Uniting nearly 500 partner nonprofits, as well as corporate and community partners, United Way of the National Capital Area (NCA) is committed to creating a strong, vibrant community with excellent schools, good health, safe neighborhoods and jobs that pay a livable wage. By investing in the most effective programs and services, United Way is tackling the area’s most complex social challenges every day for underserved and low-income communities in the national capital area. Below are a few programs, initiatives and resources:

  • 211.org 2-1-1 is a free health and human services helpline number that connects callers with information about social, health and government services in their local community. 2-1-1 operators are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to assist callers in search of social services. There are 2-1-1 call centers in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. In 2019, the 2-1-1 call centers answered more than 450,000 calls in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. The most common requests for help were for shelter and rental and utility assistance. Please see the attached resources flyer to share with anyone in need.
  • United Way NCA Financial Empowerment Centers: Financial Empowerment Centers (FEC) – In the next five years, United Way NCA plans to open multiple Financial Empowerment Centers in the communities. These centers will lift up individuals and families and put them on a path toward economic opportunity. They’ll receive money management counseling, credit and housing counseling, asset-building resources and access to free or low-cost banking products. And they’ll receive the most valuable thing of all – respect. (Note: All of the centers are currently open for virtual assistance at this time. They are opening another FEC in Silver Spring, MD in Montgomery County in the next few months.)
  • Familywize Prescription Cards: For the last decade, FamilyWize and United Way NCA have helped over 120,000 people in the nation’s capital save upwards of 75% on their prescription medication. As of November 2018, savings for National Capital Area users surmounted $13 million dollars for local families through the FamilyWize card. 
  • Choose Healthy Life: Please see Choose Healthy Life - Partnership with the United Way NCA for information on this United Way NCA partnership. 
  • Community Schools Model: United Way NCA is currently supporting 13 community schools in the region. These services include providing health and dental care, tutoring, enrichment programs, physical fitness activities, parental engagement activities such as housing counseling and other financial stability services and much more using the community school model. 
  • Do More 24: United Way NCA is pleased to announce that they will host their 9th Annual Do More 24 on May 19, 2021. Do More 24 is more than just a day of philanthropy; it is a social movement that brings together charities, private companies, and people of all ages who are committed to making a difference in their community. In 2013, United Way NCA created Do More 24, bringing together more than 500 nonprofit participants and nearly 12,000 donors across the Washington metropolitan region. During Do More 24, members of our community are encouraged to think about what they care most about; learn what others are doing to solve the region’s most pressing social problems; and feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves.

United Way NCA current partners include:

In Alexandria, NCA is partnering with Communities in Schools Northern Virginia in Francis C. Hammond Middle School.

In Fairfax, NAC is partnering with Communities in Schools Northern Virginia in Walt Whitman Middle School.

In Washington, DC, NCA is partnering with Communities in Schools Nation’s Capital in John Hayden Johnson Middle School, Cardozo Education Campus, Kramer Middle School, and Brookland Middle School. We are also partnering with City Year DC in Kelly Miller Middle School.

In Prince George’s County, NCA is partnering with Latin American Youth Center in Buck Lodge Middle School, William Wirt Middle School, Hyattsville Middle School and Nicholas Orem Middle School.

In Montgomery County, NCA is partnering with EveryMind and Linkages to Learning in A. Mario Loiederman Middle School