We are the hand raisers, the problem solvers, the game changers. Together with people like you, we go after our community’s toughest challenges, develop solutions and work with our partners to turn them into actions. With United Way Notebook, we invite you to experience the community change journey in new ways.
Published April 17, 2020, by Frank Gerjevic “Double for children. Triple for seniors.” That was the succinct prescription from Steve Worthington, manager and Good Friday crew leader at the Chugiak Eagle River Food Pantry. Those six words capture a hearty response to the upheaval wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kids are out of school, and may not be getting the usual […]
Published December 10, 2019, by Jane Straight Need health insurance? You’re not alone. The number of Americans living without health insurance is at a four-year high, with 13.7 percent of adults living uninsured, according to the latest Gallup poll. Not surprisingly, healthcare also tops Americans’ list of worries. Some 55 percent worry “a great deal” about the availability and […]
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Published November 27, 2019, by Sue Brogan On the Monday before Thanksgiving, Alaska 2-1-1 staffers took 215 calls. Mondays are usually busy, averaging more than 100 calls to the United Way helpline that connects callers and online users in need to more than 1,000 providers and 8,000 services throughout the state, five days a week […]
Published July 28, 2019, by Sue Brogan Alaska 2-1-1 is co-located within the Anchorage Emergency Operations Center and plays a vital role in the response actions for the Civil Emergency declaration. During what is usually the slow time of year, referral specialists have seen a sharp increase in calls and referrals. Monday was a prime […]
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Published June 28, 2019, by Elizabeth Miller Many have asked what inspired me to work for one organization for so many years. The question is usually phrased more like, “OH, MY GOD. How could you stay in the same place for so long?” There are three keys to the longevity of my employment at United […]
Published June 1, 2019, by Ariane Kelsey Have you heard the saying, ‘you get what you give’? It turns out science says it’s true, and we don’t have to look far for the evidence. Read on to learn how volunteering could help you improve your health and give you more than just a story to […]
Published April 5, 2019, by Kelsey Preecs National Volunteer Week may only be seven days long, but our gratitude for our volunteers is year-round. Last year United Way was lucky enough to match more than 400 volunteers and over 2,100 donated hours to local community needs. Volunteer projects ran the gamut from building safety kits […]
Published April 5, 2019, by Rachel Lee What makes a successful life? Is it money, power, or perhaps a combination of the two? That would have summed up my definition if you asked me ten years ago. What I’ve experienced since has given me a different perspective. I’ve learned that a successful life is defined […]
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Published March 11, 2019, by Frank Gerjevic You could see he was weary from 30 feet away. Sean signed in for the night at First Presbyterian Church on 10th Avenue in Anchorage, his two daughters in tow. Malala was 2; Samantha just shy of 5. Sean was 30, a single dad for several years who […]
Published February 8, 2018, by Frank Gerjevic The blue tarp wasn’t well-hidden, but still hard to see in the dark at Campbell Creek Park, a few blocks south of Tudor Road. “Hello,” I called. “Who is It?” came a man’s voice from inside the shelter. I explained through the tarp wall that we were doing […]
