Building economic security
Lift United
WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST
Families struggling to make ends meet are often one flat tire or unexpected medical bill away from not being able to pay their rent that month.
38%
is the percent of Latinx children who live in poverty in Rhode Island
<50%
is the portion of Black and Latinx Rhode Islanders who own their homes compared to whites
150,000
is the number of Rhode Islanders who live in poverty, with many more considered cost-burdened
WHAT WE'RE DOING TO BUILD ECONOMIC SECURITY
Supporting adult education, job training, and businesses owned by women and minorities
We are advocating and investing to:
- Expand access to adult educations and job training programs, especially for multi-language learners.
- Ensure these programs train our neighbors for the livable wage jobs of tomorrow, as well as of today.
- Support the growth and stability of businesses owned by women and minorities in Rhode Island, which in turn will drive economic growth in our state.
Securing affordable housing for all
We are investing in and advocating for systems and programs that re-imagine housing so that it is safe and affordable for all who live in our state.
Investing in care coordination for 211 callers
When Rhode Islanders call 211, they are in crisis or one step away from a crisis. While continuing to connect the roughly 200,000 callers each year with the resources they need right away, we are developing a social service care coordination system so that 211 callers will have more comprehensive support and more streamlined access to the resources they need. Improved efficiencies in the social service sector with improved speed of access to services will improve health and wellbeing of Rhode Islanders. We’re starting this year by transforming our 211 technology.
what our "lift united" goals are
2x
as many Rhode Island cities and towns will meet the 10% affordable housing threshold (with a special focus on core cities)
-25%
as many people of color underemployed or unemployed
+25%
individuals will be enrolled in SNAP benefits based on income (disaggregagated by race and/or city or town)
HOW YOU CAN HELP BUILD ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR ALL
Join us. That's what it means to "Live United." We can't do this alone.
Vote
Vote yes on 3 for the housing bond special election in February 2020.
Pledge
Sign our equity pledge to join us in eliminating policies that disadvantage Rhode Islanders of color.
Give
Donate today or through your employer’s annual giving campaign to support our efforts.
IN THE NEWS
United Way to invest $100M to build racial equity
THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL
"The LIVE UNITED 2025 initiative is aimed at improving education, ensuring availability of housing that is affordable and safe for all, and empowering nonprofit organizations, among other objectives."
Cortney Nicolato: 20 who made a difference in 2020
GO LOCAL PROV
"When she was tapped as one of GoLocal’s 19 to Watch in 2019, like so many others, United Way President Cortney Nicolato couldn’t have imagined her role in 2020."
Five Questions With: Larry Warner
Providence Business News
"Redlining, racial covenants and discriminatory lending practices were fully legal practices that decreased homeownership among Blacks over several decades… Moreover, there is evidence of patterns of lower home valuations for BIPOC homeowners versus whites with comparable homes. Why does this matter, and how is it a root cause? Homeownership is highly correlated with accumulation of wealth."
UPCOMING EVENTS
Women United Community Learning Partners
Join us via Zoom from 5-6 pm for the next event in this series, featuring Newport Partnership for Families.
From Hello to Help: 211 Day Event
Join us at 10 am for a Zoom webinar, "From hello to help: 211 is always there." Check back here or sign up for e-news below to receive registration details.