UNITED WAY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY

UNITED WAY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY ENSURES CHILDREN, INDIVIDUALS, AND FAMILIES HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO ACHIEVE EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS AND FINANCIAL SECURITY.EDUCATION:UNITED WAY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO EDUCATION, AND THE URGENCY OF OUR WORK HAS NEVER BEEN MORE APPARENT AS THE EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT GAPS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUE TO WIDEN. BY LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE IN OUR REGION'S DISTINCT, VIBRANT COMMUNITIES, WE URGENTLY ADDRESS DEEPLY ROOTED DISPARITIES IN HISTORICALLY UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES WHERE CHILDREN ARE NOT REACHING THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. WE COLLABORATE WITH THESE COMMUNITIES AND LEVERAGE THE STRENGTH OF OUR PARTNERS COUNTYWIDE - BUSINESSES, GOVERNMENT, SCHOOLS, POLICYMAKERS, AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS - TO COLLECTIVELY ACHIEVE LASTING CHANGE FOR CHILDREN, YOUNG ADULTS, AND FAMILIES. TO BRIDGE THESE GAPS ACROSS THE REGION, WHICH TYPICALLY FALL ALONG RACIAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC LINES, WE STRATEGICALLY FOCUS ON KEY AREAS SUCH AS EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY, SO CHILDREN CAN REACH MILESTONES LIKE READING PROFICIENTLY BY THE END OF THIRD GRADE, AND CAREER READINESS, SO STUDENTS ARE EXPOSED TO HIGH-PAYING, IN-DEMAND STEAM CAREERS ACROSS DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES. WE ENGAGE 12K DONORS, 341 COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE PARTNERS, 22 SCHOOLS, AND 942 VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE OVER 45K FAMILIES AND CHILDREN THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO COUNTY. WE KNOW WE ARE ACHIEVING OUR GOALS BY TRACKING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, DEVELOPING LITERACY-RICH ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN, AND MEASURING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO SEE STEAM CAREERS AS A POSSIBILITY THROUGH AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND SUMMER WORK-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.

ECONOMIC MOBILITY:IN THE FACE OF THE WIDENING ECONOMIC DISPARITIES IN OUR REGION, UNITED WAY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY REMAINS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING ESSENTIAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND CREATING PATHWAYS FOR ECONOMIC MOBILITY THAT CAN PROFOUNDLY IMPACT THE LIVES OF THOSE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. WE IMPROVE THE FINANCIAL SECURITY OF FAMILIES THROUGH FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND COUNSELING, FREE TAX FILING ASSISTANCE TO MAXIMIZE REFUNDS AND ENSURE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES RECEIVE ALL AVAILABLE TAX CREDITS, AND ACCESS TO SAFE, AFFORDABLE FINANCIAL SERVICES THROUGH TRUSTED BANKS. THROUGH THE STRENGTH OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS COUNTYWIDE, THESE PROGRAMS SUPPORT FAMILIES IN BECOMING FINANCIALLY SECURE, EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY, AND ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY. FOR OVER 24 YEARS, OUR SAN DIEGO COUNTY EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT COALITION HAS GROWN TO OVER 47 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. IN 2025, OUR COMBINED EFFORTS BROUGHT BACK $31.7M IN FEDERAL AND STATE RETURNS, WHICH INCLUDED THE CHILD TAX CREDITS. THE COALITION SERVED 42.6K FAMILIES, SAVING THEM $7.6M IN TAX PREPARATION FEES.