The juggling act that thousands of Anchorage families maintain living from paycheck to paycheck became even harder in the pandemic as jobs were lost and hours were cut back.
While the crisis would force United Way to focus on meeting immediate needs such as rent and utility assistance, it would not be the only response.
The “first-responder” speed of ANCHORAGE CARES, United Way’s fundraising drive, tapped into the strength and resilience of United Way’s partnerships and donors, and to the wider sense of community that is Anchorage at its best. Though focused on rent and utility relief, one of the early recipients of that aid was Food Bank of Alaska. The 10,598,612 pounds of food distributed in 2020 helped keep thousands of Anchorage families fed even as job losses came in waves.
77 percent of those who tapped the city’s food pantries
said that help allowed them to pay other bills.
The need for smart household financial management became more urgent too. That was reflected in a 300 percent increase in the number of Alaskans who sought help in debt reduction, credit counseling and financial management in the first six months of 2020 compared with the last six months of 2019.
Ongoing work like job skills training and job-seeking help, tailored to pandemic circumstances, benefitted 4,379 people.
Your support, together with the partnerships built over years of collaboration in increasing financial stability gave United Way the means to help people endure the pandemic shutdown.
The juggling act that thousands of Anchorage families maintain living from paycheck to paycheck became even harder in the pandemic as jobs were lost and hours were cut back.
While the crisis would force United Way to focus on meeting immediate needs such as rent and utility assistance, it would not be the only response.
The “first-responder” speed of ANCHORAGE CARES, United Way’s fundraising drive, tapped into the strength and resilience of United Way’s partnerships and donors, and to the wider sense of community that is Anchorage at its best. Though focused on rent and utility relief, one of the early recipients of that aid was Food Bank of Alaska. The 10,598,612 pounds of food distributed in 2020 helped keep thousands of Anchorage families fed even as job losses came in waves.
77 percent of those who tapped the city’s food pantries said that help allowed them to pay other bills.
The need for smart household financial management became more urgent too. That was reflected in a 300 percent increase in the number of Alaskans who sought help in debt reduction, credit counseling and financial management in the first six months of 2020 compared with the last six months of 2019.
Ongoing work like job skills training and job-seeking help, tailored to pandemic circumstances, benefitted 4,379 people.
Your support, together with the partnerships built over years of collaboration in increasing financial stability gave United Way the means to help people endure the pandemic shutdown.
Our Funded Partners
- Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis (AWAIC)
- Alaska Literacy Program
- Anchorage Community Mental Health Services
- Bean’s Cafe
- Catholic Social Services
- Covenant House Alaska
- Food Bank of Alaska
- Habitat for Humanity – Anchorage
- Lutheran Social Services of Alaska
- Money Management International
- Nine Star Education & Employment Services
- RurAL CAP
- Salvation Army Anchorage
- Standing Together Against Rape (STAR)
- YWCA Alaska
