Partner Spotlight: United Way Wayne and Holmes Counties
Q. Tell us a little about your organization. Where are you located? Who do you serve and what do you focus on?
A. At United Way Wayne and Holmes Counties, we believe every person deserves the opportunity to thrive. We serve residents throughout Wayne and Holmes Counties from offices in Wooster and Millersburg, working every day to connect people with resources, strengthen local partnerships, and address the issues that matter most to families.
Our work focuses on health, youth opportunity, financial stability, and community resilience. That includes everything from supporting Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and youth literacy efforts to connecting families with resources through 2-1-1, investing in local nonprofit programs, and bringing community partners together to solve complex challenges. As a rural community and home to the largest Amish population in the world, we have unique strengths and unique challenges. We are home to hardworking families, strong school systems, caring neighbors, and globally recognized businesses.
At the same time, transportation barriers, limited child care options, and distance from larger service hubs can make it difficult for families to access the support they need. Many of the families we serve are part of the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population, households that are working, contributing to their communities, and doing everything they can to get ahead, yet still struggle to afford the basics. Our role is to listen, identify gaps, bring resources to the table, and work alongside our community to create solutions that make a lasting difference.
Q. When was your organization founded, and what inspired your mission?
A. In 2027, United Way Wayne and Holmes Counties will celebrate 70 years of serving our communities. While programs and community needs have evolved over time, our mission remains the same: mobilizing community resources to help people measurably improve their lives. Our work is rooted in the belief that no single organization can solve today's challenges alone. Real change happens when communities come together, share responsibility, and work toward a common goal. That belief has inspired our work for decades and continues to guide us today.
Q. What’s a recent project, program, or win that you're especially proud of?
A. One of the accomplishments we're most proud of is serving as the local program partner for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Wayne and Holmes Counties. Today, more than 6,100 local children ages 0 to 5 receive a free, high-quality book delivered directly to their mailbox each month. Every book represents a chance to build language skills, encourage family engagement, and foster a love of learning. We're proud to work alongside our community in funding and operating this program to help ensure thousands of children in Wayne and Holmes Counties start school ready to learn and succeed.
Q. What’s one issue you're keeping a close eye on right now?
A. We're paying close attention to the growing number of ALICE households in our communities. Although unemployment remains low in Wayne and Holmes Counties, many families continue to struggle with the rising costs of basic living. We've learned that financial hardship doesn't always look like unemployment. Many of our neighbors are working full-time, contributing members of the workforce who are one unexpected expense away from a crisis. Addressing those challenges is critical not only for individual families, but also for the long-term strength of our workforce, economy, and communities.
Q. How do you partner with families and communities in your work?
A. We believe the people closest to a challenge are often closest to the solution. That's why we dedicate our time to bringing people, organizations, and resources together around the issues that matter most to our community. Whether we're leading community conversations, participating in local coalitions, listening to parents, working alongside schools, or partnering with nonprofit agencies, we are committed to learning directly from the people we serve. We use local data, community feedback, and lived experience to help guide our work and inform our decisions. Most importantly, we believe lasting solutions happen when communities are united around a common purpose. Partnership isn't just something we do. It's who we are. When families, schools, businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders come together, we can accomplish far more than any one organization could alone. United, We Help!
Q. How did you first hear about or get involved with Groundwork Ohio?
A. In 2025, our Associate Director, Ashley Hershberger, participated in Groundwork Ohio's Workforce Solutions in a Child Care Crisis Regional Summit, where community leaders, employers, policymakers, and families from across our region discussed the impact of child care challenges on Ohio's workforce and economy. Ashley, a mom of two young children, also serves on Groundwork Ohio's Family Action Network, helping bring the voices and experiences of families from rural Ohio into statewide conversations.
Q. What do you wish more people understood about the families you serve or the work you do?
A. Wayne and Holmes Counties are filled with neighbors who care about one another. At United Way Wayne and Holmes Counties, we're proud to be part of that community. Our staff live here. Our Board members live here. We're raising our families here and investing in the future of the place we call home. We have a responsibility to stay connected to the changing needs of our communities. We spend time listening, learning, building relationships, and staying informed about emerging resources, promising practices, and policy discussions that could benefit local families. While our communities have many strengths, geography can create challenges. Some residents live miles from key services, providers, or opportunities. We believe where someone lives should never determine their ability to access support or achieve success. That's why we work to bridge gaps, connect local needs to local solutions, and bring resources home whenever possible. We want families in Wayne and Holmes Counties to have access to the same opportunities as anyone else, while preserving the values, relationships, and sense of community that make our region so special. We're very proud that our work is guided by people who understand our community because they live, work, and raise their families here, too. The investments we make are driven by local priorities and made possible by local donors, businesses, foundations, and community partners who believe in helping their neighbors.
Q. How do you work with other organizations or community partners to create change?
A. Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. We invest in local programs, convene community partners, participate in coalitions, connect residents to services through 2-1-1, and work alongside schools, businesses, health care providers, faith communities, nonprofits, and local government. Our role is often to bring people together around a shared challenge and help move solutions forward. When communities are united, resources are aligned, and partners work together instead of in silos, meaningful change happens. We take seriously our responsibility to ensure our investments create measurable impact for the people of Wayne and Holmes Counties. Every dollar entrusted to us represents someone choosing to invest in their neighbors and their community. That's a responsibility we're honored to carry.
Q. What keeps your team inspired or grounded in this work?
A. Our community.
Every day we see examples of generosity, resilience, and neighbors helping neighbors. It's a parent working hard to provide for their family. A volunteer giving their time. A child excited to receive a new book in the mail. A community partner stepping up to fill a need.
Those moments remind us that at its core, our work is about people.
Q. Why is advocacy important to your work?
A. Advocacy helps ensure that the voices of families living in Wayne and Holmes Counties are heard. We have a responsibility not only to respond to community needs but also to help address the systems that create barriers in the first place. Advocacy allows us to elevate local experiences, inform decision-makers, and encourage solutions that support children, families, and communities across Ohio. For communities like ours, it's important that policy conversations include the perspectives of the people living and working here every day.
Q. What do you think is important to help make Ohio the best place to be a young child?
A. Every child deserves a strong start, regardless of where they live or their family's income. That starts with access to quality early learning opportunities, affordable child care, health care, nutritious food, stable housing, and adults who care about their success. It also means ensuring parents have the resources and support they need to raise healthy, thriving children. When we invest in young children, we're investing in stronger families, stronger communities, and a stronger future.
