United Way of Waco-McLennan County represents our community coming together. We act as a collaborator and convener to keep our community together. Now it is time to work together to actively take part in the change we all wish to see in our community. We are pioneering an approach to community change that works directly with residents to create a plan that can then be acted upon with the support of the whole community. We are striving to consistently involve the community voice as a way of making sure that change continues to happen. 

One of the ways we are approaching community issues in new ways is through our Community Action Plan (CAP) that addresses community issues found in the Child Well-being Report. We gathered hundreds of voices from our community to hear about what McLennan County residents viewed as issues they were facing. Then we asked them what they saw as the solution for those issues. Once we gathered all of that information, we were able to put together an action plan that outlines how we will partner with organizations in our community and work to create new programs to address these issues.

Partnerships are key for this work as it is a community-led effort to create lasting change. The foundations we are laying today promise to support a community of success in the future. Our two-generational approach focuses on how improving the well-being of the child relies on the well-being of the family. In that sense, the child and the family need to be elevated if they are to truly feel that they belong and are able to live their best life. 

We could not do any of this without you. If you are a volunteer, a board member, a funded partner, a community leader or a citizen who wants to help make positive changes in our community, we want to work alongside you for the betterment of our future. United Way of Waco-McLennan County needs everyone in our community to commit to following through on the work ahead. 

As the development and implementation of our Community Action Plan is completed, we will continue to take part in community conversations. This will allow us to strive towards the vision community members have for Waco-McLennan County.

Our community is growing and we need your help to make sure Waco-McLennan County continues to be a place for everyone. You can join the team and get involved by giving, volunteering, and being a Loaned Executive. Join the movement to find out how you can be a part of local change because change does not happen alone.