The United Way’s Impact - An Overview

A medically retired police sergeant, Jon Schorsch most recently served as a legal professional for the King County Department of Public Defense. A leader with experience in organizational culture and vision, Jon Schorsch also volunteers as a self-defense instructor for the National Federation of the Blind and supports the United Way. 

Founded more than 125 years ago, the United Way has grown to become a leading charitable organization in the United States and worldwide. Working to improve quality of life, the organization consists of local branches in close to 1,800 communities and over 40 countries.

The United Way’s efforts focus primarily on education, finances and economics, and health. For example, the organization operates a support program known as 2-1-1. Available in the United States and Canada, 2-1-1 provides free and confidential information and links callers to local resources. The program, which is available 24 hours a day, is staffed by community resource specialists who can provide information in areas that range from food and homelessness programs to health care services and domestic abuse supports. In 2017, the program triaged more than 14 million calls, texts, and emails.

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