Home - United Way of Dane County

We want to hear about your dreams for our community!
That’s why, for the next month, we’ll be hosting 90-minute, virtual community conversations.
Sign up for a time that fits your schedule.

Together, we are The Power of Many. Working for All.

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we want to hear about your dreams for our community.
Join us for a virtual conversation on Monday, January 18th at 10am or 3:30pm!

For nearly 100 years, United Way of Dane County has remained committed to tackling Dane County’s toughest issues in the areas of Education, Income and Health. And while we’ve made great progress, the needs in these areas have only been amplified during this historically difficult time.

People who’ve lost their jobs need food, housing and utility assistance, and parents and students need education resources to help them as they continue to adapt to a virtual learning environment. We expect needs to continue to rise, and for local families to feel the effects of this crisis for a long while to come.

But there’s always hope. With your help, we can continue down the road to recovery into 2021 and beyond – building a Dane County where everyone can succeed in school, work and life.

United Way of Dane County’s physical office is currently closed, but staff are working remotely during regular business hours.
All of our services, including 211 are running at full capacity. Additionally, donations and other documents can still be mailed to our office.

Education

Children

And their families received
home visiting.
88% are 4-K ready

k-12 students

Received 15+ hours of tutoring
in reading and math

Income

employers

In Dane County participate
in the HIRE Employer Council, including 3 employers who signed on in 2019

Families

Were provided housing case management
in 2019, addressing challenges associated with their homelessness

Health

Adults Insured

With HealthConnect premium support, improving community health outcomes and reducing costs

Students

In Dane County received
behavioral health treatment,
helping them focus academically

Get Help

No one is immune to hard times; with United Way’s 211 you can feel confident that you are not alone in your time of need. Call or click today and get connected to the most comprehensive database of resources in Dane County.

211 Stories

211 recently received a call from a mom who had been doubled up with another family in an apartment. She and her children were asked to leave and she contacted 211. Our team connected her with a Spanish-speaking staff member and this mother and her children were quickly connected to housing resources. This is how United Way brings our community together to solve problems. In this case, a family in crisis knew to connect with the most comprehensive local services database and trusted she would be treated with respect and helped. We utilized our network of effective nonprofits to house this family, work that is made possible by our donors who make sure services - and housing inventory - are available.

211 Stories

Our 211 staff took a call from a woman who lives far away from her elderly mother and wanted to make sure she had access to food. Her mom isn’t very proactive when it comes to making meals, and the woman was worried she would go hungry since she can’t leave the house. 211 staff connected the woman with meals-on-wheels and grocery delivery options in our area, and she left the call feeling very hopeful.

211 Stories

An older adult called 211 when she found out her daughter had lost her job. 211 staff provided the caller with rental assistance resources as well as utility information. They also explained how her daughter could apply for benefits like unemployment, food share and Badgercare. At the end of the call mom said while her daughter may have found this information herself she was just so grateful to hear a human voice. She’d been alone in her home for a while and a sympathetic ear was what she really needed.

211 Stories

A 211 caller was very anxious because she lost her two jobs in the service industry. Her last day of work was on the horizon and on top of that were having a very hard time getting through to unemployment. Beyond the bills that were stacking up, this caller was most worried about the loss of insurance. 211 connected her with Covering Wisconsin–a group that can help folks connect with state or private insurance through the Marketplace. Additionally, their navigators are trained to sign people up for United Way’s Health Connect program.

Stay in Touch

Want to be kept up to date on the impact of your support? Want to receive information about volunteer opportunities and events? Sign up for the monthly United Way of Dane County email newsletter today!