Blog

Community Tragedy On Sunday, October 1, a shooter opened fire on over 22,000 concert-goers in Las Vegas. With 58 confirmed fatalities and over 500 injured, it has been deemed the worst mass shooting in the U.S. history. As the previous home for such a grim title, Central Florida is all too aware of the hardships […]

We have established the Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief fund to assist with emergency assistance and basic needs of those affected. 100% of every dollar raised will go toward alleviating immediate storm-related needs in Puerto Rico, long-term community recovery and displacement assistance for families in Central Florida. We have been in contact with Fondos Unidos de […]

United Way Activates Hurricane Relief Fund  Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Irma, we have activated the United Way Relief Fund to support our community on the road to recovery. 100% of donations to the Relief Fund will directly  help Orange, Seminole and Osceola County residents recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. Our first priority […]

Pulse Recovery Summit We recently hosted the Pulse Recovery Summit with the Disaster Distress Helpline. Over 15 agencies from across Central Florida came together to discuss the long-term recovery of our community in response to the Pulse tragedy that took place on June 12, 2016. “We are here to transition from survivor mode to thriver […]

Living in Central Florida should mean we are all prepared for hurricane season, but all too often it’s a mad dash to be ready a day or two before the storm. A little planning ahead can mean avoiding a big headache later when the emergency supplies are in high demand and the lines at the […]

A Decade of History Ten years ago, several prominent female leaders around Central Florida recognized the need for a philanthropic women’s group and the Women’s Leadership Council was born. They organized the first Women’s Leadership Luncheon and watched it grow from there. A decade later, the group has grown into the hundreds with measurable impact […]

“United Way fights FOR the health, education and financial stability of every person in Central Florida.” But, United Way also fights AGAINST racism, bigotry, homophobia, xenophobia and hatred of all kinds. Our long-standing approach has been to unite members of caring communities to tackle challenging issues like poverty and discrimination, as well as remove obstacles […]

  Watching the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey often ignites a desire to help alleviate the burden of those who are impacted. Nightly the news shows images of seniors standing in chest-high water, children sleeping in shelters, families who realize that everything they own is now gone. However, trying to send food and supplies can […]

David Ruiz is a prominent figure in the community and a representative of exactly what United Way aims to accomplish. As the retired UPS Florida President, he is now turning his expertise and passion towards serving as the 2016-2017 Campaign Chair. What are your passions? There are so many things that have been impactful to me […]

The Health Insurance Landscape Health insurance has become a hot topic of discussion. While the U.S. Census Bureau reports that the rate of uninsured children stands at an all-time low of 4.8% nationwide, Florida has lagged behind with a reported 6.9% of children not covered. Overall, it’s good news that indicates things are headed in […]

Live United Victory Celebration Bacon, eggs and fundraising! Today, Heart of Florida United Way celebrated the end of its 2016-17 Workplace Giving Campaign with the Live United Victory Celebration. Every year, employees from across Central Florida signed up for payroll deductions through workplace giving campaigns in order to invest in community programs supported by Heart […]

Women’s Leadership Luncheon We are proud to announce that our milestone 10th annual Women’s Leadership Luncheon raised an impressive $197,345! The money raised will go back into the community to fund local education initiatives and help Title-I schools receive an online reader program. This program impacts over 6,000 students and gives them access to a […]