Navigation Connecting seniors with the network of services available to them is vital to ensuring low-income seniors can stay independent as long as possible. We support programs that provide services, information, support, referral and advocacy to prevent seniors from losing their independence. Strategy 3: Senior Social Integration Remaining a part of the social fabric of our community has a documented positive affect on a senior citizen's ability to stay healthy and independent for as long as possible. We support programs that provide activities to help seniors improve or maintain social integration.  Why This Matters Nearly everyone wants to grow old in their own home, regardless of physical, cognitive, or economic abilities. Recent research on home-based health programs suggests that aging in place can yield potential cost savings at the individual, state, and federal levels. Although the current body of research is limited, these studies demonstrate the benefits of aging in place — benefits that extend beyond cost savings to include social and emotional benefits to both seniors and the broader community.1 Over half of seniors in our County live alone (52%). Sadly, some seniors will achieve their goal of aging in place but feel isolated and lonely. Nearly half of seniors (47%) in a recently completed survey report not having someone they could borrow $100 from in an emergency.2 Health studies show that older, isolated people have much higher rates of mortality from breast cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease and other chronic diseases. According to researchers, being isolated is just as bad for people as smoking and is worse than being obese.3&4 Our Data Portal gathers information about gaps and needs, solutions and best practices within each of our Priority Areas: Early Childhood, School-Age Youth, Hunger Relief, Homelessness & Housing, Senior Assistance and Safety Net Health. You’ll also find tools, resources and local blueprints for change.

Financial Stability As part of our commitment to addressing key community issues, United Way of Washtenaw County is developing strategies to positively impact the economic mobility of our citizens. The goal is to help move people towards greater financial self-sufficiency and away from the safety-net services that are used during crisis situations.     To learn more about our Financial Stability services, select below:    Resources for Individuals
For more information please click on this link : https://www.uwwashtenaw.org/financialstabilityindividuals   Services for Agencies
For more information please click on this link : https://www.uwwashtenaw.org/fsagencies   Washtenaw Financial Stability Coalition
For more information please click on this link : https://www.uwwashtenaw.org/washtenaw-financial-stability-coalition   Free Tax Preparation Help
For more information please click on this link : https://www.uwwashtenaw.org/freetaxhelp  

Data Portal We work diligently to assess community needs and use data to help us ascertain emerging needs. Information here can be used by agencies, media, grant writers, community members or anyone needing links to data and information regarding our community.  Policy makers can use data to identify needs, compare metrics, and connect to evidence-based practices in an effort to better understand their community. Community Conditions: In order to best serve our community, we need to understand our community. Explore these sections to learn more about Washtenaw County community conditions. Demographics: Demographic data and trends help the government, agencies, and society prepare for issues and demands that arise from population growth and changes. For example, demographic studies aid in the development of adequate school systems, estimate the required funding for senior services and develop workable healthcare systems. A wide variety of social outcomes are impacted by demographic processes and distributions. Basic Demographic Profile of Washtenaw County (2010, U.S. Census Data)
Find data tables of Washtenaw County population counts broken down by age, gender, race, household type, household size, housing occupancy, and housing tenure from 2010 U.S. Census data. Basic Demographic Profile of Washtenaw County (2015, American Community Survey Estimates)
Find data tables of Washtenaw County population counts broken down by age, gender, race, and number of households, from American Community Survey Estimates. Population Trends of Washtenaw County (1990-2015, Michigan Department of Health & Human Services)
Find population trends by Race, Gender, Age, and comparison to Michigan population trends. Also find other health trends for Washtenaw County, including Infant Mortality, Mortality and Poverty, Birth Rates, Birth Defects, and more. Student Counts (1999-2017, Washtenaw Intermediate School District)
Find reports of number of students in each school district and charter schools. Reports broken down by grade, school building,  race, ethnicity, gender, or special education students. Racial Dot Map (2010 Census Data, National Data from University of Virginia Demographics Research Group)
Zoom in to locations to see racial distribution in dot format.   Poverty In Our Community:   Poverty Rate in Washtenaw County (2011-2015, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates) Find basic poverty rate for Washtenaw County and additional data tables with poverty rates broken down by gender, age, race, education, employment status and more.   Opportunity Washtenaw (2015, Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development) Find comprehensive interactive maps and data tables of various key indicators that determine opportunity in Washtenaw County (job access, health, economic vitality, education, and neighborhood stability), through geography, gender, race/ethnicity, and age lenses.   Poverty in Michigan (2017, University of Michigan Poverty Solutions)  This map combines publicly available data from the U.S. Census, United Way, CDC Community Health Indicators, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.   Free and Reduced Lunch Counts (2011-2016, Michigan Department of Education) Find total breakfast and lunch served and total free and reduced meals served, broken down by school district and building.   Children in Poverty (2019, U.S. Census, Small Area Income Poverty Estimates) Find number and perecent of children, ages 0-17 in poverty, by County on a map. Also find additional research and advocacy about struggling families.   Green Book (Monthly report, Michigan Department of Health & Human Services) The Green Book is a monthly report of key Michigan DHHS program statistics (such as Medicaid, Medicare, food assistance, cash assistance, child development and care, State Emergency Relief and more) for the entire state and by individual county. The Green Book How-To Guide provides an overview of what is in the report, key definitions and how to find data points.   ALICE Report, Asset Limited, Income Constrained, but Employed (2017, Michigan Association of United Ways) Report measuring the number of households in Michigan that are above the Federal Poverty Level, but do not earn enough income to meet their basic needs, (i.e. the working poor). Find an overview of this research, statewide data and a breakdown of what an ALICE household looks like in each county. Washtenaw County's profile is on page 234 of report.    2-1-1 Counts (Real-time, searchable 2-1-1 call data, Michigan 2-1-1) Michigan 2-1-1 is the community help line, staffed 24/7 to connect people with health & human services resources. Find data on 2-1-1 requests, such as top categories and sub-categories and call volume trends, broken down by locality and time frame.   2-1-1 Referrals (Quarterly Report, United Way of Southeast Michigan) Quarterly report that provides an overview of Southeast Michigan 2-1-1 call data, including a county-level breakdown of top 5 needs, top unmet needs, call volume, and income-level of callers.   Quarter 2018   Q4 Overview Q4 Top 10 Referred Services Q4 Unmet needs Q4 Agency Site Referrals Fourth Quarter 2018 Third Quarter 2018 Second Quarter 2018 First Quarter 2018   ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed Across Michigan, 43 percent of households struggle to afford the basic necessities of housing, child care, food, health care and transportation. That's why United Ways across Michigan, with help from the Consumers Energy Foundation, have come together to bring you the ALICE Project. Standing for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed - ALICE represents those in our communities who are working yet still struggling to make ends meet.    The ALICE Report is the most comprehensive depiction of need in Michigan to date. By unveiling new metrics including the ALICE Threshold, Household Survival Budget and Economic Viability Dashboard, our communities now have the proper tools to discuss need around the state:   ALICE Report, 2019 Update (Michigan Association of United Ways) Study of financial hardship in Michigan, with County-level statistics; ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed Washtenaw County One-Pager ALICE Report, 2019 Update (Michigan Association of United Ways)
Overview of ALICE in Washtenaw County; ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed ALICE Report, 2017 Update (Michigan Association of United Ways) Study of financial hardship in Michigan, with County-level statistics; ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed   Washtenaw County One-Pager ALICE Report, 2017 Update (Michigan Association of United Ways)
Overview of ALICE in Washtenaw County; ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed   ALICE 2017 Infographic (Michigan Association of United Ways)
Downloadable version of the below infographic; ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed   Our Priority Areas: We focus our investments within priority areas to support a good quality of life for all of our neighbors. Explore these to learn more about gaps & needs, solutions & best practices, local blueprints for change, and tools & resources within each of these sectors. Early Childhood Data Gaps and Needs Michigan's Forgotten 4-Year-Olds: A multi-part series exploring how 30,000 Michigan kids who qualify for free pre-school are not getting the education they need, due to inadequate state funding, logistical hurdles and poor coordination of services.  Research shows that these children will get lower grades, drop out more frequently and earn less money over the course of their careers. (Bridge Magazine, 2012) State of Preschool, Michigan Profile, 2015: Annual report that profiles state-funded pre-K programs. The Michigan profile provides data on spending levels, enrollment levels, access, and quality standards. Click here for full report. (NIEER) Solutions and Best Practices Great Start Readiness Program: Evaluation findings of Michigan's state-funded preschool program for at-risk 4-year-olds. (HighScope Educational Research Program, 2012) HighScope Perry Preschool Study: Well-known longitudinal study that followed low-income children that attended high-quality preschool.  Parents as Teachers Model: Evidence-based model that provides services to families with children prenatal through kindergarten. Model includes personal visits, group connections, resource network and child screening. Child FIRST Model: Evidence-based model that addresses damage caused to young brains and development from early trauma and adversity, by decreasing stress experienced by the family and providing therapy. Early Head Start-Home Visiting Model: Evidence-based model that provides early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and family support services, including home visits and socialization opportunities. Early Start Model: Evidence-based model that aims to create a collaborative, problem-solving partnership between a home visitor and family to maximize child health, increase child and family well-being, build strengths, and eliminate deficiencies.  Local Blueprints for Change Washtenaw Success by 6 Great Start Collaborative Strategic Plan: The work of Success by 6 Great Start Collaborative is to improve all parts of the early childhood system of programs and services for children, with a particular emphasis on children with high needs. (SB6GSC, 2016) Tools and Resources Ages and Stages Developmental Questionnaire: A screening tool for parents of children ages 2 months to 66 months (5 ½ years) that will help to monitor a child's development by screening children in five areas: Communication, Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Problem Solving and Personal-Social. Baby Brain Map: Learn about the brain's development from prenatal to three years of age; You'll also learn what you can do to enrich a very young child's development.  Community Dashboard: A dashboard on Washtenaw County's current community conditions and our funded program's outcome achievement.  Family Resources for Early Learners: Find a variety of research-based resources for parenting young children, advice from experts, tips for how to find high-quality child care, and a searchable database of accredited child care providers. Parent's Guide to Healthy Sleep: Easy guide and tips for parents regarding healthy sleep at each phase of child development. *If you need assistance with any health & human services needs, please dial 2-1-1 from any phone, or search the 2-1-1 database online.   School-Aged Youth Data: Gaps and Needs Kids Count Data, Washtenaw County, 2017: Annual report & data center that tracks the well-being of children in the United States. This County profile provides county-level and state-level data on factors such as population, poverty level, standardized test performance, public benefits received, household type, and more. Click here for the full report. (Michigan League for Public Policy) Kids Count Data, Washtenaw County, 2016: Annual report & data center that tracks the well-being of children in the United States. This County profile provides county-level and state-level data on factors such as population, poverty level, standardized test performance, public benefits received, household type, and more. Click here for the full report. (Michigan League for Public Policy) Michigan Whole Child Snapshot, 2015:  Annual infographic that highlights how well comprehensive needs of Michigan's children are being met compared with other states, including data points on health, safety, student engagement, support-level and more. Each report also provides specific solutions that schools can implement to increase student well-being. (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) Michigan College Access Network Impact Map: Interactive map/dashboard of key college access assets & indicators. (MCAN, 2018) Washtenaw Report Card: WACY's Annual Dashboard report that gathers data from various sources to provide a snapshot of social emotional development, health and safety, academic and career readiness of Washtenaw County students. Report compares performance of all students with economically-disadvantaged students. (Washtenaw Alliance for Children & Youth, 2015) Washtenaw Report Card Presentation: Presentation overview of the above Report Card. (WACY, 2015) Washtenaw K-12 Schools Dashboard: Highlights performance in key education areas for the current and prior year. (MI School Data) Michigan Profile for Health Youth: MiPHY is an annual online student survey to support local and regional needs assessment. Generate reports with data points on alcohol, drugs, tobacco, violence, physical activity, weight and nutrition, sexual behavior, and risk factors. (Michigan Department of Education) Literacy Data: Compiled regional and national reports/data on literacy and outcomes associated with literacy. (Literacy Coalition of Washtenaw County) Solutions and Best Practices Guide to Effective Social and Emotional Learning Programs: Preschool & Elementary School Edition: Guide to top-rated evidence-based models that incorporate social and emotional learning into classrooms and schools. CASEL's mission is to make social and emotional learning an integral part of school-based education. (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), 2013) Guide to Effective Social and Emotional Learning Programs: Middle & High School Edition: Guide to top-rated evidence-based models that incorporate social and emotional learning into classrooms and schools. CASEL's mission is to make social and emotional learning an integral part of school-based education. (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), 2015) Ready by 21 Model: A set of innovative strategies devloped by the Forum for Youth Investment that helps communities improve the odds that all children and youth will be ready for college, work, and life.
Local Blueprints for Change Common Agenda for Children & Youth in Washtenaw County: Together, partners of Washtenaw Alliance for Children & Youth (WACY) share accountability for these Community Progress Report Priorities and work together to accelerate the positive development of children and youth who are economically disadvantaged as related to the key indicators. (WACY, 2015)
Tools and Resources Community Dashboard: A dashboard on Washtenaw County's current school-aged youth community conditions and our funded program's outcome achievement.  Kids Count Data Wheel: Easy-to-use interactive tool that compares key indicators of child well-being between states and drills down to more information for each state. For example, Michigan ranks 36 for economic well-being and 32 for graduation rate. (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2013) Literacy Links for Learners and Teachers: Printable worksheets and interactive online tools. (Washtenaw Literacy Coalition) Help for Homeless College Students: Resources for low-income and homeless college students (Affordable Colleges Online) *If you need assistance with any health & human services needs, please dial 2-1-1 from any phone, or search the 2-1-1 database online.   Safety-Net Health Gaps and Needs Washtenaw County Health Department Annual Reports, 2017 & 2018: Annual report out of WCHD's health-related strategies, impact, and emerging issues. (WCHD, 2017 & 2018) Access to Behavioral Health Care in Michigan: Analysis and report about mental health care and substance use disorder treatment access in Michigan. (Altarum, 2019) Michigan Health & Wellness Dashboard: At-a-glance dashboard of key health & wellness indicators in Michigan. (Open Michigan) General Health Data for Michigan: Collection of statistics and reports of health data of Michigan's citizens. (Michigan DHHS) County Health Rankings: Comparisons of health ranking data by county, state, national. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) Washtenaw County Health Data: Robust collection of data, presentations, and reports on the health of Washtenaw County residents, including information on access to care, mental health, health equity, substance abuse, and more. HIP Survey: Every five years the Washtenaw County Health Improvement Plan (HIP) survey is conducted in our community to identify health trends and conditions. (Washtenaw County Public Health, 2015) Washtenaw Health Equity Report Card: One-page report card that rates health disparity (based upon race, income, education, or geography) in Washtenaw County of 11 key health indicators. (Washtenaw County Public Health, 2014) Comprehensive Latino Health Survey: (In English) Comprehensive survey of health ofWashtenaw County Latinx population. (Washtenaw County Encuesta Buenos Vecinos Collaboration, 2015) Washtenaw County Dental Assessment: Report detailing history and context of dental care in Washtenaw County and changes to the landscape with a focus on low-income populations and safety-net providers. (Washtenaw Health Initiative, 2015) HealthCare.gov Enrollment Data: Maps to dig deeper into local changes in the uninsured rate, county-level marketplace enrollment, and where in-person assisters are located in relation to uninsured consumers. HealthCare.gov Enrollment Data: Race, Ethinicy, and Language: Examines HealthCare.gov Marketplace enrollment activity by racial and ethnic subgroup as well as spoken and written language preference, at national and state level. (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2017) Building a Healthier Washtenaw: Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan (Washtneaw County Public Health, 2013) Childhood Obesity in Washtenaw County: Data about childhood obesity throughout Washtenaw County (Washtenaw County Public Health) Health Care in Michigan: Map of Healthy Michigan Plan enrollment rates by county and a variety of other Health Care reports and resources. (Michigan League for Public Policy, 2015) Nutrition Data Gaps and Needs Hunger In America, Washtenaw County: Report detailing characteristics of food bank clients and food banks. (Food Gatherers and Feeding America, 2014) Map the Meal Gap: Data available on overall food insecurity rates, child food insecurity rates, SNAP eligibility, average cost of a meal, funds required to meet food needs. National, state, and county level. (Feeding America, 2014) Hunger Facts: Some key hunger facts. (Food Gatherers) Food Insecurity in Washtenaw County: Presentation about hunger facts, food access, maps, and federal food policy information. Ypsilanti Food Access Study: Survey to better understand Ypsilanti residents' perceived access to quality produce and food stores. (Food Gatherers, 2017) SNAP Application Experience Project: Investigation of barriers to accessing SNAP benefits (food stamps) locally and recommendations for improvements. (Washtenaw Food Policy Council & Food Gatherers, 2018) Solutions and Best Practices Advocating Against Hunger: National public policy goals and steps to advocae for hunger relief. (Feeding America) Feeding America Network: Description of the national network of food banks and how they work to address food insecurity (Feeding America) Food Research and Action Center: Public policy group dedicated to addressing food insecurity.  USDA-Food Security: Variety of food security tools and resources. Local Blueprints for Change Food Security Plan: Plan and recent update addressing food insecurity in Washtenaw County (Food Gatherers, 2009 & 2015) Tools and Resources Community Dashboard: A dashboard on Washtenaw County's current nutrition community conditions and our funded program's outcome achievement.  Find a Food Pantry: Easy search tool to find a food pantry or meal nearest to you. Information provided on searchable map or in list form. (Food Gatherers) Summer Food Program: Meet Up & Eat Up provides meals to kids and some other populations during the summer. See locations and hours. (Food Gatherers) Food Budgeting: Great tips and information for stretching a household's food budget. (MSU Extension) Food Assistance Calculator: Online calculator to help users determine if they are eligible for food assistance (food stamps) and an estimate of the benefit amount. Also includes information about how to apply. (Michigan Legal Help) Help Applying for Food Assistance: Flyer (in English, Spanish and Arabic) with checklist of what to bring and where to go to apply for food assistance. Washtenaw Farmer's Markets: List of Farmer's Markets in Washtenaw County, how to shop, and how to use Food Assistance benefits. *If you need assistance with any health & human services needs, please dial 2-1-1 from any phone, or search the 2-1-1 database online.   Housing & Homelessness Data: Gaps & Needs 2018 Point-In-Time Count: Data presentation of findings of the annual Homeless Point-in-Time Count. (Washtenaw OCED, Washtenaw Housing Alliance) 2017 Point-In-Time Count: Data presentation of findings of the annual Homeless Point-in-Time Count. (Washtenaw OCED, Washtenaw Housing Alliance) 2016 Built for Zero Report: Recap of Washtenaw County's participation in a rigorous national change efford to end veteran and chronic homelessness. (Washtenaw OCED) 2015 Point-In-Time Count: Data presentation of findings of the annual Homeless Point-in-Time Count. (Washtenaw OCED, Washtenaw Housing Alliance) Washtenaw County Housing Affordability & Economic Equity Analysis: Analysis providing a snapshot of the Washtenaw County housing market conditions and goals to improve affordability. (czb, 2015) Housing Affordability Infographic: Snapshot of who can afford what in Ann Arbor. (Washtenaw OCED, 2015) Youth Homelessness & Housing Instability Report: An assessment of youth homelessness and resources availble in Washtenaw County. (Washtenaw Continuum of Care, 2019) Solutions and Best Practices: National Alliance to End Homelessness: Focuses on effective, efficient solutions to homelessness. Built for Zero: Built for Zero (formerly Zero: 2016) is a rigorous national change effort working to help a core group of committed communities end veteran and chronic homelessness. National Center on Family Homelessness: Provides accessible trainings, reports, and technical assistance addressing the causes and consequences of homelessness.  National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty: Creates reports on homelessness and poverty to advocate to lawmakers and the public. Opening Doors: Federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness.  CSH Supportive Housing & Research: Evidence and research on the effectiveness of Supportive Housing as a strategy to end homelessness. HUD Housing First Voucher Program: Study and results of effectiveness of housing vouchers. National Low Income Housing Coalition: Provides various resources and tools for those learning about housing issues. Local Blueprints for Change: Blueprint to End Homelessness: Washtenaw Housing Alliances's plan to address homelessness in Washtenaw County with four goals: prevention; housing with support services; reforming our systems of care; and engaging the community. (WHA, 2004)   Tools and Resources   Community Dashboard: A dashboard on Washtenaw County's current school-aged youth community conditions and our funded program's outcome achievement.    Housing Access of Washtenaw County (HAWC): Washtenaw County's central intake for individuals and families who are homeless or experiencing homelessness.   HAWC Brochure: Printable information for clients or those that might need HAWC's services.   HUD Annual Homeless Assessment Report: The Department of Housing & Urban Development's annual report delivered to Congress. (November 2016)   Michigan Campaign to End Homelessness: Michigan's statewide action plan, partners, and efforts to end homelessness.   Other Michigan Housing Resource Agencies: Statewide list of housing agencies for clients in need that may not live within Washtenaw County.   CHS Loan Products: Loan products that are designed to support communities that are developing affordable housing.   Michigan Housing Locator: MSHDA's search engine for affordable or low-income housing. Users can search by location, price, property type, number of bedrooms and more.   Veterans Affairs Housing Benefits: An easy-to-read guide of housing programs and benefits offered through the Department of Veterans Affairs.   VA Loans: Guide to housing loans for veterans offered through the Department of Veterans Affairs.   *If you need assistance with any health & human services needs, please dial 2-1-1 from any phone, or search the 2-1-1 database online. Aging Data Older Adults in Washtenaw County are Falling Behind the Michigan Recovery: Slide showing income trends for senior citizens in Washtenaw County (Senior Data Book, Blueprint for Aging, 2012) Older Adults In the Workplace: Slide showing significant increase of older adults in Washtenaw County workplaces. (Senior Data Book, Blueprint for Aging, 2012) Seniors Living Alone: Slide showing upward trend of older adult men living alone. (Senior Data Book, Blueprint for Aging, 2012) Washtenaw County Older Adult Data Bank: Provides a holistic framework to highlight indicators of older adult well-being and to emphasize existing challenges. (Blueprint for Aging, 2009, 2010, 2012) Aging Readiness & Competitiveness Report: Interactive data set that provides analysis and trends in 4 pillar areas: Community Social Infrastructure, Productive Opportunity, Technological Engagement, and Healthcare & Wellness (AARP, 2018) Mental Health & Substance Use Disorders State of Mental Health and Aging: Issue brief with statistics and overview of seniors' mental health in America. (Centers for Disease Control, 2006) Mental Health and Older Adults Fact Sheet: Report with various facts related to seniors' mental health. (World Health Organization, April 2016)

Solutions and Best Practices National Institutes of Health: National Institute on Aging: Agency dedicated to understanding the nature of aging, supporting the health and well-being of older adults, and extending healthy, active years of life for more people. Profile and Scorecard of Long-Term Services and Supports (Michigan): Report compiling data about long-term services and supports for older adults in Michigan. (AARP, 2014) Economic Security for Seniors: Best practices for maintaining adults' independence through financial supports. (National Council on Aging) Mental Health & Substance Use Disorders Treating Depression in Older Adults: Evidence-based practices for treating depression. (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2011) Tools and Resources *If you need assistance with any health & human services needs, please dial 2-1-1 from any phone, or search the 2-1-1 database online. Benefits Check Up: Searchable website that helps individuals find benefits they may be eligible for. (National Council on Aging) Community Dashboard: A dashboard on Washtenaw County's current school-aged youth community conditions and our funded program's outcome achievement.  Local Senior Resources: Washtenaw County Senior Resource Directory, featuring listing of service providers for things such as Adult Day Services, Legal Services, Respite Care, Care Facilities and much more. (Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County) Mental Health & Substance Use Disorders  Substance Abuse Treatment Centers: Searchable database of treatment centers. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Mental Health Treatment Centers: List of mental health organizations serving Washtenaw County  Behavioral Health Counseling (Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County) Behavioral Health Counseling (Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County) Transportation Transportation Options for Older Adults AAATA: Senior Services (Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority/The Ride) Transportation Services (Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County)   Other Data Explore these sections for various maps and data about the nonprofit sector in Washtenaw County and Michigan   Maps Cities, Townships, and Villages
Access the websites of cities, townships, and villages in Washtenaw County by clicking on the map. Washtenaw Intermediate School District
See the geographical layout of the school districts that have partnered with the Washtenaw Intermediate School District; contact information for each school is also available. Interactive GIS Mapping Tools Policy Map
A robust and national geo-database that allows users to layer various data points over the map: Demographics-Population, Households and Families, Religion, and more. Education-School Enrollment, Educational Attainment, School District Statistics, and more. Income & Spending-Household Incomes, People in Poverty, Food Stamp Recipients, Economic Mobility, and more. Housing-Home Values, Residential Buildings, Affordability, and more. Lending-Mortgage Loans, Small Business Loans, Banking, and more. Quality of Life-Crime, Food Access, Transit Access, Commute to Work Statistics, Energy Usage, and more. Economy-Jobs & Industries, Infrastructure, Government Spending, and more. Health-Health Status, Vital Statistics, Access to Care, Risk Factors, and more. Federal Guidelines-Housing and Urban Development, FEMA, National Park Service, and more. OpportunityWashtenaw
The Opportunity Index utilizes recent data in 5 categories to break the county into quintiles showing where the average person has more overall opportunity.  The overall map can give you a general impression, but a lot of key information can be found by using the overlays and sorting and viewing the data in the tables: Job Access-Adult Educational Attainment, Mean commute time, Living wage jobs in neighborhood, Unemployment Health-Low birth weight, Child obesity Economic Vitality-Child poverty rate, High-cost mortgage, Housing & Transportation Affordability Education-Preschool enrollment, Education proficiency, Dropout Rate, Adults not working and not in school Neighborhood Stability-Residential vacancy, Median home values, Home invasion, Registered voters, voting Washtenaw Area Transportation Study Maps
The Washtenaw Area Transportation Study (WATS) is a multi-jurisdicitonal agency responsible for transportation planning in Washtenaw County. These maps include information about current roads, bike paths, public transit, housing & transportaion as percentage of income and greenhouse gas data. Nonprofit Sector : Nonprofit Economic Investment in Washtenaw County (Washtenaw County Office of Community & Economic Development, 2013)
An analysis of economic return on investment for taxpayers Economic Benefits of Michigan's Nonprofit Sector (Michigan Nonprofit Association, 2014)
Report documenting the economic contributions of Michigan's nonprofit sector. Interactive Tables and Maps of Nonprofit Sector (Michigan Nonprofit Association)
Regional maps that allow user to see nonprofit sector data points: Employment & Wages, Overview, Social Function Economic Benefit Dashboard of Nonprofit Sector (Michigan Nonprofit Association)
Concise dashboard view of number of nonprofits, employment and revenue; can drill down by county or see statewide data Financial Stability Data As part of our commitment to addressing key community issues, United Way of Washtenaw County is developing strategies to positively impact the financial stability of our citizens. The goal is to help move people towards greater economic self-sufficiency and away from the safety-net services that are used during crisis situations. Below, find research, tools and information that informs our Financial Stability work. (For Individual Financial Coaching and Resources: See our Financial Stability for Individuals page) Agency Tools and Resources Your Money, Your Goals: This toolkit can be used by agencies to add some financial empowerment into their existing programming. The toolkit is designed to supplement the work that is already being done by social workers and case managers. MoneySmart Curriculum: FDIC Money Smart workshops can be downloaded or ordered via CD-Rom from the FDIC. Money Smart curriculum is widely used across the financial education sector. Module based, the FDIC Money Smart materials cover a wide range of topics, and are produced for multiple age groups. It is also possible to pick and choose information from different modules to create an effective presentation based on individual group needs. Payday Lending Rights Fact Sheet Payday Lending Issue Brief Video: Payday Loan Debt Traps Explained (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 2016) Banking Product Matrix: Grid of available banking products at each bank for low-income consumers. (Southeast Michigan Alliance for Economic Inclusion) Microloans Presentation (Angela Barbash of Revalue Investing, May 2016) Research & Data Debt in America: Interactive map that puts the pervasiveness of America's modern debt epidemic on full display. The main takeaway? While Americans struggle with househodl deb from coast to coast, residents in the South-especially residents of color-are much more likely to have debt in collections. (2017) The Road to Zero Wealth: Report from Prosperity Now on how the racial wealth divide is hollowing out America's middle class. New America Map: This interactive map shows the ratio of alternative to mainstream financial services by state and county. The map can also be explored relative to counties’ demographics, such as median household income and percent minority population. Opportunity Atlas: An interactive data tool that tracks where people grew up and their chances of climbing the economic ladder. (U.S. Census Bureau & Opportunity Insights) Prosperity Now Scorecard: These data show that that “even as many major economic indices suggest that the U.S. economy is gaining momentum, only a lucky few are actually enjoying the opportunity to get by and get ahead. This year’s Scorecard assesses the states on 113 measures in five issue areas: Financial Assets & Income, Businesses & Jobs, Homeownership & Housing, Health Care and Education. 2019 Scorecard: Vulnerability in the Face of Economic Uncertainty: Analysis of data from the above linked Propserity Now Scorecard. (2019) The Inequality Longevity Gap: Findings of a recent Congressional Research Service report showing a gap in life expectancy between rich and poor people and discusses why that gap is making social security less progressive. What's happened is that longevity for those in the bottom 20% has stagnated or even moved backward, while it has soared for those at the top. (LA Times, 2017) Tax-Time Savings Research: Overview of gathered research about individuals' likelihood to save all or part of their tax refunds. (Mat Despard, UofM School of Social Work, 2016) EITC Periodic Payment white paper: Examination of policy idea to provide EITC payments in installments, rather than a lump sum. (Brookings Institute, December 2015) Asset Value of Whiteness: Understanding the Racial Wealth Gap: "This paper explores a number of these popular explanations for the racial wealth gap, looking at individual differences in education, family structure, full- or part-time employment, and consumption habits. In each case, we find that individual choices are not sufficient to erase a century of accumulated wealth: structural racism trumps personal responsibility." (Demos, Feb 6, 2017) Black Wealth/White Wealth: Hidden Costs of Being Black: Tom Shapiro is the Pokross Professor of Law and Social Policy and the Director of the Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandeis University. Shapiro is a leader in the asset development field with a particular focus on closing the racial wealth gap. He is the author of The Hidden Cost of Being African American: How Wealth Perpetuates Inequality, and with Dr. Melvin Oliver, he wrote the multi award-winning Black Wealth/ White Wealth. (Video of presentation from Tom Shapiro at Brown University, 2015) The Ever-Growing Gap: This report examines the growing racial wealth divide for Black and Latinos households and the ways that accelerating concentrations of wealth at the top compound and exacerbate this divide. (Institute for Policy Studies and CFED, August 2016) Closing the Opportunity Gap: White paper distilling the best evidence-based ideas for narrowing the opporutnity gap. (Harvard Kennedy School: The Saguro Seminar, 2016) The short guide to "Capital in the 21st Century": Explainer covering important economics book detailing the growing wealth disparity around the globe. (Vox, 2014) The millennial success sequence: Marriage, kids, and the 'success sequence' among young adults: This report examines the 'success sequence,' a pattern of behaivors and milestones to adulthood that research would suggest stear them away from poverty. (AEI, 2017) Finland Pilots Universal Basic Income: Initial findings of this pilot program in Finland show a reduction in stress levels of citizens. (Independent, May 8, 2017) Disrupting Food Insecurity:This dashboard equips counties with data about their food insecuirty levels and related risk factors, identifies cross-cutting opportunities for intervention and groups counties by shared challenges. This is a useful tool to see the intersection between food insecurity and employment, debt, and credit score.   

In Need of Services? Contact United Way 2-1-1, which is available 24/7, and provides information about health and human service resources available.   Call 2-1-1 from any phone or visit 2-1-1 online to live chat, email, or search the database. Whether you are looking for medical help, foreclosure prevention programs, utility assistance, help with food or clothing, or any other challenge facing your family, a call to Michigan 2-1-1 may provide the answers you are looking for. Dial 9-1-1 for emergency calls. Other Pathways for Help Housing Crisis Needs: Call or visit Housing Access of Washtenaw County (HAWC), 734-961-1999.
Food Needs: Food Gatherer's Available Food Map or call 734-761-2796.
Domestic Abuse or Sexual Assault Survivors: Call the SafeHouse Center HelpLine, 734-995-5444.
Youth In Crisis: Call the Ozone House crisis line, 734-662-2222.
Health Needs: Check out this Guide to Free and Low-Cost Health Care in Washtenaw County.
Human Trafficking: Call 888-373-7888.
Senior Citizens: Call AAA1-B information line, 800-852-7795.
Veterans: Call 800-MICH-VET or 800-642-4838. Habitat for Humanity Energy Efficiency Programs: Refigerator replacement, lightbulb replacement & furnace test & tune. For all other needs (such as utilities assistance, food, furniture, basic needs): Call 2-1-1 from any phone (or 800-552-1183). ***Always dial 9-1-1 for police or medical emergencies.***

Schedule yourself online now or call 734-677-7235 to schedule an appointment. Appointments are available from February 1-April 4. Appointments will be available at the following locations & times: *Many Appointments Available, March 7!* Show Me the Money Day, 300 W Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti (downtown): Saturday, March 7. There will be financial education workshops, resources, child care, PRIZES and FUN! Schedule your tax appointment and join us at this event on March 7! 
United Way Office, 2305 Platt Rd, Ann Arbor: Most Tuesday & Thursday evenings, Saturdays during the day 
EMU College of Business, 300 W Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti (downtown): Most Saturdays during the day Please note: Our tax preparation services for 2017 or 2018 tax returns are now on hold through spring 2020, while we priortize our work for the 2019 filing year. We will not have appointments available for 2017 or 2018 tax returns until after the 2019 tax season wraps up, in May 2020. Check back in March to schedule an appointment in May 2020 for these tax years. **Every effort will be made to make the clinic closure determination during business hours before the clinic opens in order to allow time to alert clients in a timely manner. Scan and Go: In a rush or don't want to wait while your taxes are prepared? Consider Scan and Go Tax Prep!  Partner sites across the county that allow taxpayers with incomes below $56,000 the option to scan their tax documents and securely upload them for full service VITA tax preparation. This service requires TWO appointments - (1) drop off and scan tax documents into the secure database and (2) signing the return after it is prepared. You must still bring all relative tax documentation to the appointment. Depending on the partner site and volunteer capacity, we make every effort to have returns completed within TWO weeks.  For a list of Scan and Go partner sites, their availability and to schedule an appointment:    MyFreeTaxes.com Complete simple tax returns yourself using our FREE* website powered by H&R Block (No Appointment, Accessible Anywhere, Phone Support Available). Click below for MyFreeTaxes.com. Want to file yourself but might have questions? You can work on your tax return in our United Way Office (2305 Platt Rd, Ann Arbor) and we will be here to answer your questions. Tax assistance is on most Tuesday & Thursday evenings and Saturdays during the day.   For more information please click on this link :  https://www.uwwashtenaw.org/freetaxhelp

Financial Coaching United Way of Washtenaw County's goal is to help working families and individuals pave a path to financial independence.   What We Do Our FREE services can help lower your monthly expenses, repair your credit and set you on the path to gaining and sustaining assets.   How We Do It One-on-One Financial Coaching  The Financial Coaching program has reached capacity and is no longer actively accepting clients. You are welcome to fill out the interest form below to be added to our waitlist. Once a spot opens up we will reach out to enroll you into the program. In the meantime please utiltize some of the resource linked below.  Our trained financial coaches provide financial education and tools to help individuals get back on their feet, and stay there. Financial coaching is designed to support individuals as they work towards financial milestones, such as improving their credit score, net worth and/or net income, and becoming debt free. Check out the infograph below to see if Financial Coaching is right for you!   Tools to help you reach your Financial Goals We have put together some resources to help you with creating and understanding your money story.  Below you will find different resources that we have found helpful in creating an action plan to help you build and work toward your goals and how you value money.  Budgeting Tools We believe that having a plan for your money is vital to reaching your financial goals.  Below we have different tools that you can use to help you create your plan to tell your money what to do while staying organized to reach your goals.     Monthly Budget Worksheet, this is a monthly budget worksheet you can print out Weekly Tracker Worksheet, this is a weekly money tracker you can print out Budget Excel Worksheet Tool, this is an spreadsheet to help you put your monthly budget together  Sample Budget Excel Worksheet Tool, this is a completed version of the above spreadsheet showing how to fill it out EveryDollar, free online zero-based monthly budgeting tool Good Budget, free electronic envelope budgeting system Mint, free online budgeting tool You Need A Budget (YNAB), online budgeting tool Money Mindset We believe that having a positive attitude toward money will help in reaching the goals you set for yourself.  Below we have different resources that show different money stories that can resonate with helping you create and work toward the goals you value.  Dave Ramsey, Author.  Watch other money stories of different individuals and families reach their financial goals by doing a debt free scream Marie Forleo, Life Coach and Author.  6 Tips on Changing Money Mindset Credit  We believe that credit can be a tool to help in your money story.  Below we have different resources that can help you track and monitor your credit report that can help in making sure you are shown in the best financial light.  Credit Karma, free resource to check and monitor your credit score.  Free Credit Report,  check all three of your credit report for free on an annual basis myFICO,  explains what a credit score is and how it is calculated Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Information,  free opt-out of credit card offers and do not call registry   For more information please click on this link :  https://www.uwwashtenaw.org/financialstabilityindividuals  

Financial Empowerment Center United Way of Washtenaw County (UWWC), in partnership with Washtenaw County , is exploring the feasibility of a Washtenaw County Financial Empowerment Center (FEC). Washtenaw County was recently selected bythe Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) to join a cohort of local governments working to launch this important public service in 2020. If established, the FEC would provide free, high-quality,one-on-one financial counseling for County residents as a public service. This model is already in practice in Michigan (Lansing and Detroit), giving us models and local expertise to learn from. At the FECs, professionally trained counselors help individuals with low and moderate incomes manage theirfinances, pay down debt, increase savings, establish and build credit, access safe and affordable mainstream banking products and more.  UWWC and Washtenaw County are in the process of identifying local community partners, establishing an advisory board and funding experts tosupport this initiative with a goal of submitting a complete implementation proposal to CFE Fund in July 2020. The advisory board Kick-Off will be held on March 27, 2020; CFE Fund will also be in attendance.  For more information regarding the FEC in Washtenaw County,contact Ugbaad Keynan at ukeynan@uwwashtenaw.org.   

A message from the CEO, Pam Smith: On behalf of the Board and staff at United Way of Washtenaw County, we want to say THANK YOU! Our community’s response to the 21 Day Equity Challenge was remarkable. We believe united action is powerful and it benefits us all to have greater collective capacity and courage to identify and address racism and inequity in our community. Over 5,000 people in Washtenaw County joined us and we want to keep it going. For United Way of Washtenaw County, this isn’t a moment—it’s a movement. We invite you to continue growing, learning and moving the conversation forward. The entire Challenge is catalogued with all the content for your continued use. Schools, businesses, non-profits agencies, PTOs, book clubs, study groups, churches and more participated – we hope you will too! 21 Day Equity Challenge Catalogue Building Your Equity Muscle 21 Day Equity Challenge Homepage For more information please click on this link :  https://www.uwwashtenaw.org/equity-welcome

We wanted to create a dynamic resource for our community. Each day is catalogued below to continue your self-guided learning journey. Web users: To open each link in the document in a separate window, hold down Ctrl then click the link. Questions, comments, or concerns? Contact us at liveunited@uwwashtenaw.org.   Capture your daily reflections and actions using our activity log.  Click here to download the log. Day 1: Personal Racial Identity Day 2: Personal Reflection & Implicit Bias Day 3: What is Privilege? Day 4: What is White Fragility? Day 5: Trauma to Healing Day 6: Levels of Racism Day 7: Opportunity in Washtenaw County Day 8: Segregation in Washtenaw County Day 9: Housing Affordability & Homelessness Day 10: Healthcare & Health Outcomes Day 11: Environmental Justice Day 12: The Wealth Gap & Financial Stability Day 13: Early Childhood Day 14: Education & School-Aged Children Day 15: Adverse Childhood Experiences Day 16: Equity & The LGBTQI+ Community Day 17: Building a Race Equity Culture Day 18: Being an Ally Day 19: Tools for the Racial Equity Change Process Day 20: Final Reflections Day 21: Take Action in Washtenaw County

Build Your Equity Muscle The resources below are helping us learn and understand how to intentionally focus on equity in all of our work. We invite you to explore these links to build your "equity muscle" and learn with us.  United Way Governance Series Hosted by Nonprofit Enterprise @ Work. Below are the meeting agendas, materials and slide decks from the last 3 session in this series, which focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. 1. People Power: Preparing Ourselves to Advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Meeting agenda and materials Awake to Woke to Work research 2019 Fakequity pledge MNA DEI Assessment Tool The Principles of Equity in Fundraising article Slide deck 2. Culture Shift: Building Equity-Driven Cultures Meeting agenda and materials Slide deck 3. Implementing Change: Integrating DEI Lens throughout our Organizations Meeting agenda and materials Slide deck Assessments: Implicit Association Test: Take this free test from Harvard University and learn more about your personal levels of unconscious bias Bias Cleanse: MTV’s Look Different campaign is here to help open your eyes to hidden biases Tools: The Equity Manifesto, PolicyLink Resource Guide: Diversity, Inclusion, Implicit Bias & More, compiled by Nonprofit Enterprise at Work 10 Lessons for Taking Leadership on Racial Equity, The Aspen Institute 7 Steps to Advance and Embed Racial Equity, The Annie E. Casey Foundation Staff Core Competencies to Achieve Racial Equity, Center for the Study of Social Policy The Social Justice Action Continuum, Step Up! Facilitator Guide Identifying Institutional Racism Folio, Seattle Human Service Coalition Assessing Institutional Racism, Dismantling Racism project at Western States Center Awake to Work to Work: Building a Race Equity Culture, Equity in the Center, a project of ProInspire Publications and Data: The Business Case for Racial Equity in Michigan, W.K. Kellogg Foundation The Competitive Advantage of Racial Equity, PolicyLink Right Side Up: One pager on wealth inequality in the U.S., Prosperity Now The Road to Zero Wealth: How the racial wealth divide is hollowing out the middle class, Prosperity Now Bridging the Racial Generation Gap is the Key to America’s Economic Future, PolicyLink Washtenaw Opportunity Index: a tool to benchmark opportunity in the community.  The Index utilizes five key data sources to “map” equity and opportunity in Washtenaw County: health, education, job access, economic vitality, and neighborhood safety and stability. National Equity Atlas: data to build an equitable economy The Opportunity Atlas: See where and for whom opportunity has been missing, and develop local solutions to help more children rise out of poverty. Find more data, reports, and resources on our Data Portal.

January 6 - 26 Thank you for your interest in the challenge and we hope you will join us.  United Way of Washtenaw County (UWWC), has a vision that by 2030 your zip code will no longer determine your opportunity in life.  At present in Washtenaw County, it does. We have work to do and invite you to join the conversation to be part of the change and lend your power to fuel a social movement. Join us on a virtual self-guided learning journey examining the history and impacts of racism and how it shapes people’s lived experience in Washtenaw County.  Along the way, you’ll also receive examples and tools on how to undo racism and build racial equity and justice. We need you. We believe united action is powerful and it benefits us all to have greater collective capacity and courage to identify and address the different ways that bias, prejudice, privilege, and oppression show up in our work and lives. We've learned so many lessons as we developed the Challenge.The Challenge will feature content that speaks to diverse identities and expressions and it is being prepared knowing that our audience is not homogenous. This is not a Challenge just for white people. It has something for all people. This Challenge was originally developed by Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., Dr. Marguerite Penick-Parks and Debby Irving and has been adapted by Food Solutions New England. United Way of Washtenaw County has committed to adapt the challenge with our community along with our Support Partners (listed below). Click here to read a welcome letter from Pam Smith, UWWC CEO and Yodit Mesfin Johnson, UWWC Board Chair. About the 21 Day Equity Challenge You (along with thousands of others in Washtenaw County) commit to deepening your understanding of and willingness to confront racism for 21 consecutive days beginning January 6 and ending January 26. During every morning of the Challenge, you'll receive an email "prompt" with readings, videos and/or podcasts. You are encouraged to take about ten to fifteen minutes each day with the material in the prompt. Explore this work on your own, with friends and family, or organization-wide. Download our discussion guide by clicking here. OR, you can join us! United Way will be hosting a four (4) lunch-hour discussions during the challenge.  Space is limited.  Learn more by clicking here.   Capture your daily reflections and actions using our activity log.  Click here to download the log. Share your reflections and “a ha” moments using the hashtags #unitedforequity , #equitychampions, and #uwwcequitychallenge.  Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Share this flyer promoting the Challenge. To access today's challenge content, click here. Thank you to our Community Partners! We invited companies, nonprofits and community groups to promote the challenge and help us reach our goal of 10,000 voices.  All of our partners are listed here and will be acknowledged  at our Equity Convening February 26, 2020.  Thank you to our Support Partners! The following organizations have financially supported the design and implementation of the 21 Day Equity Challenge: