The American Red Cross Disaster Cycle services prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Their Home Fire Preparedness campaign saves lives by installing smoke alarms and educating families about home fire safety. United Way of North Central Ohio is proud to support these efforts in Crawford, Wyandot, and Marion counties.

Formula for Impact is a program developed by Boys & Girls Clubs of America to encourage positive youth development through a safe, positive environment; fun; supportive relationships; opportunities and expectations; and recognition. It also incorporates high-yield learning activities, targeted programs and regular attendance.

The Music, Movement, & More program at Bucyrus Public Library allows children to experience the joy of music while practicing physical skills, increasing awareness of literacy and language development, and encouraging social-emotional skills.

CASA is a volunteer-based organization that trains people to become volunteer advocates for children. CASA of Seneca, Sandusky, and Wyandot Counties is a non-profit agency and has been serving locally abused and neglected children since 1990!

This program works to develop and enhance the independent living skills of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals living in the community.

CCSG provides emergency food boxes to supply struggling households with pantry provisions while they are waiting for their next paycheck or assistance allotment. They also provide emergency utility funds for clients in danger of utility shut off. United Way of North Central Ohio is proud to partner with CCSG in supporting this program.

The CCCOA Home Delivered Nutrition program provides the delivery of nutritious and safe meals to eligible consumers in a home setting for the purpose of sustaining or improving consumer health. The program also provides participants with regular opportunities for face-to-face contact and conversation, and referral to more services if needed.

QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) is a nationally-recognized suicide prevention training program that focuses on training community members to identify distressed individuals and get them referrals for professional help.

United Way supports Crawford Works in their mission to partner with all willing and capable people living in poverty to assist them in advancing to economic self-sufficiency through sustained employment.

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) is one of the largest volunteer networks in the nation for people 55 and over. Volunteers can use the skills and talents they’ve learned over the years, or develop new ones while serving in a variety of volunteer activities within their communities.

Royal Family Kids camps, clubs, and mentoring in Marion create life-changing moments for children who have experienced relational trauma.

The Youth Production program is open to kids age 10 to 20 from Galion and the surrounding community, and fosters creativity, self-expression, and confidence in its young cast and crew. GCT is committed to providing a safe and welcoming space for all young members of our community, and UWNCO is proud to help sponsor their efforts.

Programming from Junior Achievement reaches students in Crawford, Marion, and Wyandot, equipping them with vital financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship knowledge.

LASC’s program advocates for social and economic stability, advancement, and equity for at-risk women in the region through crisis-centered and long-term civil legal advocacy.

Provides nourishing food and socialization to older adults and individuals living with a medical challenge or disability in Marion County.

Forming the habit of reading at a young age is linked to higher performance and achievement throughout life. Let’s Read 20 is a community-wide initiative that promotes early childhood literacy and is attempting to positively impact the culture of our community and the way it values reading, education and academic success.

The Victim Assistance Program provides county wide services to victims of any crime. Victim Assistance minimizes the effects of crime in the lives of crime victims, while Victim Advocates offer victims of crime support services which include emergency assistance, emotional support, agency referrals, and assistance with legal filings as well as court orientation and advocacy.

The Youth Mentor program at Mid-Ohio Youth Mentoring provides young people in Crawford County with mentors who support, encourage, and provide opportunities to develop skills that will help them achieve success in life.

United Way of North Central Ohio supports the Weekend Backpack Program in their efforts to provide accessible, nutritious, and child-friendly food for at-risk children at the weekends and over holidays.

The Peace and Freedom Committee provides events and programming in Marion County to spread the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to lift up people from all cultures.

First Step addresses intimate partner violence in Wyandot County with community resources, outreach, crisis counseling and advocacy services, with a goal of empowering victims to achieve survivorship.

This program partners with parents and families in supporting optimal education and social development for children.

The ROX program teaches girls to communicate effectively, develop healthy relationships, navigate stress and pressure, plan for college and a career, and to become leaders.

United Way of North Central Ohio continues to be committed to using RBA and collective impact throughout our funding process, and gives special consideration to  funding of community collaborations between agencies and organizations.

A collaboration considered for grant funding will be two or more organizations or entities working together to achieve a common goal to improve life for residents in Crawford, Marion, & Wyandot counties.

A successful collaboration will meet the 5 conditions of collective impact:

• Common Agenda. Common understanding of the problem and a shared vision for change.
• Shared Measurement. Collecting data and measuring results, with a focus on performance measurement. Shared accountability.
• Mutually Reinforcing Activities. Differentiated approaches and coordination through joint plan of action.
• Continuous Communication. Consistent and open communication, and a focus on building trust.
• Backbone Support. Separate organization(s) with staff. Resources and skills to convene and coordinate participating organizations.

The Ruling Our eXperiences (ROX) program is implemented for middle school and high school girls at Carey EVSD. The program works to equip girls with the knowledge and skills to live healthy, independent, and violence-free lives.

United Way of North Central Ohio is proud to help support the efforts of Imagination Library in Crawford, Marion, and Wyandot counties. Through a partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio provides every Ohio child from birth to age 5 with a free book each month. This early childhood literacy initiative is made possible through donations and support by multiple community organizations.

The Coalition brings together local non-profit organizations including UWNCO, Marion Family YMCA, YWCA, Marion Matters, Inc., Marion Community Foundation, The Boys & Girls Club of Marion County, Marion Goodwill-Ohio, Marion Area Chamber of Commerce and Marion Job & Family Services to address the barriers to accessible, affordable childcare in Marion County. The Coalition’s goal is to remove those barriers and to provide families with improved childcare options as we emerge from the pandemic’s effects. Learn more about the Marion County Child Care Coalition here.

Make summer plans for Success By 6 Kindergarten Camp 2023 for your rising Marion City School kindergartener. The FREE four-week program runs July 10 through August 3 on mornings, Monday through Thursday, with school bus service, breakfast, and lunch provided. Students brush up on small and large motor skills, practice handwriting and phonemic awareness, and more. They also gain confidence in the school routine and with a social group.

The Foster Family Mentoring program helps new and prospective foster families become a successful resource for children placed in their homes, and for the families of those children.

Pay It Forward is a collaborative effort between Ohio State Marion and United Way of North Central Ohio that provides students with experiential learning as they explore the process of grant writing and approval while increasing their awareness of the funding needs of local organizations.