Advocate

Use Your Voice to Make a Change

Your local United Way is building a stronger, more resilient community.

Will you join us?

Know Who's In Congress

Register to Vote

Early Voting

 

Important Dates to Know

As a member of a community, it is important to stay informed of when your representatives are taking action on the legislative floor.

Key Election Dates

Legislative Sessions Calendar

 

Why It Matters

We know that change begins when we Live United, and that building a better tomorrow starts today.

Financial Stability and Housing Access

  • ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed)

    • 47% of households in TN cannot afford basic necessities, even with steady employment

    • Many households across the state may be employed and above the federal poverty line, but they are unable to afford basic necessities and get by.

    • By 2030, United Way is committing to get 75% or more of TN households above the ALICE poverty threshold. With your help, we can make this vision a reality.

  • With the current federal minimum wage, there is no state or county in which a full-time minimum wage worker can afford a two-bedroom apartment. National averages show it would take 4 full-time minimum wage workers to reasonably afford it.

  • Decreasing poverty through affordable housing has shown to increase a child’s future income by approximately 31%.

 

Mental Health and Substance Abuse

  • TN has the 3rd highest drug overdose mortality rate in the nation 

  • Almost 100,000 Tennesseans have a diagnosed mental condition and over 1,000 lives are lost to suicide each year in TN alone. Over 3.2 million Tennesseans live in a community that does not have enough mental health services or professionals.  A lack of social connection is as detrimental to a person’s health as 6 alcoholic beverages or 15 cigarettes a day.

 

Early Childhood Development

  • Early childhood education nurtures the social and developmental needs of children from birth to age five years old.

  • By 3rd grade, TN students are already significantly behind.

  • 90% of brain development occurs before a child enters kindergarten (by age 5)

  • With quality early childhood education, children are 25% more likely to graduate high school and 4 times more likely to complete a bachelor’s degree. As adults, they earn up to 25% more in wages.

  • Investing in early education yields a significantly higher return than later investments in education, with a return of $4-16 per dollar invested.