United Way of Greater Richmond & Pe

Today, many residents of Greater Richmond and Petersburg struggle because of a lack of education or needed job skills, financial emergencies or the inability to access quality health care. United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg is a local member of a worldwide network, which means we leverage large-scale vision with an exclusive focus on the Greater Richmond and Petersburg region. We empower individuals and drive systemic change to provide everyone with a clear path to success. We do this by mobilizing the entire community -- individuals, nonprofits, schools, government agencies and businesses alike -- to collectively tackle our region's toughest challenges.

We empower individuals and drive systemic change to provide everyone with a clear path to success.

Goal One: Grow our programs in the region.

Goal Two: Enhance our programs.

Goal Three: Create new programs.

United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg is committed to the ongoing professional development of its leadership team. Team members have access to a range of professional development opportunities offered through United Way Worldwide, as well as local development opportunities such as the diversity, equity and inclusion training held in 2021. Our executive leadership team also participates in staff-wide development sessions, such as the ongoing all-staff book club for "Aligned: Connecting Your True Self with the Leader You're Meant to Be

We do research and data analysis to understand problems that affect real people – all in an effort to understand trends and pinpoint areas that need our help the most. From that knowledge, we fund programs in our community that provide help for individuals in those most needed areas. Then, we bring together government agencies, other nonprofits, religious organizations, schools, businesses and community members to create community-wide solutions that eliminate the root causes of these problems. And finally, we share what we know to empower everyone to find a path to success.

As the pandemic continues, so too does the upheaval and uncertainty facing schools, students and families. COVID-19’s impact has been severe, particularly among low-income students and students of color. Our local United Way has been working throughout the pandemic to provide education resources to young learners and families in our region. While there is no substitute for classroom learning, our work has helped more students stay on track during this incredibly difficult period. United Way’s Kindergarten Countdown Camp is a free summer learning program for rising kindergarten students with limited to no preschool experience. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we shifted to virtual camps for summer 2020. Our virtual Kindergarten Countdown Camp ran July 6-30 and included the same elements that made in-person camp so successful. From weekly workshops with parents to new books and supplies for students, this program helped more young children prepare for the virtual school year ahead.