Health is a central tenant of a great quality of life. Good health keeps kids in school, keeps adults employed, which helps keep households stable. By investing in the health of 4,500 more residents in Story County, we can chip away at the inequities that keep people from succeeding. Health services can range from in-home hospice to mental health, substance abuse counseling to healthy food.

COMPELLING CONCERNS:

• 16% of Story County residents are food insecure, representing 14,730 individuals (County Health Rankings, CHR)

• 10% of Story County residents have limited access to healthy food, representing 8,707 individuals (CHR)

• 26.5% of students receive free or reduced-price lunch (Iowa Department of Education)

• 11% of Story County adults reported 14 or more days of poor mental health per month (CHR)

• 12.5% of all youth deaths in Story County were by suicide in 2017 (Iowa Department of Public Health)

*Data from 2019 or most recent year available. While these indicators are not the only ways to assess health in our community, these are data points that illustrate that there is a need in our goal area.

UNITED WAY’S RESPONSE:

Healthy food: We will increase acess to healthy food and nutrition programming.

Mental health services: We will provide awareness programming and therapeutic services.

Social connectedness: We will increase community inclusion and provide social/emotional support.