FAQs

Q. What is Unite Escambia?

A. Unite Escambia is a community-wide movement in pursuit of a shared Community Vision: “A healthy community where all have the inspiration and opportunity to succeed.” Unite Escambia is comprised of five Solutions Teams working on the priorities of Education, Environment, Health, Housing and Poverty.

Q. Who are the partners of Unite Escambia?

 A. The lead partners of Unite Escambia are the Escambia County Health Department and United Way of Escambia County. The founding partners include these two organizations plus Partnership for a Healthy Community. Additionally, dozens of community organizations, churches and workplaces are working in partnership with one or more of the Unite Escambia Solutions Teams as formal partners. Click here for a list of the formal partners of Unite Escambia. 

Q. How is Unite Escambia funded?

A. Unite Escambia is funded through cash and in-kind sponsorships. Click here for information about our sponsors and how to become a sponsor. Unite Escambia does not have paid staff. Personnel support is loaned from partner organizations including the Escambia County Health Department, United Way of Escambia County, and many other partnering organizations. United Way of Escambia County is the 501(c)3 fiscal agent of Unite Escambia.

Q. What will our community look like if the Community Vision is achieved?

A. Achieving the Unite Escambia Community Vision will improve the overall health of our community. This includes physical, mental, economic, environmental and social health. A strong community is balanced by residents who are physically and mentally healthy, who live in a healthy environment, who benefit from a healthy economy that provides good wages and an education system that can help lift them out of poverty, and who are supported by a healthy social system. This is what our community can look like if we achieve the Community Vision.

Q. Who determined the community priorities?

A.  In 2006, the founding partners of Unite Escambia conducted a public opinion poll through phone, paper and electronic surveys. Additionally, community information was gathered from multiple reliable local data sources. Through analysis and discussions of where the public opinion survey results corresponded to the research data, the Unite Escambia leadership team was able to identify and prioritize community issues with measurable goals and indicators that will have the greatest probability of a positive impact on Escambia County.

Q. Who were the members of the Leadership Team?

A. The Leadership Team included 41 community residents who are affiliated with or employed by local businesses, government offices, area health and human services and other non-profit agencies.

Q.  What can I do to get involved?

A. The most important way for you to get involved is by making small but significant changes in the way you, your family, friends and co-workers live, work and play. This might include participation in Action Items such as volunteering, organizing a neighborhood coalition, writing a letter to a congressperson, or sharing information with friends and co-workers about issues that are important to you. Please visit the Get Involved Section of this Web site to learn more about the ways you can contribute to the Community Vision. We can all do something, and together we achieve more.

Q. How is Unite Escambia different from United Way?

Unite Escambia encourages residents to get involved in their communities by participating in Action Items that relate to achieving the Community Vision. These Action Items are things that anyone can do and few, if any, involve giving money.  Unite Escambia's Action Items unite community organizations and individuals around the five priorities of  Education, Environment, Health, Housing and Poverty. The primary difference between United Way and Unite Escambia is that resource development is a priority for United Way.  Even so, United Way shares many of the goals of Unite Escambia, and has been working in the areas of Education, Health and Poverty in some form since 1924.  United Way firmly believes that people can make a huge difference by taking action within their communities, and that giving to nonprofit organizations through United Way is just one way to help the community.  Residents who support United Way are, in fact, helping to achieve the Unite Escambia Community Vision.  Giving to, advocating for, or volunteering with United Way directly impacts many of the goals of Unite Escambia.

United Way is the 501(c)3 fiscal agent of Unite Escambia. Those wishing to make a financial contribution to the community are encouraged to donate through United Way of Escambia County. Click here to donate. For an explanation of how the funds will be invested, click here.

For more information, please contact:

Susan Senkarik
United Way Director of Community Impact
susan@unitedwayescambia.org
(850) 434-3157