Executive Summary
United Way of Greater St. Louis’ service area covers a population of more than 3 million people in two states with both rural and urban areas. Recognizing that each community faces unique challenges, the research team focused on understanding the distinct needs of each individual county. A total of 24 areas of need were identified within United Way’s five impact areas. Using a process that reviewed all data, priority needs for each county were identified. The table below provides a comprehensive overview of each county’s top priority needs, followed by an analysis of the most common needs across the entire St. Louis region.
Top Seven Needs Selected as #1
Value represents the number of times a need was selected as the #1 need in the county.
Housing Security
_______
Jobs
Access to Healthcare
_______
Community Building
Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse
Child Welfare
________
Disaster Preparedness & Response
Top Ten Needs
| Need | Top Five Need | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jobs | 10x |
| 2 | Transportation | 10x |
| 3 | Housing Security | 9x |
| 4 | Built Environment | 8x |
| 5 | Access to Healthcare | 8x |
| 6 | Community Building | 7x |
| 7 | Child Welfare | 7x |
| 8 | K-12 Education and Out-of-School Time | 7x |
| 9 | Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse | 6x |
| 10 | Justice System | 3x |
| 11 | Aging and Senior Support | 3x |
Top Funded Needs
| Need | Funding | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | K-12 Education and Out-of-School Time | $302M |
| 2 | Early Childhood Education | $151M |
| 3 | Food Security | $136M |
| 4 | Housing Security | $99M |
| 5 | Jobs | $64M |
| 6 | Services for Individuals with Disabilities | $43M |
| 7 | Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse | $33M |
| 8 | Community Building | $33M |
| 9 | Post-Secondary Education | $29M |
| 10 | Physical Health | $28M |
Community Partnerships
Partnerships Working on
Strengthening Communities
Total Number of Partnerships in the United Way Service Area
Partnerships Working on Improving Health
Partnerships Working on
Fostering Learning
Partnerships Working on Basic Needs
Partnerships Working on Financial Stability
Looking Forward
Our goal in completing this Needs Assessment was to gain a better understanding of what services and resources are most needed to help every person in the St. Louis region be successful and thrive. In doing so, we recognize the vital role United Way plays in supporting our region’s safety net of services through basic needs, education, health, financial stability and strong communities. We will continue to do this by making strategic investments, improving access to resources, promoting systems change and strengthening capacity.
Behind each need is a person, working to live their best life. And we’re here to support them, to ensure the safety net is there to catch them should they fall.