United Way works for a healthier America
Whether it is a neighbor without health insurance, a victim of abuse, or someone struggling with mental illness or an addiction, United Ways are working to ensure everyone has access to affordable and quality care.
Our Goal
The United Way system's 10-year health goal is to increase by one-third the number of youth and adults who are healthy and avoid risky behavior. By 2018,45% of youth and 47% of adults will be healthy and avoid risky behaviors, up from 34% of youth and 35% of adults in 2005.
Our Strategy
Achieving our goal requires us all to become more aware of health risks and the potential effects they have on ourselves and others, starting from before birth. Working to change policies and practices, such as extending health care coverage, will enable more people to live healthier lives.
To accomplish this goal, United Way will focus on:
1. Safe Home and Community-homes are free from violence and physical hazards; communities support people's health, safety and development.
2. Healthy Beginning-Children start life with a healthy pregnancy and birth; age-appropriate, culturally competent, primary and preventive care that supports early development; and a healthy and supportive home environment.
3. Healthy Eating and Physical Activity-Individuals have accessible and affordable options and pursue a nutritious diet and regular physical activity.
4. Healthy Choices-Policies and practices in organizations, systems, institutions, personal networks and neighborhood environments support healthy choices as the default choice for all individuals.
5. Access to Health Care-Necessary services, including preventive, mental, dental, pharmaceutical and vision resources, are geographically, physically, culturally and financially accessible.
Health Facts
- More than 33% of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. That’s 25 million kids and teenagers.
- Children with health coverage are better prepared to learn in school and succeed in life.1
- The number of Americans without health insurance has increased steadily since the beginning of the century, now totaling about 47 million. More than 80% are working families.2
- 8.7 million children live without health insurance – more than the total number enrolled in the first and second grades in U.S. public schools.3
1Institute of Medicine. From Neurons to Neighborhood: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Washington DC: National Academies Press, 2000.)
2Employee Benefit Research Institute estimates from the March Current Population Survey, 2007 Supplement.
3Compiled by the State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC), University of Minnesota School of Public Health, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey 2007.