United Way Day of Action Mobilizes People Across America

ALEXANDRIA, VA, Jun 19 (MARKET WIRE) --
Saturday, June 21, on the longest day of the year, people in more than
160 communities in 47 states across the country will participate in
United Way Day of Action. This event is part of United Way's LIVE
UNITED(TM) campaign and serves as a call-to-action for individuals to
give, advocate and volunteer in the areas of education, income and health.

"We are inviting everyone to join us, engage in your community, and help
us improve high school drop-out rates, family financial stability and
people's health," said Brian A. Gallagher, president and CEO of United
Way. "Bold steps are vital to advancing the common good for everyone.
When people volunteer, as well as give and advocate, we start to see the
change we need. It's all about connecting your passion to make a
difference with effective action."

The first annual United Way Day of Action will offer opportunities for
everyone to get involved, from championing a cause to joining a volunteer
activity with the whole family. People can take action right from their
desks, making their voices heard through virtual events like the launching
of United Way's Facebook Challenge and an eDay of Action to sign a
cyber-petition in support of United Way 2-1-1 (a phone number people can
call to give or get help). Other United Way Day of Action events in the
areas of education, income and health include a fitness fair aimed at
combating childhood obesity in Washington, D.C., teaching families how to
reduce debt and save in East Lansing, Michigan, and a community-wide
mobilization effort bringing together individuals, organizations and
businesses to recruit, screen and train volunteer mentors for schools in
Northeast Florida.

Other major cities across the country hosting activities today include Los
Angeles, Anchorage, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Tampa, San Francisco, Des
Moines, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Buffalo, Phoenix and
Cincinnati.

Recently, United Way released Goals for the Common Good: The United Way
Challenge to America. The report sets three bold goals for where the
nation should be by 2018:

-- Cut by half the number of young people who drop out of high school.
-- Cut by half the number of working families that lack financial
stability.
-- Increase by one-third the percentage of healthy young people and
adults.

The first annual United Way Day of Action aims to ignite a social
movement of people across the country who want to be part of the change
and to help the country meet these goals.

LIVE UNITED(TM) is a multi-media campaign, created pro bono by McCann
Erickson New York and launched with the support of The Advertising
Council, that provides resources designed to motivate people to give back
to their communities. Opportunities to take action through giving,
advocating and volunteering can be found at LIVEUNITED.org.

About United Way

United Way is a global network, including nearly 1,300 local organizations
in the U.S. that advance the common good, creating opportunities for a
better life for all by focusing on the three key building blocks of
education, income and health. The United Way movement creates long lasting
community change by addressing the underlying causes of problems that
prevent progress in these areas. LIVE UNITED(TM) is a call to action for
everyone to become part of the change. For more information about United
Way, please visit: LIVEUNITED.org.

Media Contact:
Sally Fabens
Email Contact
W: 703-836-7112 x 401
C: 703-946-3638

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