Income

Why Invest in Income? 

Today, the lack of resources to meet basic needs prompts close to 500 calls a month to 2-1-1 from all over the Roanoke Valley. The cycle of increasing debt to keep up with the rising cost of living has left many families living paycheck to paycheck. As a result, families are more vulnerable to crisis, and in the long term, they have a very limited ability to save for advanced education, a home, reliable transportation or retirement. This limits the economic potential of both the family and the communities in which they live. This is why United Way is investing in strategies that provide access to employment and other opportunities; increase ability to manage personal finances effectively; and help people in crisis meet their basic needs and move them to self-sufficiency.
Stacy Showalter, Suntrust, talks about the importance of Income and financial stability to the success of the Roanoke Valley! 

 

 

 

Income Means More than Money to One Veteran

 “I worked at a United Way-funded program helping veterans find employment and housing to get them back on their feet. In order for it to work for you, you have to put forth a lot of your own effort, and it makes you realize you are responsible for yourself. It’s been a wonderful program for me and other veterans who have been helped by it. I’ve learned a lot more self-respect again and have taken responsibility for my own action. Now I’m responsible for helping other people as well. If the program wasn’t in place, and I didn’t have some place like that to go, I would probably be out on the street. I’d be in a shelter somewhere. You can’t touch anything that United Way isn’t touching themselves. Thank you for all you do.”

 

 

 -Jim Golden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out these great resources to learn more about United Way's focus on Income! 

  

 

 

 

Get an in-depth look at the outcomes and strategies that make up our Community Action Plan for Income

 

           

 

             A bank or credit union account is the first step to saving and planning for the future - but over 6,500 households in our area don't have one.  Learn  about who's at risk of being unbanked and underbanked in the Roanoke Valley. 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

                     Click on the image to download a fact sheet on United Way's Education priorities.