Why Being a United Way Partner Agency Is a Big Deal

If you’ve read any of the history of the Platte Valley Literacy Association, you’ve noticed that it says we’ve been a United Way Partner Agency for decades (more than 30 years). While this sounds good, what exactly does it mean? Why is being a United Way Partner Agency such a big deal?

This blog will do its best to give you some answers.

What Is a Partner Agency?

The simple answer to this question is that United Way Partner Agencies provide services to individuals within a community to address specific needs that the United Way has determined are important to quality of life. They have named these their Three Pillars. Those pillars include:

• Health
• Education
• Financial Stability

These categories are pretty broad and general, and then it’s up to the local United Way to develop criteria under each heading that best serves the people living in the area. The local United Way then works with “Partner Agencies” to ensure that the needs of individuals within the community are being met.

As a Partner Agency, the PVLA is tasked with providing a service that makes positive, meaningful change within the community. The United Way wants people to live their best lives, but they can’t achieve that goal on their own. They need to work with others who share their vision of a strong community, and that’s why they create partnerships with other agencies.

What Benefits Do Partner Agencies Get?

Helping the United Way comes with many benefits, including access to funding opportunities, resources for promotion and outreach, and opportunities for learning.

The United Way supports its Partner Agencies to ensure they are providing the best services possible. After all, if the Partner Agency is successful, the United Way is successful, and the community gets the services it needs to thrive and survive. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Probably the biggest benefit that comes with being a United Way Partner Agency is the sense of satisfaction that comes with knowing we’re making a difference. It feels really good to know that we are helping those in need and making Columbus an incredible place to live.

A Prosperous Relationship

There’s a reason why the PVLA has been a United Way Partner Agency for as long as it has; it gives us the opportunity to make a huge difference in the Columbus community. We also have access to and make connections with other nonprofits in the area, and it feels good to be part of a productive and prosperous movement.

The United Way has been doing good things in communities around the world for more than 135 years. They are catalysts of social change and exist to promote the common good.

Being a United Way Partner Agency is a big deal because it can make a huge impact on countless lives. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?