United Way’s $9 million investment to improve economic mobility in Northeast Florida benefits Operation New Hope

“Every day, thousands of families in our community are struggling to make ends meet. They’ve navigated a global pandemic and are now faced with the rising costs of housing, food, transportation and other basic expenses,” said Ned Peverley, chair of United Way of Northeast Florida’s community impact council and senior vice president of strategy, innovation and marketing for Vestcom. “This investment unites a network of local partners in providing targeted intervention and support that will amplify our impact on the region and change even more lives for the better.”

Over the past two years, United Way has embarked on a board-driven process to deliver greater accountability and results. Using research and insights from a broad range of business, government and nonprofit partners, the organization identified a singular goal – to improve economic mobility for everyone in Northeast Florida – and focused its resources and investments on three key areas – basic needs, financial well-being and racial equity – to drive stronger, more inclusive community outcomes.

“In an economically mobile community, every individual – regardless of the color of their skin or the zip code in which they were born – has the opportunity to do better than the generation before,” said Melanie Patz, incoming CEO at United Way of Northeast Florida. “If we intend to achieve our vision of creating a community of opportunity where everyone has hope and can reach their full potential, we have to begin by addressing the barriers limiting economic mobility.”

We are so thankful to the United Way of Northeast Florida for their generous investment in our mission to reconnect justice-involved people to the workforce, their families and the community.