United Ways of Tennessee

08/28/2026

08/27/2026

As communities face more frequent and severe weather events, ALICE* households can face a long road to recovery — often without knowing where to turn.
The ALICE Disaster Assistance Tracker helps communities identify where resources are needed most and better support neighbors navigating recovery. Dig into the Tracker here: https://www.unitedforalice.org/disaster-assistance-tracker.
*ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and represents households with income above the poverty level but less than the cost of basics.

08/26/2026

Happy National Dog Day! Here's to our furry friends who give us unconditional love and keep us sane. And thanks to all the vet techs, pet sitters, and walkers who care for them when we're away.

08/25/2026

Today we’ve lost a true legend.

Her daddy couldn't read or write. Before the rhinestones and the sold-out arenas, before Dollywood and eleven Grammys, there was just a little girl in a one-room cabin in Sevier County who watched a proud man be ashamed of something that was never his fault. She never forgot it. And when she had the means to do something about it, she launched a program (Imagination Library) that would ultimately mail over 100 million books to babies across this state and around the world.

She never required an income test; there was no application to prove you were poor enough to deserve a story. Just a book with your name on it, showing up in the mailbox, month after month. It began in 1995, in that same county that was home to that one-room cabin. And in 2004, Governor Bredesen and the General Assembly made it available to every child in all 95 Tennessee counties; and it’s continued to expand since.

But you can't tell that story without telling the rest of it. She wrote thousands of songs, many of which will outlive everyone reading this; hits like "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You". And along the way she quietly became one of the shrewdest businesswomen this state ever produced. She turned a hollow in the Smokies into an economic engine that has provided jobs to thousands of East Tennessee families. And when tragedy struck, she was always one of the first to contribute.

And here's the part I keep coming back to. In a time when it’s become easy to sort everybody into a side, she refused to be sorted. She was claimed by mountain folks and city folks, by those who go to church and those who frequent the local honky-tonk, by the left and the right, and she never gave any of them permission to use her against the others. She instead United us all. That's not just talent. That's character.

Dolly was the most famous woman in Tennessee, and we will forever be a little prouder because we get the joy of claiming her as one of our own.

Rest well, Dolly. Tennessee loves you back.

08/25/2026

As the Baby Boomer generation ages, households headed by people 65+ are growing faster than any other age group. It's also been the age group with the biggest jump in the number of households that can't afford basics. In 2024, half of all 65+ households were either in poverty or ALICE.
A recent Business Insider Insider piece on the rising cost of growing old shows why this matters — from medical costs that can strain even once wealthy families, to care workers who themselves struggle to make ends meet.
Aging should come with opportunity, security, and the ability to flourish — not financial uncertainty. Understanding the data is a first step toward building a future where everyone can age with financial stability.

08/24/2026

A will is one of the most meaningful gifts you can give to your loved ones and your community.
Since 2018, United Way has partnered with FreeWill, the leading online estate planning and planned giving platform in the U.S., to help you create your will for free in 20 minutes or less.
Plan ahead. Protect what matters most. Leave a legacy that helps others thrive.
➡️ Start today: www.freewill.com/unitedway

08/19/2026

08/19/2026

Bringing ALICE to financial stability takes an all-hands-on-deck approach. But thanks to your support, United Ways of Tennessee is helping ALICE rise.
From afterschool and child care to workforce supports, we’re turning insight into action. See how these programs are helping to build stronger communities: read our annual report https://www.uwtn.org/.../UnitedWay_25Year_Draft04-2.pdf and see our list of local United Ways https://www.uwtn.org/find-your-local-united-way

08/18/2026

Every family needs a safe place to live and food on the table.

But the rising cost of these basics is putting added pressure on household budgets. Between 2007 and 2024, housing costs in the U.S. nearly doubled while food costs rose 38%.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures price changes across a broad range of goods and services. The ALICE Essentials Index focuses just on the basics families need every day. Because housing and food make up the largest portions of the Index, they are also the biggest drivers of its increase.

Better data helps communities understand where pressures are greatest — and where solutions can have the biggest impact.

Learn more about the ALICE Essentials Index: https://www.unitedforalice.org/essentials-index