Mission and Strategic Priorities

Improving Lives Through The Caring Power Of Community
Lane County is growing and thriving, but our community’s prosperity does not touch everyone. Many of our neighbors are struggling with a range of challenges – a child with special needs, the lack of affordable housing, access to quality health care, and even meeting the basic needs of food and shelter.

United Way funded programs serve some 100,000 men, women, and children throughout Lane County, Oregon by offering critical support in a variety of human service areas. With the help of our many community partners, we are making a transforming difference in so many lives.

Our Strategic Priorities help focus our efforts on the community’s most pressing needs.

Community Goals

• Success by 6: Ensuring our children are safe, healthy, cherished and enter school ready to learn.
• Youth on Track: Engaging all sectors of the community in supporting youth.
• Essentials for Life: Helping vulnerable people meet their basic needs and achieve their highest levels of independence.
• Citizen Engagement: Energizing and inspiring people to make a difference.

Strategic Priorities

• Research and champion local human service priorities.
• Report measurable progress on human service priorities.
• Increase community involvement and resources for those priorities by building new partnerships and coordinating with others in the human services system; engaging individuals and groups in dialogue, decision-making and action, and; diversifying resources available for priority human service needs.
• Focus resources, community organization and public policy advocacy efforts to increase access to healthcare; increase early childhood literacy; champion issues related to the needs of the working poor including the strength of our educational systems (K–University level), affordable housing and a healthy economy; create a unified 211 system serving Lane County, and; increase funds available for the local human services system.
• Promote trust of our civic partners and civil community discourse.
• Define a healthy economy from a broad community perspective.

Values and Beliefs

• Integrity: United Way commits itself to being a good steward of our donors’ money and our volunteers’ time, and to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and openness. We keep our promises. People know it: “United Way makes my caring count.”
• Impact: We make a positive difference in our community and have a measurable impact of enduring consequence. Our efforts improve lives. We are committed to a United Way that is relevant to its people, its community, and the times. We assume responsibility as good stewards and are accountable for quality work and sustainable results.
• Voluntarism: Quality volunteer involvement at all levels will assure the future health and vitality of our human care system. The most effective models of service are created and maintained through the leadership of local volunteers.
• Diversity/Inclusiveness: United Way believes that respect for and understanding of all cultures, peoples, and lifestyles are central to the spirit of voluntarism and to our mission of helping people care for one another.
• Community Leadership: We enable people of all ages and abilities to contribute, to volunteer, and to help improve the lives of others. United Way is a convener, providing a community forum where all people work together to build a more caring community. United Way advocates for lasting changes in community conditions that will improve people’s lives.