Is United Way still funding the CORE Collaboratives?
United Way is proud of its work with the CORE Collaboratives over the last six years. The vision of our work with Collaboratives was always to see them become financially independent organizations. Unfortunately, United Way’s current revenue and resources prevent us from continuing as the major funder of these important efforts. We will not renew our funding after the current contracts expire at the end of 2023
Does United Way still believe in the CORE model?
Yes! We could not be prouder of the amazing work that the Collaboratives have done to address systemic issues around equity for children aged birth to eight and their families. The end of our funding relationship in no way indicates that we are anything less than pleased with their amazing progress.
If you are not funding CORE starting in 2024, what will you be doing with the dollars donated by individuals in our community?
United Way is gaining community input to help guide the next iteration of our work. Please visit our website to take our survey! In the meantime, we have identified a variety of programs that fit within the parameters of our core values and help serve some of the greatest needs within our community, while also staying true to the initial intention behind CORE:
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a proven literacy program that mails FREE, high-quality and age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income. The program launched county-wide on June 8, 2023 and as of November 15th over 9,000 children have benefited from the program. Children enrolled in the program receive one book each month, addressed directly to them, helping to instill a love of learning from a young age.
Best Dental Help Partnership: Best Dental Help is a mobile dental clinic operating in Washington State, visiting elementary schools to teach students about the importance of oral health and to offer check-ups and place sealants. We have partnered with them to help Best Dental Help specifically here in Snohomish County. This partnership developed out of their existing relationship with the NCCC CORE Collaborative in Darrington.
Emergency Food & Shelter Program: The purpose of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) is to supplement and expand the work of local social service agencies, both nonprofit and governmental, to assist people experiencing severe economic crisis that is not the immediate result of a natural or man-made disaster. EFSP funds must only be used to supplement feeding, sheltering (including transitional sheltering) and rent/mortgage, and utility assistance efforts only. Locally, EFSP is administered by United Way of Snohomish County. Funding allocation decisions are made by a local EFSP board of 16 organizations.
Letter Carriers’ Food Drive: The Letter Carriers’ Food Drive is a joint project led and organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers, the Snohomish and Island County Labor Council, the United States Postal Service, Volunteers of America Western Washington, and the United Way of Snohomish County. This is the nation’s largest single-day food drive and provides critical support to Food Banks right before the summer when children are out of school and have less access to free and reduced-cost meals. United Way also partners with the Snohomish County Labor Council to provide back-to-school supplies to families who cannot afford them.
Does United Way still run workplace campaigns?
Yes! We are currently working with 50 companies who want to make an impact in our shared community. While most of these efforts take place in the fall, we welcome more companies to reach out about spring campaigns.
Do you accept donations outside of the workplace campaigns?
Yes! We have sponsorships available for individuals or companies that want to support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library or the Best Dental Help partnership in a focused way. We also gladly accept online donations, checks, and gifts from assets including appreciated stock, qualified charitable distributions from an IRA (individual retirement accounts), and planned gifts from your estate. All these funds are put to work here, in Snohomish County, to improve lives.