Home - United Way of Dane County

Giving Tuesday starts now!
At United Way of Dane County, we believe every day is a good day for giving. We hope you’ll make a plan to donate today.

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

Have thoughts on how we can best serve the community?
We want to hear them! Sign up for a centennial conversation to share your unique voice and perspectives – and help us make Dane County a better place to live, for all.

United Way of Dane County has been tackling Dane County’s toughest challenges for 98 years. With a mission to unite the community to achieve measurable results and change lives, we are committed to build a Dane County where everyone can succeed in school, work and life.

As United Way of Dane County prepares for our 100^th anniversary, we are looking for diverse perspectives and stories to help inform how to best serve you and the community for years to come.

Please help us achieve our goal by signing up for a 90-minute upcoming conversation that fits into your schedule – and encourage your friends and family to join as well!

United Way of Dane County 100 Centennial Conversations

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!