United Way of Snohomish County

We aren’t your typical United Way.

Through our CORE Collaborative approach, United Way of Snohomish County removes barriers to help families escape the traps of poverty. We are not only a funder, but an active partner in five CORE Collaboratives—groups of nonprofit, public, and private  partners working together on shared, long-term solutions for children birth to age 8 and the adults in their lives. We catalyze, support, and invest in these Collaboratives to create more equitable systems so families in Snohomish County can live to their fullest potential regardless of race, place, and ability.

OUR CORE VALUES

These are the beliefs and ideals United Way of Snohomish County will uphold that motivate and inspire our work.

• Integrity
  We strive to be honest and transparent with our community, partners, and each other. Change cannot happen without courageous conversations, accountability, and relationships built on trust.
• Collaboration
  We believe that barriers in our system cannot be removed without intentional collaboration, mutually beneficial relationships, and equitable partners working together toward common goals.
• Equity
  We seek to remove barriers for our CORE Collaborative families that exist within the structures that uphold racial and other forms of inequities in the five focus areas of the 2-Generational Approach. We believe in consciously making decisions that provide fair treatment, access, and opportunity for all. We believe the family voice should be paramount and that it is our current inequitable systems that prevent all families from living to their fullest potential.
• Innovation
  Success is rarely achieved the first time around. We believe progress requires curiosity and a tolerance for risk, being nimble, and failing forward toward new ideas and breakthrough solutions.
• Outcome-oriented
  We are dedicated to measurable outcomes for children birth to age 8 and their families experiencing poverty. Our work begins with the end in mind and if the data shows that we are off track, we will course correct to reach our shared goals.

THE VALUE OF UNITED WAY

United Way of Snohomish County has moved beyond its traditional role of simply being a fundraiser to being a funder, active partner, and convener around intentional collaborative solutions to create lasting community change.

Through our CORE Collaborative approach, United Way of Snohomish County removes barriers to help families escape the traps of poverty. We are the only organization in Snohomish County who is not only a funder, but an active partner in five CORE Collaboratives—groups of cross-sector partners with shared goals for both the child and the adults in their lives. CORE places families at the center, working to create more equitable systems and long-term solutions for the whole family.

OUR COMMITMENT TO FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN

CORE: Creating Open Roads to Equity is a collaborative approach that removes barriers to help families escape the traps of poverty. Our CORE work is focused on children prenatal to age 8 because the learning, development, and stability of a child’s early years is crucial to their success in life.

We believe collaborative solutions for both children and the adults in their lives has the greatest potential to not only meet the needs of families today, but will support the success of the whole family for generations to come.

MISSION

Through our CORE Collaborative approach, United Way of Snohomish County catalyzes, supports, and invests in groups of partners with shared goals to create more equitable systems for families with young children trapped in poverty.

VISION

Families in Snohomish County live to their fullest potential for generations to come regardless of race, place, and ability.

Learn more about United Way of Snohomish County in our Frequently Asked Questions.