The State of ALICE in Minnesota reveals that traditional measures of poverty have severely undercounted the number of households statewide living in financial hardship. While 9% of all households in the state earned at or below the Federal Poverty Level in 2023, the new research shows that 25% of households – nearly three times as many – were ALICE^® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and above the Federal Poverty Level). Combined, 34% of Minnesota’s households fell below the ALICE Threshold of Financial Survival in 2023.

ALICE households bring in less than the basic costs of housing, child care, food, transportation, health care and technology, plus taxes. Yet because their income is above the Federal Poverty Level, they often don’t qualify for assistance.

“When we underestimate how many households are struggling, we underestimate what it truly takes to build thriving communities,” said United Ways of Minnesota Executive Director Doris Pagelkopf. “This means entire families and essential workers may be overlooked for support, left without the resources they need to stay healthy, achieve financial stability and reach their fullest potential. That’s a loss not just for ALICE, but for all of us.”

The crux of the struggle for ALICE families is the gap between wages and expenses. In 2023, a family of four in Minnesota needed $81,216 just to cover the essentials – nearly three times the Federal Poverty Level of $30,000. Yet even with both parents working full time in two of the state’s most common jobs – a personal care aide and a stock worker/order filler – this family’s combined income of $71,790 still fell short of the cost of basics by $9,426.

“The findings from this latest report are clear: Despite our state’s continuing prosperity, more than a third of Minnesotans are being left behind economically,” said Shannon Smith Jones, senior vice president of community impact at Greater Twin Cities United Way. “At every level of government and policymaking, it is critical that our leaders understand how widespread ALICE is in our state, so that our public systems can step up to create new opportunities for families to thrive.”

The State of ALICE in Minnesota also reveals that in 2023:

• Some groups face financial hardship at disproportionate rates, with 60% of the youngest and 49% of the oldest households in Minnesota falling below the ALICE Threshold, compared with 27% of households headed by someone age 25-44.
• Housing continues to be an obstacle for struggling families. Among households below the ALICE Threshold in Minnesota, 71% of households that rented and 56% of those that owned were rent and housing burdened – meaning they paid 30% or more of their income on rent and housing costs.

For many ALICE households, that baseline level of economic hardship leaves families with a thin margin to navigate life’s challenges, yet they are often overlooked because they earn more than the Federal Poverty Level. “ALICE families are especially vulnerable during natural disasters and times of economic uncertainty and yet often feel unseen or left behind,” said Stephanie Hoopes, Ph.D., National Director at United For ALICE. “By providing a name and a way to quantify these households, we’re equipping communities with the data to build solutions that offer better choices and real pathways to stability.”

More state and local data is available through the interactive dashboards on UnitedForALICE.org/Minnesota.

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About Greater Twin Cities United Way: Greater Twin Cities United Way unites changemakers, advocates for social good and develops solutions to address the challenges no one can solve alone to create a community where all people thrive, regardless of income, race or place. For more information, visit gtcuw.org and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn.

About United Ways of Minnesota: United Ways of Minnesota was created to maximize the benefit of a statewide organization for local United Ways. Our priorities include sharing and exchanging best practices, successes, resources and management. Our Statewide Association Board of Directors comprised of one executive director and board members from the local member United Ways. Our board of directors meets six times per year and maintains a committee structure that addresses executive and legislative affairs, training, planning and communications. 

About United For ALICE: United For ALICE is a U.S. research organization driving innovation, research and action to improve life across the country for ALICE^® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and for all. Through the development of the ALICE measurements, a comprehensive, unbiased picture of financial hardship has emerged. Harnessing this data and research on the mismatch between low-paying jobs and the cost of survival, ALICE partners convene, advocate and collaborate on solutions that promote financial stability at local, state and national levels. This grassroots ALICE movement, led by United Way of Northern New Jersey, has spread to 35 states and the District of Columbia and includes United Ways, corporations, nonprofits and foundations in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., West Virginia and Wisconsin; we are United For ALICE. For more information, visit: UnitedForALICE.org.

The post Working – and Still Falling Short: 1 in 4 Workers in Minnesota’s Most Common Jobs Struggle to Get By appeared first on Greater Twin Cities United Way.

Funding through United Way’s Community Investments grants will support people experiencing poverty. In addition to grant funds, organizations will receive capacity building resources, such as programmatic technical assistance or consultative fundraising services, as well as facilitated connections between nonprofits and other funders, nonprofits, and community leaders – all toward the goal of supporting our region’s nonprofit sector and the people they serve.

These new investments come amid a continuing regional cost-of-living crisis that is putting further pressure on families. Data from United Way’s 211 Resource Helpline shows increased demand for housing assistance, food programs and other resources that help families meet their essential needs. Furthermore, data shows us that 36% of Minnesotans are living paycheck to paycheck, or ALICE: Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed.

“The nonprofit organizations in our Community Investments portfolio bring a unique depth of knowledge about the challenges facing our region,” says Shannon Smith Jones, Senior Vice President of Community Impact at Greater Twin Cities United Way. “Working in close partnership with these passionate and innovative organizations, we can ensure that families throughout the Twin Cities have the resources they need to thrive.”

Nonprofits supported by Greater Twin Cities United Way are working within one or more of the organization’s five impact areas, meant to reflect the areas of greatest need in the nine-county metro area:

• Stable housing, ensuring all families have a safe, stable and affordable place to call home.
• Food security, providing people with access to food that is nutritious, culturally relevant and affordable.
• Early childhood education, guaranteeing that families and caregivers are equipped to support children to be successful learners, and that children enter kindergarten ready to learn and thrive.
• Career and future readiness, helping youth develop the skills, relationships and mindsets to choose and direct their own future success.
• Economic opportunity, ensuring that adults enter the workforce prepared for skilled employment and increased wealth, and supporting the next generation of community entrepreneurs.

“We hear this time and time again from our partners: United Way investments are the gold standard for philanthropic partnership,” says John Wilgers, President and CEO of Greater Twin Cities United Way. “By providing flexible funding and technical assistance over multiple years, we’re affording nonprofits the stability they need to be responsive and strategic in their work supporting community.”

In addition to multiyear Community Investments grants, Greater Twin Cities United Way continues to invest in the local community through innovation initiatives such as 80×3: Resilient from the Start, Career Academies, Pathways Home and Full Lives. United Way also manages direct services such as the local 211 Resource Helpline and 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which are both available 24/7 and in multiple languages. Data from these initiatives informs United Way’s holistic grantmaking approach as well as the organization’s annual list of policy and advocacy priorities.

Providing stability for nonprofits, Community Investments grants will total $9.8 million for the first year of a three-year partnership. These organizations are receiving 2025-2028 Community Investments funding from Greater Twin Cities United Way:

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About Greater Twin Cities United Way: Greater Twin Cities United Way unites changemakers, advocates for social good and develops solutions to address the challenges no one can solve alone to create a community where all people thrive, regardless of income, race or place. For more information, visit gtcuw.org and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn.

The post Amid Growing Demand for Community Resources, Greater Twin Cities United Way Announces $9.8 Million in Grants for Local Nonprofits appeared first on Greater Twin Cities United Way.

To advance economic opportunity, we invest in meeting urgent needs and creating lasting change. Our partners work across the spectrum of economic impact — from support for individuals and families overcoming short-term financial hardship to long-term community development strategies focused on growing generational wealth and overcoming systemic racial inequity. 

Meeting urgent needs through 211 and nonprofit partnership 

Our nonprofit partnerships are deeply rooted in communities across the nine-county metro and provide access to job training, entrepreneurship and wealth-building support, and access to safe financial products. Our 211 resource helpline connects jobseekers with educational and job-training resources, many of which are provided by our nonprofit partners.  

Entrepreneurial support: Partnership in Property Commercial Land Trust 

Because business ownership is one important pathway to wealth, we partner with nonprofits supporting entrepreneurs with a focus on adults earning low incomes and those in Black, Indigenous, Asian and Pacific Islander communities and Communities of Color. 

Partnership in Property Commercial Land Trust (PIPCLT), our partner since 2022, ensures Entrepreneurs of Color and with limited revenue have access to real estate. CEO, founder and executive director Domonique Jones says, “We are also community stewards. We want to make sure that BIPOC businesses are anchored in communities that will thrive by them being there.”  

PIPCLT has drawn on United Way’s support to grow its staff, including an operations manager to help navigate the complexities of commercial real estate development. In partnership, we’ve helped connect local entrepreneurs with opportunities for affordable property ownership and cultivated new networks of business owners and lenders.  

Hear more about our partnership from Jones below: 

Creating lasting change through intentional ongoing collaboration 

Our innovation initiatives invest deeply to overcome the most persistent barriers in our workforce systems. We seek to remove systemic barriers that keep families and individuals from achieving economic independence, so that all adults will have the opportunity to participate in the workforce and advance toward family-sustaining wages. 

Innovation initiative: Career Academies and Purpose Driven Paychecks 

Since 2015, our Career Academies innovation initiative has partnered with school districts, employers, higher education institutions and youth organizations to establish new career pathways programs for young people. This work is helping connect young people to high-wage, in-demand career opportunities, while simultaneously closing local employment gaps and promoting greater diversity in the workforce. 

In 2022, we built on our Career Academies initiative with our Purpose Driven Paychecks program. Purpose Driven Paychecks supports educators and youth-serving nonprofits to establish relationships with employers that provide work experiences for students 14-22 in high-demand, high-wage careers. Additionally, Greater Twin Cities United Way prioritizes funding partners that bring a deep focus on Students of Color, Indigenous students, students with a disability, and students from low-income households. Partnerships offer industry-aligned certifications that all track to high-wage, high-demand careers projected to grow in the partner’s local area. One partner said: “If we want to meaningfully challenge the persistent economic disparities that confront communities across Minnesota, it is crucial to build pipelines to economic success that disrupt the status quo.”  

Addressing the benefits cliff through advocacy 

One of our major priorities at the Capitol is ensuring that state programs and resources are setting individuals and families on the path to success. When eligibility requirements or benefit cutoffs are too stringent, they can pose additional barriers for those seeking assistance – a circumstance commonly known as the “benefits cliff.” Our advocacy agenda addresses the benefits cliff along with several other policy issues to create a future where all adults participate in the workforce in a way that generates increased and sustainable wages.  

In 2023, we made significant progress toward mitigating the benefits cliff. Through policy shifts to the Minnesota Family Investment Program to reduce applications from monthly to twice annually (reducing paperwork and helping families with variable income stabilize), Medical Assistance (to ensure consistent coverage for minors) and Housing Supports programs (to ease income restrictions), we were able to ensure that our public resources continue to serve those to whom they matter most. 

In 2024, Greater Twin Cities United Way and United Ways of Minnesota gathered at the State Capitol to launch United for ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), with the release of our report, “ALICE in Minnesota: A Study of Financial Hardship.” The report provides insights to understand families, neighbors, and colleagues who work hard, earn above the Federal Poverty Level, but don’t make enough to afford a basic household survival budget.  

Further, our advocacy agenda address the following issues to promote greater economic opportunity throughout the state of Minnesota: 

• Provide young people the tools to graduate high school in a position to enter high-wage, high-demand careers through career pathways programs and high-quality out-of-school programs 

• Remove governmental barriers to wealth-building opportunities for families and individuals to achieve economic stability 

• Stabilize and encourage a robust and diverse workforce through recruitment, retention, livable wages and mental health support, specifically in early-childhood care and education 

Exploring economic opportunity further 

Greater Twin Cities United Way advances economic opportunity in our region by meeting urgent needs — and by creating lasting change through innovation initiatives and advocacy. We’re supporting our neighbors to ensure they have the skills they need to find and maintain living-wage jobs. We exist to fuel lasting change that will help us achieve our vision of a community where all people thrive regardless of income, race, or place.  

• Learn more about ALICE and explore the data behind creating communities where people thrive economically.  

• Hear Greater Twin Cities United Way’s associate vice president of Community Impact, Stephannie L. Lewis, in conversation with board chair Al McFarlane about how the ALICE data is driving insight.  

• See Career Academies in action and learn more about the impact of our youth-focused initiative.  

• Explore our advocacy work to understand more about how we are promoting economic opportunity in our region.  

• Celebrate our advocacy efforts at the Capitol addressing the benefits cliff.  

The post Economic Opportunity: Building Pathways to Prosperity and Belonging appeared first on Greater Twin Cities United Way.

Those who earn less than the Federal Poverty Level are eligible for public assistance, but without updated guidelines or increased incomes, more and more Minnesotans are struggling to make ends meet. This has become an increasingly-noted experience of the growing middle class – many hardworking Minnesotans are living paycheck to paycheck, forced to make impossible decisions each month between paying rent or buying food, receiving medical care or paying for child care. Enter ALICE.

ALICE® stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and it is a way of describing households that earn above the Federal Poverty Level but not enough to afford household basics in the communities where they live. We all know ALICE workers and rely on them every day: They are our neighbors, family and friends, our health care and child care providers, teachers, long-term care professionals, retail workers, cashiers, and many others.

In 2009, United Way of Northern New Jersey started United for ALICE as a way to measure financial hardship in families who struggle to afford basic needs but are often missing from traditional data demonstrating poverty and need. ALICE data is now available in 28 states, where partners convene, advocate, and innovate for ALICE in their communities. At the urging and support of United Ways across our state, Greater Twin Cities United Way and United Ways of Minnesota launched ALICE on September 10, 2024 with the release of our report, “ALICE in Minnesota: A Study of Financial Hardship.”

Shining a Light on ALICE

United for ALICE researchers worked with a Minnesota research advisory committee composed of experts from across the state to create the report. The inaugural Minnesota ALICE data highlights the Minnesota households that work hard but face real hurdles in being able to get ahead. According to the Federal Poverty Level, 10 percent of households in Minnesota were in poverty in 2022 – yet ALICE data shows that another 26 percent, more than twice as many, were ALICE, earning above the Federal Poverty Level but not enough to afford the basics. This means 36 percent of Minnesota households were unable to meet their basic needs.

In 2022, the cost of household basics (housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology) plus taxes was $26,712 for a single adult and $77,304 for a family of four with two adults, an infant, and a preschooler — much higher than the Federal Poverty Level of $13,590 for an individual and $27,750 for a family of four. This means for those who earn more than the Federal Poverty Level yet less than the cost of living, they do not have enough income to cover their basic needs. Costs of living also varied widely by county in Minnesota: The survival budget for a family of four was lowest at $69,636 per year in Wilkin County and highest at $103,152 per year in Washington County.

Households below the ALICE threshold exist across all demographic groups in Minnesota. However, systemic racism, ageism, gender discrimination, and geographic barriers disproportionately affect certain groups, limiting their access to resources and opportunities for financial stability. In 2022, 60 percent of Black and 45 percent of Hispanic households in Minnesota were ALICE, compared to 34 percent of white households. Additionally, from 2010 to 2022, people age 65 and older represented the fastest-growing demographic in Minnesota, experiencing a 44 percent increase in the number of households facing financial difficulties.

What’s Next for ALICE?

This snapshot of Minnesota ALICE households in 2022 provides Greater Twin Cities United Way and United Ways of Minnesota, nonprofit partners, community leaders, and legislators with tools and resources to help support ALICE households in our state. We will be bringing together stakeholders from across the state to share new ideas, policy innovations and best practices to help ALICE. We believe that collectively, we can use ALICE data to advocate for changes to improve the financial stability of ALICE families and their communities.

Learn More

• Check out the Minnesota ALICE report and county-by-county data: unitedforalice.org/Minnesota
• Donate to support United Way’s efforts to support ALICE and advocate for change.
• Help meet urgent needs in our community and volunteer with us.
• Learn more about ALICE in our press release.

The post New ALICE Report Reveals 36% of Minnesota Households Struggle to Meet Basic Needs appeared first on Greater Twin Cities United Way.

SAINT PAUL, MN (Sept. 10, 2024) — Though wages for the lowest paid jobs have risen across the country at the fastest rate in four decades, the number of households struggling to get by in Minnesota grew from 2021 to 2022. As a result, a total of 834,343 households or 36% were living paycheck to paycheck, according to a new report, “ALICE in Minnesota: A Study of Financial Hardship,” from Greater Twin Cities United Way, United Ways of Minnesota, and their research partner, United For ALICE. That calculation includes 233,779 Minnesota households in poverty as well as another 600,564 defined as ALICE.

ALICE^® is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and it’s a way of understanding families, neighbors, and colleagues who work hard, earn above the Federal Poverty Level, but don’t make enough to afford a basic household survival budget. ALICE workers include childcare providers, home health aides, cashiers, retail clerks, waiters, nonprofit professionals and others — those working low-wage jobs, with little or no savings and one emergency from poverty. As members of the United Ways of Minnesota, our organizations recently joined the United for ALICE network — a national movement to raise awareness about this growing but often hidden population in our communities. 

ALICE in Minnesota: A Study of Financial Hardship shows that while wages were increasing, so too were costs. For a family of four with an infant and a preschooler, the basic costs to live and work in Minnesota, excluding tax credits, rose from $63,444 in 2021 to $77,304 a year later. Compounding the issue in 2022 was the loss of up to $15,000 in federal child tax credits and stimulus payments that this family had access to in 2021.

“While larger paychecks have provided some relief, the combined impact of inflation and the end of pandemic supports has continued to impact ALICE households here in the Twin Cities and across our state,” said John Wilgers, President and CEO of Greater Twin Cities United Way. “This latest data underscores that, despite some progress, many ALICE families are still forced to make impossible choices to try to make ends meet.”

The findings in this one-year period are consistent with a more than decade-long trend: Since the end of the Great Recession, despite some ups and downs, the number of ALICE households in Minnesota has been steadily growing. From 2010 to 2022, the total number of households rose by 10%, households in poverty increased by 1% — and the number of ALICE households grew by 33%. 

“The data is showing persistent and widespread financial hardship — a red flag that the current system isn’t working for ALICE,” said Stephanie Hoopes, Ph.D., United For ALICE National Director. “Current policy has not been enough to break down the barriers that trap ALICE households in financial hardship, from lack of access to housing and childcare that’s affordable, to inadequate community supports such as broadband internet.”  

Additional insights include: 

• From 2010 to 2022, people age 65 and over made up the fastest-growing age group in Minnesota — and the group with the largest increase (44%) in the number of households struggling to make ends meet.
• Racial disparities persisted in the rates of financial hardship; 60% of Black, 58% of American Indian/Alaska Native, and 45% of Hispanic households in Minnesota were either in poverty or ALICE in 2022, compared to 34% of white households.
• Food assistance continued to elude many vulnerable families in Minnesota. Partly due to the SNAP income eligibility level in the state (200% of the Federal Poverty Level), only 32% of all Minnesota households in poverty and 13% of all ALICE households participated in SNAP in 2022.

To read the report and access online interactive dashboards that provide data on financial hardship at the state, county and local levels, visit UnitedForALICE.org/Minnesota.

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About Greater Twin Cities United Way: Greater Twin Cities United Way unites changemakers, advocates for social good and develops solutions to address the challenges no one can solve alone to create a community where all people thrive, regardless of income, race or place. For more information, visit gtcuw.org and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn.

About United For ALICE: United For ALICE is a U.S. research organization driving innovation, research and action to improve life across the country for ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and for all. Through the development of the ALICE measurements, a comprehensive, unbiased picture of financial hardship has emerged. Harnessing this data and research on the mismatch between low-paying jobs and the cost of survival, ALICE partners convene, advocate and collaborate on solutions that promote financial stability at local, state and national levels. This grassroots ALICE movement, led by United Way of Northern New Jersey, has spread to 31 states and includes United Ways, corporations, nonprofits and foundations in Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., West Virginia and Wisconsin; we are United For ALICE. For more information, visit: UnitedForALICE.org.

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MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 14, 2024) – Greater Twin Cities United Way (United Way) announced today the release of its 2023 Community Impact Report, which includes the results of its work with partners across the region. In 2023, United Way served more than half a million people, meeting urgent needs while making lasting change in the areas of housing, food, education and jobs.

To address immediate needs, United Way continued providing direct service through its 211 resource helpline and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, grantmaking to local area nonprofits, and volunteerism engagement initiatives, such as Action Day. To create lasting change, United Way continued advocating alongside coalition partners for state investments in essential services, such as housing and child care; invested in innovative programs that focus on transforming systems; and launched Pathways Home, a new initiative aimed at preventing homelessness for youth transitioning from incarceration or foster care.

“In 2023, our collaborative efforts with local nonprofits, businesses, donors, volunteers, and advocates yielded meaningful results,” said John Wilgers, President & CEO, Greater Twin Cities United Way. “Together, we transformed lives by addressing immediate needs while also working tirelessly to dismantle barriers related to income, race, and place. Through our shared commitment, we’re building a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

Meeting Urgent Needs Through 211 and 988

Every day, people seeking help paying bills, finding food and locating other resources contact United Way’s 211 resource helpline. In 2023, United Way responded to over 342,000 requests to 211 from people across Minnesota – a 10 percent increase over 2022. Housing continued to be the most requested 211 resource, followed by utilities and energy assistance. Food was the third most requested resource – and the fastest increasing – likely due to inflation during 2023.

United Way also continued providing support as a local call center for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In 2023, United Way crisis counselors answered over 24,000 calls to 988 – a 36 percent increase over 2022 – providing emotional support for people experiencing thoughts of suicide, substance use or other mental health crises. Callers reached out for a variety of reasons, including needing a listening ear (81 percent), preventing a progression to suicidal thoughts (12 percent), and imminent crisis (7 percent).

Creating Meaningful Impact Through Volunteerism

United Way mobilized thousands of volunteers last year through essential supply drives, community volunteer events and more. In 2023, generous volunteers helped provide 45,000 students with backpacks full of school supplies so they can thrive in the classroom and 1,400 families transitioning from homelessness to stable housing with welcome home bins full of essential household items. Volunteers also assembled 13,000 culturally relevant food packs – the equivalent of 50,000 meals – so that families using neighborhood food shelves have access to familiar flavors and foods.

Making Lasting Change Through Innovation and Advocacy

Based on deep learning in community, in June 2023, United Way launched Pathways Home, a new initiative focused on preventing homelessness for those most vulnerable to experiencing it: youth who are exiting the foster care system and/or transitioning from incarceration. As part of the launch, United Way deployed $1.2 million to its first cohort of 11 nonprofit partners. With a focus on lasting change, Pathways Home is also convening those who hold power in the foster care and corrections systems to collaborate on meaningful solutions.

In 2023, United Way celebrated its most consequential advocacy agenda ever. Together with its advocacy coalition partners, United Way successfully advocated for new investments to promote stable and affordable housing – totaling more than $1 billion, the single largest investment in housing in Minnesota history. Other advocacy wins included the passage and implementation of free school meals; a historic $2 billion investment in the state’s childcare system and workforce; and a $1 million investment in Career Academies, a United Way initiative focused on career pathways for youth.

See more of the impact Greater Twin Cities United Way and its partners made possible in our report.

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About Greater Twin Cities United Way: Greater Twin Cities United Way unites changemakers, advocates for social good and develops solutions to address the challenges no one can solve alone to create a community where all people thrive. For more information, visit www.gtcuw.org and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn. 

The post Greater Twin Cities United Way Announces 2023 Community Impact Results appeared first on Greater Twin Cities United Way.

Volunteering as a United Way Leader

Bekele also volunteers as a member of the Greater Twin Cities United Way Tocqueville Society’s leadership cabinet. He enjoys connecting with other leaders in a philanthropic setting – including those with whom, during the business day, he may collaborate or even compete. “You get to see who they really are, what makes them tick,” he said. Bekele chooses Greater Twin Cities United Way in part because racial equity is a core pillar of our work, and because he prioritizes creating opportunities for increased stability and wealth. “Is the giving going to lead to something that’s transformative in someone’s life? Are we instilling upward mobility?” he says. “That for me is transformational.”

Life Experience Informs Giving and Volunteering

Bekele’s philanthropic approach draws on his lived experience, both professional — he’s seen the value of a diverse workforce — and personal. As a young person, he sought out scholarships and other opportunities that were not always easily available. Now he works zealously to make that path clearer for others. After connecting through United Way, Bekele began volunteering on the board of Genesys Works, a partner nonprofit in Greater Twin Cities United Way’s Career Academies initiative. Genesys Works expands career pathways for young people in underserved communities, and collaborates deeply with Land O’Lakes to provide work experiences.

Mentoring Young People is “Magic”

Amiyah Hunter, who began coding in ninth grade, was first introduced to Bekele’s team as a high school senior. She said Bekele’s ease and passion made her feel seen and wanted at the company. She kept returning for internships and is now a college grad and permanent Land O’ Lakes employee. Stories like Hunter’s motivate Bekele.

“Someone I’ve mentored or been able to give an opportunity — to see them blossom, that’s what life is all about. The pleasure of seeing someone achieve their dreams. That’s magic.”

Giving Time and Money – as a Corporate Leader and as an Individual

In each of Bekele’s many roles – corporate leader, volunteer, donor – he brings a mindset of creating opportunity. Watch the video to see Bekele and Hunter share their own stories of career, community and mentorship.

More Ways to Engage

• Learn more about United Way’s Tocqueville Society and how you can get involved
• Learn more about Career Academies
• Become a changemaker! Donate now.

The post Volunteering and Giving Create “Magic” appeared first on Greater Twin Cities United Way.

MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 25, 2024) — Greater Twin Cities United Way (United Way) today unveiled its policy priorities and advocacy agenda for the 2024 Minnesota state legislative session. Informed by the input of more than 100 nonprofit partners, coalition partners, staff and other key stakeholders, the agenda focuses on policies and funding that promote safe and affordable housing, provide young people with pathways to high-wage employment, and remove barriers to individual wealth-building. New this year, United Way is also seeking funding to widen the reach and accessibility of its 211 resource helpline.

United Way’s four lead advocacy issues for the 2024 legislative session are:

• Remove barriers to safe, affordable housing, by prioritizing populations at highest risk of homelessness.
• Provide young people the tools to graduate high school in a position to enter high-wage, high-demand careers through career pathways programs and high-quality out-of-school programs.
• Remove governmental barriers to wealth-building opportunities for families and individuals to achieve economic stability.
• Secure sustainable funding for United Way’s 211 resource helpline to provide reliable access to statewide services.

“The transformative investments that were accomplished during the last legislative session are already making an impact in our communities,” said Shannon Smith Jones, Senior Vice President of Community Impact at Greater Twin Cities United Way. “Building on these achievements, lawmakers have a critical opportunity to meet the needs faced by our communities through the establishment of new support systems in areas like housing and education.”

United Way recently surveyed its nonprofit partners and other stakeholders to better understand community needs and what issues to support at the Capitol. This information, coupled with real-time data from United Way’s 211 resource helpline and 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, informs United Way’s policy and advocacy agenda.

“This agenda responds directly to the important issues raised by our advocacy partners and stakeholders over several months of sustained engagement,” said Susan Carter, Director of Advocacy and External Engagement at Greater Twin Cities United Way. “Their perspectives have deeply informed the common-sense policy and funding shifts we will be advancing this year at the Capitol.”

Learn more about Greater Twin Cities United Way’s 2024 Policy and Advocacy Agenda.

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About Greater Twin Cities United Way: Greater Twin Cities United Way unites changemakers, advocates for social good and develops solutions to address the challenges no one can solve alone to create a community where all people thrive. The organization serves the community through five key offerings: Crisis and Information Support (211 resource helpline, 988 Crisis and Suicide Lifeline), innovation initiatives, nonprofit partnerships, advocacy work with legislators, and business and individual donor partnerships. For more information, visit www.gtcuw.org and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Sam Daub, Greater Twin Cities United Way, sam.daub@gtcuw.org, 612-340-7425

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MINNEAPOLIS (Oct. 24, 2023) – Greater Twin Cities United Way (United Way) announced today the release of its 2022 Community Impact Report, which includes the results of its work with partners across the region. In 2022, United Way served more than half a million people in the areas of housing, food, education and economic opportunity. To address immediate needs, the organization continued providing direct service through its 211 resource helpline and as a local call center for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. To create lasting change, United Way launched 80×3, a new initiative aimed at transforming the early childhood education system through trauma-sensitive care for children ages zero to three.

“This report highlights the impact United Way had last year through our partnerships with local nonprofits, corporate partners, individual donors, volunteers, advocates and more,” said John Wilgers, President & CEO, Greater Twin Cities United Way. “Together we’re addressing both immediate needs and also changing systems so that income, race and place no longer predict a person’s ability to thrive – and where urgent needs are far less frequent.”

Support 24/7 through 211 and 988

In 2022, United Way responded to nearly 470,000 requests to its 211 resource helpline for housing and shelter, utilities, food, child care, and more. Additionally, United Way 211 continued serving as the public-facing access point for the state’s RentHelpMN program, which concluded in September 2022, answering over 380,000 calls over the course of the program and helping hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans access nearly $450 million in rental assistance and stay housed. Last year, United Way also launched a new partnership with the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities to leverage 211 to support more than 340,000 students in meeting basic needs.

In 2021, United Way began offering crisis support as a local provider of the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Following the rollout of the new national 988 number in July 2022, United Way saw a 25 percent sustained increase in calls and expanded its team of specialists to meet the community need. Over the course of the year, United Way answered nearly 18,000 calls to 988 – a 91 percent increase over 2021, its first year as a Lifeline provider.

“211 and 988 are vital community resources that are available to anyone, anywhere, any time,” said Julie Ogunleye, Director of 211 and 988 at Greater Twin Cities United Way. “Reaching out for help can be hard, but caring United Way specialists are here to listen and to provide support and help accessing local resources that may be available to help in a variety of circumstances.”

Supporting Our Littlest Learners

In June 2022, United Way launched 80×3, an early childhood education initiative aimed at increasing trauma-informed practices among child care providers so young people get the support they need for healthy brain development by age three. 80×3 partners with organizations throughout the early childhood education sector, and in 2022, United Way awarded $1.2 million in grants to nine organizations. To date, more than 150 early childhood educators and leaders have participated in 80×3, strengthening their trauma-sensitive skills, increasing collaboration across the sector, and addressing systemic challenges in the field.

Amplifying the Nonprofit Sector

United Way supported 138 local nonprofits in direct service, innovation and advocacy last year. In April 2022, United Way awarded $10.5 million in Community Investments multi-year grants to 88 nonprofits working toward equity in housing, food, education and economic opportunity. Organizations that center the experiences of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander and other Communities of Color, and support those earning incomes below 200 percent of the poverty level, were prioritized for funding.

Last year, United Way also launched its inaugural Career Academies Purpose Driven Paychecks program, to help ensure all students have access to wealth-building, purpose-driven careers. Purpose Driven Paychecks builds new partnerships among employers, nonprofits and educational systems, and in 2022, the program supported 400 students with meaningful work experiences.

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About Greater Twin Cities United Way: Greater Twin Cities United Way unites changemakers, advocates for social good and develops solutions to address the challenges no one can solve alone to create a community where all people thrive. For more information, visit www.gtcuw.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

The post Greater Twin Cities United Way Announces 2022 Impact Results appeared first on Greater Twin Cities United Way.

United Way launched Purpose Driven Paychecks (PDP) to catalyze school-business partnerships to fill the gaps that exist in our current educational system so all students have access to wealth-building, purpose driven careers. We’re proud to support partnerships who share our vision of equity and center their design on students furthest from justice: Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian American, Pacific Islander and/or Students of Color, students with a disability and/or students from low-income households.

Learn more about our vision for PDP in this piece from 2022.

This year, we’re excited to deepen the impact of PDP – by continuing to cultivate partnerships from our first year, and by introducing new organizations to our cohort of partners.

Continuing Partnerships to Deepen Impact

The Itasca Area Schools Collaborative (IASC), a partnership of 7 school districts located in Greater Minnesota, is one of the organizations returning to Purpose Driven Paychecks for our second year. IASC partners with local manufacturing businesses – which offer high-wage, high-demand jobs in the region – to provide work experiences to students living in historically under-invested communities. In the first year of PDP, we provided funding for IASC to work with employers and increase hourly wages for students, from $12.50 per hour to $15 per hour. Students also participated in a mentorship program that connected them with adult professionals for on-the-job feedback and assistance.

During that first year, IASC noticed that students needed more support in developing self-advocacy and self-confidence skills – critical for their future success. In the coming school year, the partnership will introduce a new student advocate position to support students and families in cultivating these skills. They will also support students with logistical barriers like access to transportation; provide one-on-one assistance with class scheduling; and communicate with the parents/guardians about post-internship opportunities that are available for students.

“We’re hoping the student advocate can support and connect them with resources in the community so they can gain the skills to be successful,” said Scott Patrow, Career Pathways Director at IASC.

New Partnerships for Equity

Hmong American Partnership (HAP), a non-profit organization supporting Hmong and Southeast Asian communities, is one of our new partners for Year Two of Purpose Driven Paychecks. A core component of their work is the Youth Job Skills program, which connects individuals between the ages of 16-24 to career exploration and jobs skills training.

In the upcoming 2023-2024 school year, Hmong American Partnership will work with Community School of Excellence (CSE) to launch their brand-new Certified Nursing Assistant pathways program. Through this experience, 20 students will be able to take career exploration classes at CSE, then transition to St. Paul College to complete their clinical training and job specific instruction. Students will then be placed in work experiences that will pay them $15 per hour, with hiring priority for long-term employment in the future.

HAP’s work is rooted in multicultural and multi-generational approaches for participants. On top of linguistic and cultural barriers, students from Southeast Asian communities are also navigating the intricacies that come with being children or grandchildren of immigrants and refugees. They often may not have access to adults within their immediate family that can provide college and career guidance, or to help them connect their current schooling to their plans for the future. To address these challenges, HAP will provide culturally relevant, one-on-one mentorship opportunities for students to engage with industry professionals. Students will also receive individualized wraparound support like case management and child care access to ensure successful completion of the program.

What’s Next for Purpose Driven Paychecks

Over the next year, Purpose Driven Paychecks will result in 600 students obtaining quality work experiences and 257 students receiving new jobs. The work kicks off this summer and continues through the coming school year.

Together with our partners, Career Academies will continue to work towards our vision to unite public education and employment systems so that all students in Minnesota have access to wealth-building and purpose-driven careers.

The organizations supported in our second year of Purpose Driven Paychecks are:

• City of Hopkins
• Genesys Works Twin Cities
• Goodhue County Education District
• GPS Education Partners
• Hmong American Partnership
• Itasca Area Schools Collaborative
• Minneapolis Public Schools
• Native Skywatchers
• Project for Pride in Living
• St. Louis Park High School

Stay Connected

• Donate today to support innovation at Greater Twin Cities United Way.
• Learn more about Greater Twin Cities United Way’s innovation initiatives.
• Stay connected with Career Academies and our other innovation initiatives on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

The post Partnerships for Career Opportunity: Purpose Driven Paychecks Launches Year Two appeared first on Greater Twin Cities United Way.