Heart of Illinois United Way

Did You Know?

$2 a week provides 60 meals through a United Way funded food pantry
On average, a large soda costs almost $2.

If you give $2 a week, you could provide 60 meals through a United Way funded food pantry.

$3 a week provides 40 hours of tutoring, mentoring or after school programs for local kids
On average, your favorite specialty coffee costs about $3.

If you give $3 a week to the United Way, you could provide 40 hours of tutoring, mentoring or after school programs for local kids.

$5 a week provides 55 home delivered meals to seniors
On average, lunch costs about $5 a day.

If you give $5 a week, you could provide 55 home delivered meals to seniors.

$10 a week staffs a crisis and suicide intervention hotline for an entire week
On average, a new music CD costs about $10.

If you give $10 a week to the United Way, you can staff a crisis and suicide intervention hotline for an entire week.

$15 a week provides one student with weekly reading and tutoring sessions
On average, two movie tickets cost $15.

If you give $15 a week, you could provide one student weekly reading and tutoring sessions.

$20 a week provides 50 nights in a homeless shelter with warm meals
On average, a balloon or flower bouquet costs about $20.

If you give $20 a week, you could provide 50 nights in a homeless shelter with warm meals.

$25 a week provides 320 hours of tutoring, mentoring and after school programs to ensure local youth do well in school
On average, a casual dinner for two costs about $25.

If you give $25 a week, you could provide 320 hours of tutoring, mentoring and after school programs to ensure local youth will do well in school.

 

Income and Poverty

    More than 40,000 people live in poverty in central Illinois.
  • More than 40,000 people live in poverty in central Illinois.
  • 1 in 4 children in central Illinois under the age of 5 live in poverty.
  • Food pantries in central Illinois are experiencing 30 percent increases in request for food - most of these are new requests from families who have not been to a pantry before.
  • The Human Service Center, which operates the local information and referral phone line, reported a 16.3 percent increase in requests during the last six months of 2008 for food assistance, rent and clothing.
Food pantries in central Illinois are experiencing 30 percent increases in request for food

Every $1 invested in anti-poverty programs brings a $10 return on investment back to the community. This return generates a significant impact on the community through income tax revenue from employment, revenue generated from renting or owning a home, revenue from utilities paid, retail sales and taxes from purchasing food, etc., and much more.

Currently, the Heart of Illinois United Way provides approximately $1.15 million to programs that support homelessness prevention, emergency shelters, transitional housing, food pantries and many other services that support basic needs.

Education

    40 percent of children in central Illinois are entering kindergarten behind in their developmental goals
  • 40 percent of children in central Illinois are entering kindergarten behind in their developmental goals and are not ready to succeed in school.
  • 1 in 5 children in central Illinois fail to meet 3rd grade reading standards.
  • 1 in 6 children in central Illinois fail to meet 8th grade math standards.
  • 1 in 5 adults in central Illinois are functionally illiterate and cannot read or write efficiently in everyday situations.
1 in 5 adults in central Illinois are functionally illiterate

Every $1 invested in early childhood programs brings up to a $17 return on investment back to the community. This return generates a significant impact on the community through a reduction in crime rates, teenage pregnancy, welfare dependency, job training costs, grade repetition and much more.

Currently, the Heart of Illinois United Way provides approximately $1.55 million to support early childhood education, literacy, mentoring, tutoring and afterschool programs.

Health

    1 in 3 people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime.
  • 1 in 3 people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime.
  • 24 percent of adults in central Illinois suffer from doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
  • 39,253 people in central Illinois do not have health insurance.
24 percent of adults in central Illinois suffer from doctor-diagnosed arthritis.

Every $1 invested in community-based health care programs brings a $5 return on investment back to the community. This return generates a significant impact on the community through a reduction of emergency room costs, reduction of public health subsidies, an increase in preventative care that reduces future critical health care needs at higher costs, an increase in employment productivity and much more.

Currently, the Heart of Illinois United Way provides approximately $1.10 million to support local health clinics, health education classes, prevention programs, and rehabilitation services.

Self-Reliance

    Each day, one fire victim in central Illinois is left homeless.
  • Each day, one fire victim in central Illinois is left homeless.
  • Last year, there were 114,921 reported cases of domestic violence in Illinois.
  • 200,000 individuals in Illinois have a developmental disability.
Last year, there were 114,921 reported cases of domestic violence in Illinois.

Every $1 invested in early intervention and prevention programs that focus on such issues as domestic violence, substance abuse and developmental disabilities brings up to a $10 return on investment back to the community. This return generates a significant impact on the community through more efficient disaster preparedness and education, less money spent on incarcerations and substance abuse treatment, an increase in employment rates for individuals with developmental disabilities and much more.

Currently, the Heart of Illinois United Way provides approximately $1.39 million to support a variety of programs geared towards building self-reliance including affordable housing, independent living, job training and education.