Meeting Local needs

Jeremy Quintanilla sees a direct link between financial stability and community strength, yet he feels children don’t always learn about it in school. “Financial education is missing from the education system in Arizona,” says Quintanilla, a Wells Fargo regional business relationship manager in Phoenix.

Women and minority-owned small businesses in low- to moderate-income communities are significantly impacted by economic downturns, natural disasters, and global health crises. In Louisiana, women and minority-owned small businesses struggled after COVID-19. With United Way's help, innovative approaches at the Urban League of Louisiana’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CEI) supported small businesses with surviving and thriving during and after the pandemic.

Almost half the children attending U.S. public schools come from low-income families, research shows. And some 16 million children lack access to essential school supplies. This means about one in every four students -- or 25% of students in the US -- can't afford school supplies as school starts back up. This hinders a child's academic performance, but also impacts their self-esteem and drives up absenteeism.

Yvonne was named to her post in a few months ago, after serving as Treasurer of Georgia’s AFL-CIO for 11 years.

Cities are places of opportunity, but too often not built that way. The World Bank estimates that by 2025, 85% of Latin America's population will live in urban areas, increasing the need to design public spaces with inclusive services for all. At United Way, we work to mobilize communities to action, so all can thrive.