Our work falls under three priority investment areas. Listed below are the programs supported by United Way Program Staff.
For programs administered by our partner agencies, visit our Areas of Focus page.
Please click to view the 2021 Annual Report.
Education
Imagination Library - A free book program for all Knox County children under age five. Books are mailed directly to your home each month.
Ruling Our eXperiences ROX - An extracurricular program which aims to help young girls learn to love themselves, be more confident, and develop healthier relationships.
Knox County Family and Children First Council - a community coalition focusing on a shared commitment to child well-being.
After School Tutoring and Enrichment Programs
- Eagles Nest - The after school program at East Elementary School in Mount Vernon
- Tiger Pride Club - The after school program at Dan Emmett Elementary School in Mount Vernon.
Financial Stability
FamilyWize Prescription Savings - Now merged with SingleCare, this is a free prescription discount program. There is no enrollment and everyone is eligible. Just show the card at your local pharmacy.
Free Tax Preparation Assistance - United Way volunteers assist individuals preparing their taxes for free!
Poverty Simulation - A powerful and enlightening opportunity to discover the challenges and struggles families in poverty deal with every day in Knox County.
Emergency Food and Shelter Program - The Knox County Commissioners and United Way of Knox County Ohio, Inc partner in leading the Emergency Food and Shelter Program in Knox County, which supports the community in allocating Federal funds to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county.
Health
Crunch Out Knox County - A youth wellness program involving Physical Education teachers and 4th grade students througout the Knox County. Students complete weekly journals, track their exercise progress and their healthy eating habits to win prizes.
GeoTrail - In partnership with the Knox County Park District, the GeoTrail is an outdoor geocache activity in Knox County with prizes for completion.
Get Healthy Knox County - A Comprehensive Community Partnership working to build a community that encourages healthy habits and physical activity. The 5-2-1 and none campaign supported by Get Healthy Knox County and United Way is designed to change lifestyles by providing nutrition and exercise information.
Knox Substance Abuse Action Team - Formed in 2011 in response to community concerns about substance abuse and the effects on the community, KSAAT committees aim to help those at risk or involved in substance abuse by increasing awareness and education. Our KSAAT mission is to engage our community in building partnerships dedicated to preventing and reducing substance abuse among youth and adults in Knox County.
Timely Grant Program
Traditional Agency Partnerships and Community Investments are required to follow a standardized and well-practiced process. Applications are submitted nearly a year in advanced of release of program funds. This process demands careful planning and stability in program investments and yields strong agency partnerships and robust programs. However, at United Way, we recognize that this funding model does not fit every program.
United Way of Knox County Ohio, Inc. Timely Grant process makes resources available to meet these immediate demands in an expedited process since 2018. The Community Investment Agenda includes a budget reserve to apply to these timely projects.
Knox County Career Navigator- Initiated by WorkDev, the Career Navigator is sponsored by United Way, the Knox County Foundation, the Education Service Center, Area Development Foundation, and local schools. The Career Navigator offers career development services to high school students and connects them to business and industry partners in Manufacturing and Healthcare. The program engages Knox County’s future workforce in a variety of community-based experiences to expand their awareness of local career and education options. United Way invested $10,000 in the 2021-2022 school year.
Family and Children First Council- (FCFC) Community Team Intentional Funding Program - The mission of the FCFC Community Team is to develop and facilitate comprehensive, family centered, and creative solutions through multi-agency collaboration for families in need. In 2021, United Way invested $8,000 into this program in order to help provide these solutions for youth and families who do not meet criteria for FCFC Community Team, but still need services and supports. Requests have included help with camps, transportation, memberships, and safety equipment and has helped the FCFC reach more multi-need families in Knox County.
Medical Necessity Snow Removal Program- United Way invested $1,000 in Mobility Management’s snow removal program in 2021. This program allows older adults and individuals with disabilities to be able to better access Knox Area Transit in order to get to medically necessary appointments. The removal of snow at these residences allows for ease of access for both the KAT busses and individuals leaving their homes. Increased access to transportation allows for better access to healthcare and reduced stress for the those served by this program.
United Way introduced a new online platform to amplify volunteer engagement and impact. Volunteer Knox is a web-based system through which nonprofits and other agencies may post their volunteer opportunities, special events, and engagement activities in hopes of increasing the variety of ways for individuals to get involved. In its first year, 32 agencies registered with Volunteer Knox through United Way and posted over 30 service opportunities, both in the form of one-time events and on-going service projects.
With increased visibility and easy ways to sign-up, United Way of Knox County's new platform has made volunteer opportunities more accessible to the community. Strong relationships between committed volunteers and organizations will ensure that Knox County's service sector will be active for years to come. Volunteers can visit VolunteerKnox.com to view and sign up for volunteer opportunities in Knox County.
Volunteer Knox also aligns with State-wide efforts. ServeOhio, the Ohio Commission on Service and Volunteerism, is the administrator of Ohio’s “Get Connected” volunteer engagement resource. ServeOhio awarded grant funding to United Way of Knox County Ohio, Inc to support the project.