What is Community Response?

Lancaster County Community Response is a voluntary service that provides support, advocacy and real time action for families who find themselves needing basic assistance, social and emotional support, and help navigating other life challenges.

What is United Way’s Role?

United Way provides coordination of Community Response across the Lancaster County community, with the goal of increasing families’ protective factors and decreasing both instances of neglect and entry into the child welfare system and high-end systems of care. United Way collaborates with many local agencies in the delivery of case management and behavioral health services for participating families and leverages the support of other local community partners in its operation. In October 2020, Community Response expanded to serve five additional school communities, while also receiving Response and Recovery funding to provide additional support to families negatively impacted by the pandemic.

How is Community Response Funded?

This initiative is supported through United Way’s Stable. Strong. Successful. and ENGAGE.EMPOWER.GRADUATE. initiatives. Primary funding comes through Nebraska Children and Families Foundation. Community Response was also supported in 2020 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

How Can I Get Involved?

When you make your next donation to the United Way/CHAD Campaign, consider designating to the Stable. Strong. Successful. initiative, which focuses on stable homes, strong families and successful students through the Community Response program or to the ENGAGE.EMPOWER.GRADUATE. initiative which ensures that children and families, regardless of their circumstances, have the opportunity to succeed in school and life.

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