United Way Services of Geauga County

06/05/2026

The benefits cliff prevents so many working families from moving forward.

We appreciate local business leader Jack Schron for bringing this issue to the national stage through his recent testimony before Congress. As reported by cleveland.com, workers can face difficult choices when a raise, promotion, or additional hours lead to the loss of critical benefits that support their families.

At United Way of Greater Cleveland, we partner with employers, policymakers, and others, including Jack, to advance solutions that help families move toward financial stability without being penalized for earning more.

When hard work leads to opportunity, our systems should support that progress, not stand in its way.

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2026/06/why-some-ohio-workers-are-secretly-turning-down-raises-and-what-one-cleveland-business-wants-congress-to-do-about-it.html

A Cleveland manufacturer told a Senate committee that the federal benefit cliff is quietly undermining efforts to reward workers who learn new skills.

06/03/2026

Thank you to the legislators, state leaders, community partners, and 211 teams from across Ohio who came together at the Ohio Statehouse yesterday to celebrate the statewide expansion of Ohio 211 to all 88 counties.

This partnership with the Ohio Department of Children and Youth shows what's possible when organizations and public leaders work together to help families to find support close to home.

The conversations throughout the day highlighted the central role 211 plays in connecting residents to food, housing, childcare, healthcare, transportation, employment resources, and other essential services. Just as importantly, they reinforced how valuable strong relationships between 211 providers and policymakers are in helping communities respond to changing needs.

We are grateful to DCY Director Kara Wente, Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney, Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson, Sen. Louis Blessing, Rep. Marilyn John, Sen. Sandra O'Brien and the many local and statewide partners who helped make this event possible and continue advancing support for Ohio families.

Together, we are building a more connected resource network for communities across Ohio.

05/29/2026

We're proud to support Chardon Township, Geauga County Ohio Community Safety Day by providing community resource information for attendees. Stop by the resource table and learn more on June 7!

05/28/2026

Please join us in welcoming Chiara Cameron-Wood to United Way of Greater Cleveland as Senior Director of 211! 🎉

Chiara brings more than 10 years of experience leading and strengthening 211 services across the country, most recently as Executive Director of 211 Northeast Michigan. She’s passionate about connecting people to the help they need and making services easier to access for communities.

At United Way, Chiara directs 211, the free, confidential service that helps people find support for things like housing, food, healthcare, childcare, utility assistance, and more.

We’re excited to have Chiara’s experience, leadership, and heart for service helping us support more Greater Clevelanders every day. Welcome, Chiara! 💙

05/22/2026

What does 250 acts of kindness look like in our community?

• Supporting a family when it matters most
• Connecting someone to resources they need
• Showing up, listening, and lending a hand

These moments build stronger neighborhoods over time.

05/19/2026

Cavs spirit is strong at United Way of Geauga County! 🏀💙

Today our team showed up in Cavaliers colors and Cleveland pride as we gear up for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. We’re proud to cheer on our hometown team and celebrate the energy, teamwork, and community spirit that bring Cleveland together.

GO CAVS!

05/13/2026

Mental well-being impacts every part of life: our families, workplaces, schools, and communities.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re grateful for the organizations, advocates, and caregivers working every day to support mental health across Geauga County. We know many working families face ongoing stress tied to financial hardship, caregiving responsibilities, housing instability, and access to care, all of which can affect mental well-being.

If you or someone you know is looking for mental health support, United Way 211 can help connect you to local resources, including counseling services, crisis support, and other community programs.
Available anytime, anywhere, 211 connects callers to organizations and providers across the community.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, trained counselors are also available through the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline.

05/11/2026

What a night with our Emerging Leaders at the 5th Annual Fore CLE!

More than 160 young professionals, corporate partners, and community leaders came together at Topgolf to raise more than $30,000 in support of United Way 211, helping connect Greater Clevelanders to food, housing, mental health, and other critical resources.

Emerging Leaders is United Way of Greater Cleveland’s network of young professionals who are committed to building connections, giving back, and creating a stronger community together. Fore CLE is a chance to support United Way 211, connect with others across Greater Cleveland, and get more involved in the community.

Congratulations to our top teams:

🥇 Olympic Steel
🥈 Cleveland Guardians
🥉 Trae Graham & Friends

Thank you to our Cabinet, sponsors, guests, and everyone who helped make this event possible. We’re grateful for the growing network of leaders investing in our community.

Interested in getting involved with Emerging Leaders? Learn more: https://www.unitedwaycleveland.org/get-involved/emerging-leaders/

05/07/2026

Giving back has always been part of Fran Koch’s life. But for her, it was never a question of if, only how.

After moving to Greater Cleveland, Fran began exploring ways to connect with her new community. What stood out to her was how organizations across the region work together to support families facing real challenges, from food access to housing stability.

Through United Way, she saw how those connections come together.

“I realized how much United Way can do because it touches so many areas of need,” Fran shared.

Today, Fran and her husband Julian are members of our Philanthropist Society, supporting the network of services and partners that help Greater Clevelanders find stability and opportunity.

We’re grateful for leaders like Fran who invest in this work and help strengthen our entire community.

05/05/2026

A Geauga neighbor brought our office a wonderful surprise: nine handmade baby quilts. We brought them to our partner Burton Food Cupboard (located at Burton Congregational Church, UCC) and these beautiful quilts are already finding homes with families across our community.

Acts like this are a reminder of the care and connection that make our community strong. Thank you, Cynthia, for this generous gift!