Poverty Facts
True or false: The older you are, the more likely you are to experience poverty.
False. The YOUNGER you are the more like you are to live in poverty. Over half of Cleveland children under age 5 were in poverty in 2021.
True or false: United Way 211 is available to help the community on weekdays from 9:00a-5:00p.
False. United Way 211 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
One of our strategic priorities, Economic Mobility, focuses on making sure kids start kindergarten ready to learn. In Cleveland, what percentage of kids are underprepared to start school?
42% of children in our region are not prepared for kindergarten. Studies show that children who do not receive appropriate educational and social development before the age of five are less likely to graduate from high school. In turn, they are less likely to have a quality job with a living wage in adulthood.
How many agencies does United Way help to fund with each grant cycle?
There are 16 non-profit agencies that receive funding from United Way. These agencies are fully aligned with United Way’s community strategies and aggressive goals. Together, these 16 agencies will work together in innovative ways to help bring people from poverty to prosperity.
True or False: Cleveland is #1 in the country for childhood poverty.
True. At 45.5%, Cleveland has the highest child poverty rate of any large U.S. city with population greater than 300,000.
True or False: The poverty rate for employed women is higher than for employed men.
True. The poverty rate for Cleveland women who were employed was 13.4%, nearly double the poverty rate for employed men (7.5%)
Serving five counties, United Way 211 answers how many calls for assistance in the past year?
In 2022, we answered over 110,000 calls for assistance.
One of our strategic priorities, Health Pathways, targets medical and social determinants of health to improve health outcomes. How many people were assisted with food insecurity last year?
In 2022, over 15,000 people were assisted with food insecurities.
How many people did our partner agencies serve in 2022?
Over 37,000 neighbors were served by our partner agencies in 2022.
True or False: The first Community Foundation was founded in Cleveland.
True. The Cleveland Foundation (est. 1914) was the first of now over 1800 community foundations found around the world.
In Cleveland, how many people live below the poverty line?
Nearly 105,000 people live below the poverty line in Cleveland. Another 85,000 people with household incomes between 100% and 200% of poverty.
Each 211 specialist has to go through how many hours of training before working with the community?
While 2-1-1's specialists share a passion for problem solving and over 90 hours of training prior to working with clients, the education and experience of our staff is as diverse as the concerns we talk our clients through.
One of our strategic priorities, Housing Stability, focuses on decreasing homelessness and keeping homes and families safe. What percentage of rental units in Cleveland are at risk for lead exposure?
Over 90 percent of rental units in the City of Cleveland were built before 1978—the year consumer use of lead-based paint was banned nationally. Because of this, many residents, especially low-income renters of color, may have trouble finding homes that are safe from lead hazards.
How many nights of shelter did our partner agencies provide to neighbors in need last year?
In 2022, our partner agencies provided over 6,200 nights of shelter to homeless neighbors.
United Way has been helping our community for how many years?
110 years. In 1913 Cleveland became the first city to organize a federated health and welfare agency. It annually allocated campaign fund through a single federated charity to address the problems of a rapidly expanding metropolitan area.
In Cleveland, how many people who work full time still live in poverty.
5,000 adults
In 2023, United Way 211 expanded its services to include what other city hotline?
All calls to Cleveland's 311 hotline are now being handled by United Way 211. Cleveland's 311 system allows residents to file non-emergency complaints (such as reporting potholes and code violations) and request information on public services.
How many neighbors received eviction help through Right to Council, a service of United Way and Legal Aid Society that provides free legal representation and rental assistance?
Since July 2020, almost 4,000 people received assistance through Right to Council. This includes eviction prevention, securing rental assistance and mitigation of damages.
During 2022, how many meals were served by our partner agencies?
Over 310,000 meals were served from our partner agencies.
Black and brown Americans give this percent of their income to charities.
Black and Brown Americans donate 25% of their discretionary income. More than Americans of European descent. Nearly two-thirds of Black and Brown households give at an astonishing 11 billion dollars each year.
True or False: The poverty rate for BIPOC residents is equal to the poverty rate for non-Hispanic white residents.
False. The poverty rate for BlPOC residents is 27.2%, nearly TRIPLE the rate for non-Hispanic white residents (9.4%).
How many government, health and social service programs does United Way 211 have in it's database?
Our Community Navigation Specialists are here to help and have access to a continuously updated database of over 18,000 government, health and social service programs. During one-on-one phone and chat sessions, our team uses this comprehensive database to identify the services that best fit your needs, customized to your unique situation.
In 2022, how many neighbors were served by United Way and their partner agencies?
Over 150,000 neighbors were served in 2022.
How much money was granted to our partner agencies in 2022?
Through our new funding model, United Way of Greater Cleveland provided nearly $2.4 million in grants and resources to our 16 partner agencies over a 2 year period.
In 1914, the first version of United Way's community campaign was launched through a "talking motion picture" presented by who?
Andrew Carnegie. He discussed "the duties of a man of wealth."