News & Updates
News
What happens when community-minded women band together in support of children’s literacy?!? More than 1,300 preschoolers in McLean County get free books! On May 17, more than 130 women gathered for the annual Power of the Purse, hosted by...
Maia is a single-mother of three who moved to Bloomington-Normal for new employment opportunities. But housing options were limited because many landlords require proof of steady income from new renters. Despite finding a full-time job with a...
Read MoreThe Mobile Medical Unit launched in August 2023 and by the end of that year had already served over 280 patients in four locations in Bloomington-Normal! That’s a substantial need, now being met. United Way of McLean County saw a way to reach...
Read MorePost-Pandemic Poverty Report In 2023, we received the latest household poverty report for McLean County. Post-pandemic, poverty has increased with over 26,000 households struggling financially. Of those households, around 11,000 meet the...
Read MoreConnecting area residents to helpful opportunities and resources has long been a driving principle of our work at United Way of McLean County. Our Workforce180 program successfully guides young adults through professional and technical education...
Read MoreYour generous support in 2023 elevated the reach and impact of our shared mission to individuals and families across McLean County. Many area residents have found pathways to prosperity thanks to your partnership! Our 2023 annual report...
Read MoreMoving to a new community is never easy, but it’s all the more complicated for families who have immigrated. One family had been in the States just three days and found much-needed support at the McLean Mobile Health Clinic. The mobile unit was...
Read MoreAcross McLean County, individuals and families alike are under immense pressure. Some are struggling financially or emotionally. Others are facing employment or housing instability. They find support for 180-degree change at United Way of...
Read MoreStudy after study reports that teens across the county are in a mental health crisis. We are seeing the reality of it in McLean County too. The 2022 Illinois Youth Survey found that more than one-third of all 8th to 12th grade students have...
Read MoreIn November, Robert Bosquez, of West Bloomington Revitalization Project’s Bed Blitz, was honored with the Phil Covey Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award. The Award included a monetary gift presented to the West Bloomington Revitalization Project...
Read MoreOne of the best aspects of our shared mission is being directly invested and involved in our community. In 2023, your partnership ensured that even more residents found pathways to prosperity through United Way services and support. This update...
Read MoreHere's how you can help Young people in our community take steps toward a brighter future!
Read MoreWhen the pandemic was at its height in 2020, it exacerbated the housing demand already unfolding for many neighbors across our county. We knew our commitment to collaboration could help. So we launched the Housing Coalition as a short-term...
Read MoreWorkforce180 is in its fourth year already — and it’s our biggest cohort of students yet! More than 75 young adults are getting vital support this year. They are overcoming obstacles to continue their training and education, with the support of...
Read MoreEveryone deserves quality healthcare. But many McLean County residents face barriers to the care they need. Now healthcare is going straight to those who need it via a mobile healthcare clinic. The new unit was commissioned by Carle Health at...
Read MoreThriveMind is only a year old but it’s grown leaps and bounds. We launched it knowing that teens were experiencing mental health challenges and that more support services were needed, especially in our rural school districts throughout the...
Read MoreWe had a fantastic time at this year’s Power of the Purse! It was so fun to gather with so many friends to put some power behind childhood literacy. This year’s Women United event focused on giving kids greater access to books through our...
Seven students finished their Workforce180 journey this spring— and we couldn’t be more proud! In honor of all they’ve accomplished, Sam, Jayda, Kelli, Vera, Sal, Jenny, and Mandy were recognized at the Workforce180 Spring Summit held earlier...
Read MoreHere in McLean County, every resident is our neighbor. That’s why we must work together to ensure that everyone experiences a more prosperous future. Our community thrives when everyone can access pathways to prosperity. Your partnership with...
Read MoreLifelong friends and Workforce180 participants Jenny and Sal have always supported each other. Sal shares, “We’ve been friends since kindergarten!” Over the years, they’ve encouraged each other whenever school, work, or life got difficult. “When...
Read MoreHow many young adults can say their career path matches their favorite childhood Halloween costume?! That’s true for Kelli. She’s wanted to be a nurse as long as she can remember. “About half my family is in nursing! Really, I never wanted to be...
Read MoreUnited Way of McLean County today announced McLean County has been awarded $69,127 in funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program. The...
Read MoreQUICK RECAP — OUR NEIGHBORS IN DESPERATE NEED In response to the current COVID crisis in the community, United Way of McLean County (UWMC), with the input of local government agencies and other stakeholders has identified food...
Read MoreQUICK RECAP — OUR NEIGHBORS IN DESPERATE NEED In response to the current COVID crisis in the community, United Way of McLean County (UWMC), with the input of local government agencies and other stakeholders has identified food...
Read MoreUNITED WAY REVEALS GROWING NUMBER OF OVERWORKED, UNDERPAID IN ILLINOIS BLOOMINGTON, IL (March 4, 2020) — At 9:00 am, Wednesday, in the Blue Room of the State Capital in Springfield, United Way of Illinois released a groundbreaking study...
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