Our vision for the community is strong, vibrant and healthy Bay Area where neighbors
work together to create opportunities for all.

To accomplish this, United Way's Bay Area Community Fund investments are targeted to address two challenges that face the region: Preventing Poverty and Strengthening Vital Community Services.

Preventing Poverty means addressing issues that get to the root causes and change community conditions to improve lives.

1) We prevent poverty through investments in early childhood development (education) and youth violence prevention (safe communities). When we address the challenges facing low-income children and youth and ensure that they have safe, supportive learning environments, they grow into healthy, productive adults.

2) We prevent poverty through investments in opportunities for working families (self-sufficiency) and affordable health insurance (health). It is only when f amilies and Individuals meet their basic needs that they have opportunities to thrive.

Strengthening Vital Community Services means enhancing community resources to provide services in times of need.

1) We connect people in times of crisis to the community services they need through HELPLINK and investments in volunteer centers throughout the Bay Area.

2) We connect vital community services to each other so that the sector is strong and can serve the needs of Bay Area residents. We do this through investments in services, disaster preparedness and providing fundraising services on behalf of all nonprofits in the Bay Area.