United Way is called by its mission and vision to actively engage the community to change the conditions and systems that affect people. True community engagement involves partnerships with businesses, individuals, organized labor, the social service sector, and government at all levels. United Way of the Wine Country recognizes the critical role government plays in creating systemic change that can improve people’s lives. But government cannot do it alone. Neither can United Way and the rest of the social service sector.
While United Way of the Wine Country’s primary focus is on making positive change on local issues that impact the lives of those living in Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties, sometimes doing so necessitates advocacy work beyond the local community—at state and national levels. United Way of the Wine Country is committed to its mission of improving lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities. Advocacy and public policy work is one vehicle by which we achieve this mission.
2-1-1 is a United Way goal that all residents have access to the information necessary to be their own advocates, and benefit from important community services and volunteer opportunities. 2-1-1 is an easy-to-remember telephone number toll-free, 24-hour, multilingual information line that connects people with important services and volunteer opportunities. This community service takes the burden off the 9-1-1 system. United Way is committed to bringing 2-1-1 to Sonoma County by January 2009 and to Mendocino and Lake Counties by 2011. 2-1-1 service is now active in nine regions: Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Diego, and San Francisco, San Bernardino, and Silicon Valley. The 2-1-1 California Partnership is a collaborative between the California Alliance of Information and Referral Systems and the United Ways of California.
Ensuring that all children in our community have health insurance is a goal that United Way is squarely behind. United Way of the Wine Country has been a partner for three years with sixteen other California United Ways in the “Covering California’s Children Initiative” funded by The California Endowment and The California Wellness Foundation. United Way is involved both as a partner in and a funder of the Healthy Kids Initiatives and has worked at the local, state and national levels to advocate for programs that will result in health insurance for all California’s children.
California has made significant progress over the past few years in reducing its number of uninsured children – today over 90 percent of California’s 10 million children are insured. But, there are still nearly 800,000 California children who lack health insurance and that number will grow if solutions are not implemented soon. With rising premiums, business finds it more challenging every year to offer health benefits for employees and dependents. United Way believes the goal is within reach and that covering all kids can only happen if business leaders are part of an equitable solution that blends public and private sector involvement.
For more information, please contact Chanda Zirkelbach at 707.528.4485 x110.
