Let’s go back to the basics. Most people have heard of United Way, but not everyone can readily answer the question: “Just what does United Way do?” Are we a nonprofit? When you give to United Way of Greater Atlanta, does your donation stay local? Who do we help? And how does our work make a difference, exactly?
So allow us to reintroduce ourselves! United Way of Greater Atlanta is a nonprofit that exists to make sure every child has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of where they grow up or the challenges they face — but there’s so much more to it.
We’re here to answer some of the questions we hear most often, and share how we’re working to create a stronger Greater Atlanta for everyone.
What does United Way do?
Understanding what United Way of Greater Atlanta does starts with understanding the biggest challenges families face every day, from hunger and housing instability to education and financial opportunity. We use our Child Well-Being Index® data to identify which barriers matter most in which neighborhoods. Then, we work alongside our partners to invest in solutions there, so where a child grows up doesn’t determine what’s possible for their future.
We also started our nation’s first 211 Contact Center and connect more than 400,000 of our neighbors in need every year to local resources like food, housing, utility assistance, and more.
Is United Way a nonprofit? What is a nonprofit?
Yes, United Way of Greater Atlanta is a nonprofit organization.
A nonprofit is an organization that exists to serve a public purpose rather than generate profits for owners or shareholders. Instead, donations and other funds are invested back into the organization’s mission and the communities it serves. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, when you give to United Way, your donations are tax deductible.
United Way of Greater Atlanta is part of a global network of more than 1,000 independent local United Way organizations, all working to build stronger, healthier communities.
And United Way is more than just a staff or an office. We’re also a community that everyone can be a part of — a group of donors, volunteers, business leaders, and community partners working together to make sure that children can rise out of poverty and build lives full of potential.
Does my donation stay local?
If you donate to United Way of Greater Atlanta, 100% of your donation stays local, benefiting the region we call home. We invest in local neighborhoods across the 13-county Greater Atlanta footprint, including:
- Butts County
- Cherokee County
- Clayton County
- Cobb County
- Coweta County
- DeKalb County
- Douglas County
- Fayette County
- Fulton County
- Gwinnett County
- Henry County
- Paulding County
- Rockdale County
Our local presence helps us get to know community issues on a hyperlocal level, and then work hand-in-hand with partners to invest in solutions designed around each neighborhood’s unique assets and needs. We also regularly co-design solutions with the residents we work with to make sure that together, we’re building toward the brighter future they want to see in their communities.
Who does United Way help?
Often, when people think of what United Way does, their mind goes to times of crisis, natural disaster, extreme poverty, or homelessness — and that is a part of our work.
However, United Way is a nonprofit that exists to serve more than just those in emergency situations. In fact, last year more than 1 in 3 people who contacted 211 here in Greater Atlanta reported being employed, but still struggled to afford necessities like housing, food, or healthcare. Those aren’t just numbers — they represent real families, and real children in our community who are facing challenges that they didn’t create and can’t overcome alone.
United Way also exists to stand in the gap for this growing part of our region: families, often working essential jobs, who earn too much to qualify for most assistance programs but still do not earn enough to become financially stable.
First, through 211 and our network of partners, we connect families in need to community resources like childcare scholarships or housing assistance. We also offer preventative programs like emergency savings matches and financial literacy programs.
Finally, we also help countless Atlantans in ways they may not even realize. That includes providing seed funding for small businesses, helping schools hire literacy specialists, and covering the cost of tax preparation services at local community centers.
It’s likely, whether you realize it or not, you or someone you know has been helped by United Way.
But we can’t do it alone. Families, schools, neighbors, nonprofits, businesses, and community leaders all have a role to play. United Way of Greater Atlanta helps bring those efforts together so more children can overcome barriers to reaching their potential.
Why should I give to United Way instead of directly to a nonprofit that you fund?
When people ask, “What does United Way do?” they are often trying to understand how their donation helps. Why should you donate to us instead of so many of the local organizations doing good around our city?
We appreciate this question. It’s important to us that members of our community make the choice that is best for them while also maximizing their impact.
Donating directly to a local nonprofit is a meaningful way to make a difference. Donating to United Way of Greater Atlanta allows you to support many local nonprofits at once while helping coordinate their efforts around the community’s largest challenges.
The challenges families face are often connected, and lasting change takes more than any one organization.
A family’s challenges with housing can affect a child’s education. Transportation barriers can make it harder to keep a job. Limited access to healthy food can impact long-term health outcomes.
United Way of Greater Atlanta looks at the whole child, and the whole community, working across issues to bring people, resources, and local organizations together so children have the support they need and families can build brighter futures.
In other words, when you give to United Way, you’re not choosing between supporting local nonprofits and creating broader community impact. You’re helping do both.
Can one donation make a difference?
Absolutely, every donation to United Way of Greater Atlanta helps! We rely on donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals to do the work we do — and every amount can make a difference.
- $15 today can fill a backpack so a student starts school with the supplies they need to learn this year.
- $50 today could stock a pantry with a week’s worth of food for a struggling family.
- $100 today can help a student apply for financial aid, unlocking opportunities for college and a bright future.
- $200 today covers a month of early learning for a baby, giving parents the ability to work while their child thrives.
- $500 today can help provide a family with financial coaching and an emergency savings match, helping them repair credit and build economic stability.
A backpack. A childcare scholarship. A financial coaching session. On their own, they may seem like small things. But for the families who receive them, they can be the difference between getting by and moving forward.
That’s the power of collective giving. When people across our community come together, we can create opportunities that no one person or organization could create alone.
United is the way our community can thrive. Join the thousands of people across our region who are investing in a brighter, more equitable future for Greater Atlanta when you give today.