WHAT WE DO – WAYMAKING™

We live in a world that is increasingly divided, where politics, media and economic factors push us further apart, making us feel isolated. And yet, everyday, there are individuals and organizations choosing to work towards a future that is brighter for us all. These are the Waymakers™. They are your neighbors volunteering at food pantries. They are your friends mentoring youth. They are your leadership choosing to allocate resources to supporting our community. They are you.

With a pulse on what people need most in our neighborhoods, United Way is the go-to partner for local change makers—or, as we like to call them, Waymakers. We’re on a mission to inspire and enable this community of Waymakers. They help us forge a new way forward, a united path forward, working daily to ensure that all members of our community thrive in health, education and financial stability. We do this by:

• Mobilizing people and resources and investing them in the highest-impact nonprofits, programs and projects throughout the region.
• Collaborating with our partners to come up with smart, sustainable solutions to both short- and long-term community challenges.

Public Policy Advocacy

We engage in public policy advocacy in a nonpartisan fashion intended to share UWGKC’s expertise on community conditions with lawmakers who are responsible for guiding public policy. 

In response to community need, outcomes data, and feedback from partners and donors, we will evaluate all public policy opportunities through the lens of urgent community need and assess whether proposed remedies create a healthy community, financial security, opportunities for youth and a resilient community. 

Advocacy efforts span United Way’s geographic footprint and place consideration on the impact on or for our most vulnerable, underserved, and/or under resourced communities.