United Way of Greater Cleveland

09/01/2026

Congratulations to Maryam Kiefer, Senior Director of Public Policy at United Way of Greater Cleveland, on being selected for Leadership Geauga's Signature Adult Class of 2027! 🎉

This 10-month program brings together leaders from across Geauga County to grow their skills and deepen their connection to the community — a great fit for the work Maryam already does every day advocating for families across our region.

Congrats, Maryam — we're proud to have you represent United Way!

08/29/2026

Clear skies, a full moon, Guardians baseball, and fireworks—the perfect backdrop to celebrate our amazing supporters! 🎆⚾

​At our Annual Humanitarian Recognition Night yesterday, over 400 donors came together at Progressive Field. Together, this group raises over $3.2 million annually to help Greater Cleveland families achieve stability and move forward.

​To our donors: thank you for your incredible dedication to transforming lives in our community! 💙

08/27/2026

When Theresa and Craig fell behind on a major car repair, it threatened more than their budget — it threatened Craig's ability to get to work. When they reached out for help, one of our specialists helped them secure funding and get on a payment plan.

Reliable transportation isn't a luxury. It's what keeps a paycheck coming and a family moving forward.

👉 This is what "the right help at the right time" looks like.

This is "Providing the Right Help at the Right Time - Extended" by United Way of Greater Cleveland on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

08/25/2026

Our 211 data shows that community challenges are often interconnected.

Among callers seeking employment resources, 40% were also managing a housing-related need.

A stable job is essential, but so are affordable housing, reliable transportation, child care, and access to community resources. When one part of a family's foundation becomes unstable, the effects often extend into other areas of daily life.

That's why we work alongside nonprofit partners, employers, government agencies, and community organizations to strengthen the systems that help working families build lasting stability.

08/21/2026

If you missed our kickoff event last week, you can experience the energy and hear the core messages with our highlights video!

Hear how United Way is making a difference and why this year's fundraising campaign matters from United Way staff President & CEO Sharon Sobol Jordan and Vice President of Community Impact Jennifer Kons, MPA Kons, campaign co-chairs Vanessa L. Whiting, Neal Restivo, and Paul Dolan, ambassador Cavs legend B***y Gibson, board members Susan Krantz, CPA, CGMA and Sonali Bustamante Wilson, and Emerging Leader cabinet member Jared Garson.

Thank you to everyone who showed up to celebrate, and everyone who shared with the crowd and with each other the importance of our shared work!

This is "United Way of Greater Cleveland Breakfast on the Plaza Highlights" by United Way of Greater Cleveland on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

08/19/2026

Lead United Session 2- Navigating Cleveland's Civic Landscape- is in the books! Last Thursday, our professional development cohort gathered for a discussion about our community's ecosystem of social services and an afternoon of volunteer service with Chair-ity, Inc..

Young professionals interested in getting involved in your community - learn about opportunities with United Way at https://www.unitedwaycleveland.org/get-involved/emerging-leaders/

08/17/2026

Our staff has been busy connecting with community, one table at a time! 🧡It was great to see everyone who stopped by our table at recent events:

📚 Cleveland Back to School Festival — We joined Cleveland Metropolitan School District and 150+ community partners at Public Auditorium to help Cleveland families kick off the school year with free supplies, resources, and information on United Way 211.

💼 Success Fair 2026 — Our 211 staff tabled at the City of Cleveland - City Hall's Success Fair at the Huntington Convention Center, connecting job seekers with 200+ employers, legal clinic services, résumé help, and more.

🚗 Ford Motor Company Family Open House — We had a great time joining our friends at Ford for their Family Open House! Our United Way booth was busy throughout the afternoon as Ford employees and their families stopped by to spin our prize wheel, grab a 2026 Ford United Way cup, and learn about how to get involved and make an impact in our community.

08/14/2026

Our Breakfast on the Plaza was a community celebration hosted by United Way of Greater Cleveland, and it took a great team to pull it off. 🙌

Huge thanks to the incredible people behind the scenes: DJ Ik Dubaku, the cooks at Chris Cakes, You Enjoy My Donuts, and Something Good Social Kitchen, emcees Nicole Marcellino and Ahmaad Crump, special guest B***y Gibson, and mascots from Lake County Captains, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Guardians, and Cleveland State University. Events like this run on people like you.

We couldn't have done it without you.

08/13/2026

This week's Breakfast on the Plaza brought hundreds of people together for a morning of connection, good food, and celebration, all in support of the work United Way of Greater Cleveland does across our community. 🎉

Thank you to the board members, community leaders, workplace partners, and downtown neighbors who joined us. Your presence means as much as your partnership.

Here's to showing up, together.

08/12/2026

One of the clearest findings from our 2025 211 data is that many people seeking assistance are already employed.

Financial hardship increasingly affects households that are participating in the workforce. Employment remains one of the strongest pathways to stability, but rising housing costs and other everyday expenses continue to place pressure on working families across Greater Cleveland.

Understanding these trends helps communities, employers, and service providers make more informed decisions about where resources can have the greatest impact.

Read more: https://www.unitedwaycleveland.org/a-job-is-no-longer-enough/