CINCINNATI (March 27, 2023) —

Dear United Way friends,

United Way’s advocacy work plays an important role in our mission to accelerate positive, community-wide change – change that will ensure all residents of our region can thrive now and in the future.  

We advocate by meeting with and educating legislators about important issues; by empowering people and communities to make their voices heard and gain a role in decisions that affect them; and by partnering with organizations with common policy priorities.  

Our recent advocacy efforts have taken us to the state capitals of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana where we met with lawmakers and brought visibility to priority issues that include early childhood education; affordability of postsecondary education; funding for 211 call centers; and benefit cliffs – the sudden drop in public benefits that may occur with a small wage increase.  

I hope you will take time to read about these efforts.  

And if you want your voice to be heard, consider joining our advocate network.

Sincerely,

Moira Weir
President/CEO
United Way of Greater Cincinnati

United Way of Greater Cincinnati, along with United Ways throughout the state of Ohio, convened at the Statehouse in Columbus to meet with legislators and advocate for a bipartisan budget proposal that seeks $2 million in annual state funding to support the essential operations of Ohio’s 14 regional 211 help centers, including UWGC’s 211 Helpline. Ohio is one of only a few states that do not provide consistent annual funding for 211 programs. This proposed funding would match the annual investment that United Ways make in the program, and it would provide 211 help centers with the means to continue meeting their infrastructural demands and serving the critical needs of Ohioans.  

UWGC joined forces with Groundwork Ohio for Big Voices for Little Kids Advocacy Day at the Statehouse in Columbus. Nearly 400 Ohioans spent the day advocating for increased access to quality child care for low-income Ohioans, classroom grants that would incentivize new capacity for infant and toddler care, and enhanced Medicaid coverage that meets the unique needs of moms and babies. To ensure that legislators heard from parents and child care providers, United Way sponsored 15 early childhood advocacy fellows who shared their lived experiences. 

United Ways around Kentucky, including UWGC, came together for the 10th annual Live United Day at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort. UWGC volunteers and staff met with Northern Kentucky legislators to promote policies that would advance the well-being of all Kentuckians in the areas of health, financial mobility and educational access. Our advocates’ agenda included policy proposals to promote economic mobility by addressing benefit cliffs, making postsecondary education more affordable, and ensuring families can access high-quality, affordable child care.  

UWGC volunteers and staff joined forces with other representatives of Indiana United Ways and met with state lawmakers at the Statehouse in Indianapolis to advocate for increased investments in the On My Way Pre-K Program. The program provides quality preschool education to children from families with low incomes. The advocates garnered bipartisan support for an increase in overall funding for On May Way Pre-K and increasing income eligibility.