8 Ways to Support Healthy Families Locally

In the U.S., 41 million families and 12.9 million children are at greater risk for costly and serious health problems – all because they don’t get enough to eat. 

From mobile food pantries to health education that helps families maximize their food budgets and cook healthy meals, United Way is finding creative solutions to help communities fill the gap.

We make it easier every day for families to get healthy food on a budget, where they live and when they need it. But we can’t do it alone, we need your help to stand against hunger. 

Join us by taking one – or more! – of the actions below. 


Advocate for Healthy Food Access

1. Join other United Way supporters in advocating for legislation so that lawmakers will prioritize healthy food access for families most.

Grow or Rescue Food

2. Volunteer at a local community farm. You’ll be part of growing 100,000 pounds of fresh produce and eggs distributed to local families each year. 

3. Volunteer with United Way to help rescue food that is good but can no longer be sold at local grocery stores and restaurants 

Support a Local Food Pantry

4. Donate food to local permanent and mobile pantries. Pantries provide an effective way for families to get food when they need to stretch their budget to make ends meet or as temporary relief when unexpected expenses come up. When you donate, consider healthy options like canned salmon, dried beans or brown rice to help increase the availability of nutritious items.

5. Donate money to United Way to support local pantries. Donated money can often be stretched further by our food pantry partners because of bulk purchasing deals. Plus cash donations help pantries purchase fresh fruit and vegetables 

Donate to Support Nutrition Education 

A donation to United Way will help support other programs and initiatives that provide families with information and resources about healthy eating habits. Make a donation today to support one or more of these programs.

6. Through Hunger Heroes families can learn various strategies for maximizing their food budget.

7. In our cooking classes families learn what to look for at the grocery store and new ideas for creating healthy meals the whole family will enjoy at home.

8. The Born Learning YourChild@ Series answers questions like should babies start eating solid foods and how much fruit should a four-year-old eat? In addition to printed materials, parents can attend classes and workshops to better understand how to keep their children healthy. 

Healthy families mean healthy communities. When you help local families be healthier our entire community benefits. So join in and take a stand against hunger!