COMMUNITY HEALTH & WELLNESS FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST.

United Way NCA keeps a sharp focus on community health and wellness across the National Capital Area.

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Our Commitment

United Way NCA’s health programs will increase equity in access to health resources that promote physical and mental well-being among students and families. We engage and empower at-risk youth by removing systemic barriers to food security, promoting physical exercise and healthy eating, providing mental health education and services, and reducing stigma for using these services.

So many of us take health for granted. We have access to care and resources we need and have the education to know how to take better care of ourselves. For many in our community, that’s just not the case. Often, the emergency room is their only option for health care. And by then, it can be too late. Better health means better life. That’s why United Way of the National Capital Area is improving health access and resources in our communities to reach equity for all.

We’re making strong, strategic investments in programs that provide all adults and children in our community access to the health services they need to not only be well, but to thrive. Good health and nutrition is a leading factor in a young person’s ability to perform academically and for a family’s economic opportunity. We’re also leading the way to destigmatizing mental health by educating the region on services available, increasing access to therapeutic services and conducting mental health first aid trainings. United Way NCA will continue the movement for equitable public policies and programs focusing on health and wellness for our community’s children and families.

What We’re Doing

United Way NCA is focused on improving every aspect of health for all community members in the National Capital Area. These are just a few of the ways we are increasing health equity in our region:

 

Weekend Hunger Backpack Program

Weekend backpack food programs help provide nutritious, non-perishable, and easy-to-prepare food to elementary and middle school students to help them avoid hunger over the weekend from food insecurity when they cannot depend on school cafeteria meals.

 

Thrive United 365

Thrive United 365 provides underserved community members who traditionally face barriers to health care with safe and trusted health resources, including prevention and care management. This enables communities to be healthier in the short- and long-term.

 

2-1-1

It’s hard to even think about health if you don’t have food and shelter. Through our 2-1-1 initiative, United Way NCA empowers families to meet these and other basic health needs by connecting them with accessible community resources. This free, non-emergency telephone number connects more than 450,000 people in the District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland to human-service information and referral to the people and places that can help.

 

SingleCare

No one should get sick or sicker because they can’t get the prescription medicine they need. But medications can be extremely expensive. That’s why United Way NCA helps to make prescription medications affordable through our free SingleCare discount card. With the SingleCare card, there are no forms to fill out, no waiting period and no registration required. The card serves as a reusable coupon on FDA-approved medicines.

Visit https://www.singlecare.com/familywize to learn more.

Other Programs

Child in school

Education

We focus on the education pipeline from middle school to college and/or career success. Working in Title I schools, we address attendance, behavior and course performance through our Community Schools program.

Economic Opportunity

We provide residents with economic opportunity and remove barriers to stable and affordable housing through our Financial Empowerment Centers, helping individuals feel in control of their financial
situations.

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