United Way’s mission is to advance the common good.  With your help, we can create opportunities for a better life by focusing on: a quality education that leads to a better job, which provides the income that can support a family through retirement; and good health.  Everything we do supports these building blocks for a better life – and that affects all of us.

We invite you to be part of the change. Be part of improving the education, income and health of people in our community.  Because united we stand.  United, we elevate.  United, we can change what we see in our world.

United Way of Westchester and Putnam helps children and youth achieve their potential through education.

• Partnering with the community in focusing on the critical importance of early childhood development and in providing early learning opportunities
• Promoting school success by giving young children the tools to succeed in school
• Providing in-school mentoring programs for at-risk kids

Just a few of our important initiatives in Education:

• Born Learning: An innovative public engagement campaign helping parents, caregivers and communities create quality early learning opportunities for children. Born Learning engages parents, grandparents and caregivers in an alliance with organizations that serve children to achieve lasting community change.
• Intergenerational Literacy and Mentoring: Senior mentors participate in Mt. Vernon elementary schools to help students improve academic skills, keep youth on track and reduce behavioral problems.
• Project Affordable Child Care: A multi-level project started by United Way of Westchester and Putnam that meets throughout the year and seeks to engage a broader group of “natural allies” to advocate for innovative, affordable quality child care.

United Way of Westchester and Putnam works with partners to help families become financially stable and independent.

• Supporting basic needs while increasing financial education
• Increasing affordable housing for individuals and families
• Helping families to offset the high cost of prescription drugs

Just a few of our important initiatives in Income:

• Financial Education at the Workplace: Individuals and families learn how to manage and preserve assets through financial education workshops offered at employment sites in Westchester and Putnam.
• Community Housing Resource Center: Designed to create a more favorable climate in local communities in Westchester County for affordable housing.
• Financial Help Line: Answers questions regarding personal financial needs such as mortgage foreclosure, budget and credit concerns, 401K, investments, or college funding issues.
• FamilyWize: Provides free prescription discount cards offering significant savings for those without insurance or who cannot afford prescription drugs.

United Way of Westchester and Putnam works to improve people’s health.

• Increasing access to critical healthcare services
• Increasing health education and preventive care
• Increasing access to costly prescription drugs

Just a few of our important initiatives in Health:

• Cancer Transportation Initiative: Provides transportation in Westchester County for uninsured, underinsured and financially needy patients to chemotherapy and radiation appointments, the core life-saving treatments for those with cancer.
• Intergenerational Initiative for Healthy, Safe and responsive Neighborhoods: Youth assist seniors with home maintenance tasks. Intergenerational participants advocate in their neighborhoods for needed housing and transportation services.
• Healthy Living for Kids and Adults: Focuses on encouraging youth and seniors to incorporate nutritional eating and exercise into their daily lives both in school and in an intergenerational shared-site day care setting.
• Senior Medical Shuttle: Provides inter-county medical transportation for seniors in Putnam.
• FamilyWize: Provides free prescription discount cards offering significant savings for those without insurance or who cannot afford prescription drugs.

Whether you give at the workplace or privately, giving to United Way is the easiest and one of the most powerful ways to invest in your community.  You can direct your contribution to one of the action areas – Education, Income or Health – or choose all three.  We all win when a child succeeds in school, when a family finds a home or when a senior remains healthy and independent.

You can make change happen with our voice.  Get informed.  Tell your friends.  Write a letter to the editor. United Way needs people who are passionate about education, income and health to make some noise.  Sign up for United Way’s e-mail list so you can stay in the know about advocacy opportunities right here in Westchester and Putnam. 



United Way, The Volunteer Center and 2-1-1 work with volunteers and local nonprofits to develop the best opportunities for youth, busy working adults and seniors.  Click here for a list of local volunteer opportunities.

If you contribute $130 or more specifically to United Way of Westchester and Putnam ($5 per pay period), you are entitled to a Caring Club card, which offers exciting discounts at dozens of national and local retailers.  

If you split your gift between United Way of Westchester and Putnam and another agency or local United Way, you can still qualify for the Caring Club card if $130 goes to United Way of Westchester and Putnam.

Click here to receive your card and for the ever-growing list of retailers!  (Not all United Ways have the Caring Club card program. If you contribute to another United Way, please contact them for details on their program, if they have one.)