United Way Fights for the Health of Individuals and Communities Worldwide

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Way is committed to improving health in the 1,800 communities that it serves. From addressing bullying among children with longtime partner, the National Football League (NFL), to providing access to mental health resources to our nation's veterans through Mission United™, United Way adapts solutions to each community enabling them to address their own unique threats.

"Communities thrive when individuals are healthy and strong," said Brian Gallagher, CEO and President of United Way Worldwide. "Every community is different, and United Way is proud to offer a suite of services and programs that are customized to protect the health of every person in every community.  

United Way addresses obstacles to health, such as:

Veteran's Mental Health: Mission United is a free program that coordinates community services for veterans and their families, connecting them to affordable housing, job training, health care and other resources. By forming a coordinated network of community partners, Mission United allows veterans and their families to cut through the red tape with a single-entry point to the help they need.

Bullying: United Way Worldwide recently launched Character Playbook™ LIVE in partnership with the NFL, enabling football players to engage with middle school children in their markets, in real time, to discuss the importance of character and how to deal with problems such as cyber bullying, resisting peer pressure and conflict resolution.

Urgent Health and Safety Needs: As natural disasters have recently plagued regions that United Way serves, the 2-1-1 disaster relief hotline answered more than 275,000 calls and 1,000 texts from individuals in over 35 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. From orchestrating evacuations, to providing clean drinking water, 2-1-1 is even more integral to building stronger communities in times of urgency. Additionally, United Way has collected nearly $57.8 million for disaster recovery funds that will be used to address mid- and long-term relief efforts in the affected communities in the months and years ahead.

Human Trafficking: On September 5-6, United Way Worldwide hosted the Annual Business Leaders Forum to Combat Human Trafficking, to explore an insidious crime that affects 20 million people around the world. Actress Julia Ormond, delivered a keynote address entitled "The Imperative to Act" and shared her experiences as the founder and president of the Alliance to Stop Slavery and End Trafficking. Business leaders in attendance shared innovations and best practices in identifying corporations' role in combatting human trafficking.

Opioid Epidemic: The United Way of Broward County created The Broward County Opiate Action Plan in response to the dramatic increase in availability of, addiction to, and death because of opioid drugs. The plan was created to address prevention, education, overdose reversal, intervention, treatment and policy recommendations.

Access to Healthcare for all Children: The Children's Health Insurance Plan, CHIP, ensures healthcare coverage of 9 million children from working families across the U.S. and safeguards our country's most vulnerable population by ensuring each child receives the quality, affordable care they need. United Ways across the U.S. have advocated for the bi-partisan legislation since CHIP's inception in 1997, and remain committed to ensuring every child in America has access to quality healthcare.

United Way envisions a world where every individual has an opportunity to succeed, and entire communities thrive as a result. We're getting a little closer every day, with help from millions of people around the world. Learn more about United Way Worldwide's work for healthier communities at www.unitedway.org.

About United Way Worldwide

United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. Supported by 2.8 million volunteers, 9.8 million donors worldwide, and more than $4.7 billion raised every year, United Way is the world's largest privately-funded nonprofit. We're engaged in nearly 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries and territories worldwide to create sustainable solutions to the challenges facing our communities. United Way partners include global, national and local businesses, nonprofits, government, civic and faith-based organizations, along with educators, labor leaders, health providers, senior citizens, students and more. For more information about United Way, please visit UnitedWay.org. Follow us on Twitter: @UnitedWay and #LiveUnited.

Media Contact

Southerlyn Reisig
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Christine Sanchez
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SOURCE United Way Worldwide

Related Links

http://www.liveunited.org