Orange County United Way moves individuals and families towards self-sufficiency by identifying and addressing the underlying causes that prevent them from moving up the economic ladder. In a study measuring the cost of poverty, it was concluded that lower income families generally pay more for the same consumer products such as auto loans, financial services and insurance, than families with higher incomes.

Orange County United Way is working to educate and empower lower income families and individuals on how to navigate the financial system and avoid unnecessary costs while introducing them to eligible tax credits that would enable them to save and invest in their futures. In addition, United Way supports programs that provide workforce development and job training skills to help individuals obtain self-sufficient wages.

The Need:

• Lower-income households pay over 8 billion dollars at check cashing outlets and payday lenders for basic financial services (The Brookings Institute 2006)
• It's estimated that up to 25 percent of Orange County's eligible tax payers do not claim Earned Income Tax Credits, totaling approximately $65,000,000 in unclaimed credits (The IRS 2006)
• In Orange County, there are approximately 120,000 families that earn between $25,000 and $50,000 per year (USCensusBureau2006)

Strategic Approaches:
Financial Education: Investments go to programs that provide education for individuals and families through comprehensive financial literacy programs and workshops. More on Financial Education.