Supporting families and ensuring children are ready to succeed when they enter school, as well as beyond.
* 16% of children in Androscoggin County live in poverty.

A Dynamic Community:
Promoting, supporting, enhancing independence and self-sufficiency
* 49% of local residents cannot read higher than a sixth grade level.

Meeting Basic Needs:
Ensuring individuals and families have food, shelter, clothing and access to services that promote physical and mental well-being.
* 60 people in our community are homeless on any given night.

Life-Long Learning:
Promoting opportunities for job training, education, collaboration and volunteerism.
* In 2004, 200 high school students in our county dropped out of school.

Advocating that individuals and families are safe and protected at all times
* Over 3,000 crimes were committed in Androscoggin County last year.

United Way Announces 2007 Community Investments
One Million Dollars Aimed at Creating Greater Impact and Improving Community

On April 4, United Way Board of Directors unveiled the organization’s community investment decisions for 2007.

Three years ago United Way began designing a new investment model – Community Impact. A response to the recent community needs assessment, relevant research and over 3000 hours of local volunteer work, this new approach is aimed at addressing our area’s health and human service needs by working to create the greatest impact in key areas set forth by our community.

Results of the research indicated members of our community are currently most concerned with improving the following, which United Way deemed Community Impact Areas: 

• Thriving Families / Successful Children-Success By 6: Supporting families and ensuring children are ready to succeed when they enter school, as well as beyond.
• A Dynamic Community: Promoting, supporting, enhancing independence and self-sufficiency.
• Healthcare and Other Essential Needs: Ensuring individuals and families have food, shelter, clothing and access to services that promote physical and mental well-being.
• Life-Long Learning: Promoting opportunities for job training, education, collaboration and volunteerism.
• Personal and Community Safety: Advocating that individuals and families are safe and protected at all times.

In 2007 United Way of Androscoggin County investments by Community Impact Area breakdown for 39 programs at 29 agencies as follows:

(Affiliated agencies continue to meet United Way’s high accountability standards.)