Financial Stability

When you join other community members in investing in United Way, your donation improves local lives and our entire community.  Our Financial Stability community priority is to promote financial stability for individuals and families.  Thanks to the work of local volunteers, the following Financial Programs were selected to receive an overall investment of $176,300 from the United Way campaign for 2022:

American Red Cross of East Central Ohio

  • Disaster Services   $7,00

Red Cross activities and services are designed to deliver timely disaster relief to community residents and develop a more resilient community with a long-term community impact of Knox County households being better prepared to prevent, respond to, and recover from disaster. Through the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign (HFPC) the Red Cross as set a goal to reduce home fire deaths and injuries. Locally, volunteers and staff in partnership with local fire departments are going door-to-door installing free smoke alarms in at risk communities.

Hospice of North Central Ohio, Inc.

  • Hospice & Palliative Care - Special Needs Requests      $1,300

Palliative care through Life Season Palliative, a division of Hospice of North Central Ohio, provides in home care to individuals with life limiting illnesses such as COPD, CHF, cancer (in aggressive treatment or with symptoms of the disease that need to be managed and monitored). These individuals are generally too debilitated to travel to medical appointments for management of their disease process. This program may provide supplies such as dressing supplies, incontinence supplies, nutritional supplements and equipment such as Life Alert systems, bed alarms to patients who are served through the Palliative Care program. These supplies and equipment are not covered by insurance or Medicare and become an out-of-pocket expense that may be beyond the means of the individuals in need. Hospice of Knox County screen client requests and makes community referrals before administering the Special Needs Requests fund.

Interchurch Social Services of Knox County

  • Financial Aid       $25,000

The Financial Aid program provides short-term assistance to Knox County residents for rent/rental deposit, utilities, prescriptions, and gasoline vouchers for out-of-county medical appointments. With offices in Centerburg, Danville, Fredericktown, and Mount Vernon, assistance is easily accessible to county residents. The program is designed to keep families in their homes and to insure that utilities, prescriptions, and transportation are available. Assistance with rent, deposit, or utilities is available once every 6 months. Rx and gasoline vouchers are available once every 60 days. Program objectives include preventing homelessness, ensuring safety and health, and preventing future crisis through case management and referral.

New Directions:  Domestic Abuse Shelter of Knox County, Inc.

  • Advocacy and Support for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence   $65,000

The objectives of the “Advocacy and Support for Survivors of Domestic, Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence” program at New Directions are to provide: 1) safe housing and advocacy for adults and children who are escaping domestic, intimate partner and sexual violence; 2) hospital accompaniment, hotline information and/or individual advocacy for sexual assault survivors; and, 3) individual advocacy, court accompaniment, education and/or referrals for persons who file law enforcement reports and/or who are victims in domestic violence cases.

Pathways of Central Ohio

  • Knox County's 2-1-1 Information/Referral/Crisis Hotline   $15,000

Pathways 2-1-1 provides 24/7 comprehensive information and referral, crisis hotline, after-hours answering service, and recovery line services over the phone and by two-way texting to the residents of Knox County. Pathways also provide a comprehensive online resource directory located at 211pathways.com. Additionally, they provide the Suicide Prevention Follow-up program for suicidal and at risk individuals. The program is voluntary and lasts until the participant has had six weeks without any suicide ideation. Participants also receive referrals to mental health and other community services and have less need for hospitalization or re-hospitalization.

The Winter Sanctuary, Inc.

  • Homeless Shelter Services and Client Advocacy   $55,000

The Winter Sanctuary provides Shelter Services and Client Advocacy. The Winter Sanctuary's Advocacy service coordinates guests with community resources to further their goals of working toward securing safe, sustainable housing, finding meaningful employment, referring guest to community resources as needed, and meeting individuals in the off season as they present with needs. Advocacy Services gives back to individual members of our community in a meaningful way.

 

Read more about United Way of Knox County's Financial Stability Framework

To access Knox County programs, information and crisis services, dial 2-1-1, call 1.800.544.1601, text your zip code to 898-211, or visit Pathways of Central Ohio.