Editor’s note: United Way President & CEO Chris Sargent gets to the heart of our commitment to impact.

One question I often hear is this: “What does United Way do?”

I’m glad people are interested! We do a lot to tell the story of our impact, but it’s not always an easy story to tell. That’s because the issues we tackle are complex.

For example, say a family can’t afford their rent and is at risk for homelessness. Both parents work minimum-wage jobs, their child has faced health issues since birth, they can’t afford child care, and neither parent has access to training programs that could lead to better-paying jobs. That’s a lot of factors to deal with; there’s no simple solution to their plight.

It’s in those tough, complex issues that United Way delivers the most impact. We bring a unique and full understanding of that complexity. Our expert staff gathers resources and builds relationships with knowledgeable partners across sectors so we can tackle these complex issues together from every angle. And we’re striving for long-term impact—helping people deal with their needs today while developing lasting solutions for systemic change.

By leading those shared efforts, we can help that family address the health needs of their child, find affordable child care, get training to build financial stability, and make sure they stay in their home.

We have many more stories to tell, and we’re using our third annual Impact Week to tell them. Keep an eye on our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram starting next Monday to discover real-life stories of how we’re delivering results. And with Giving Tuesday happening Dec. 3, you’ll have the chance to get directly involved.

By week’s end, I hope you’ll better understand that impact is what we do—and I hope that will lead you to join us in this crucial work.