Blue heart inside a circle with the text "Healthy Community" below.
Outline of a hand in blue with a circle above it, symbolizing support or care, labeled 'YOUTH OPPORTUNITY' at the bottom.
Icon of two stacks of coins with the text "Financial Security" underneath.
Line drawing of a hand gripping a pipe with droplets of water, symbolizing water management or infrastructure, with the text 'Community Resiliency' below.

In this beyond-your-control simulation, you will experience economic hardships, unexpected dilemmas, and real-life scenarios that millions of families living on the edge of poverty face every day.

How would you navigate given limited resources?

Take The United Way

Poverty Simulation

A man sleeping on a bench in a busy city street, with pedestrians walking by in the background.
A homeless man with a beard and beanie hats holding a sign that says 'Seeking Human Kindness' in a subway station.
Take The Simulation

“Our mission is to ensure every member of our communities have the tools to thrive, by promoting access to resources and mobilizing collective action for the common good.”

  • 96% success rate in character & leadership development skills

    FY2024-2025 Boys & Girls Club of Pekin

  • 97% success rate in character & leadership development skills

    FY2024-2025 Boys & Girls Club of Pekin

  • 113 children served with 14 cases closed

    FY2024-2025 CASA

  • 163 Clients served

    FY2024-25 (Carol House of Hope, Center for Prevention of Abuse)

  • 3375 nights in safe shelter provided

    FY2024-25 (Carol House of Hope, Center for Prevention of Abuse)

  • 2278 Hours of Case Management

    FY2024-25 (Carol House of Hope, Center for Prevention of Abuse)

  • 103 clients provided mental health services with > than 90% engagement in treatment plans

    Fy2024-25 (FamilyCore)

  • 560+ hours of services

    Fy2024-25 (FamilyCore)

  • Provides rides to over 228 residents per month, no one is turned away for inability to pay!

    FY2024-25 (Miller Senior Center)

  • 3500+ total guest visits

    FY2024-25 (Pekin Outreach Initiative, Homelessness Program)

  • 2171 Showers & 888 loads of laundry

    FY2024-25 (Pekin Outreach Initiative, Homelessness Program)

  • 49,372 snack packs distributed to district #108 students.

    FY2024-25 (Pekin Outreach Initiative, Weekend Snack Pack Program)

  • Trauma focused, cognitive behavioral therapy provided to 106 child abuse victims

    FY2024-25 (Tazewell County Children’s Advocacy Center)

  • 86 individuals assisted/mentored

    FY2024-25 (TCRC Employment Program)

  • 93 individuals received specialized care & reported a positive impact

    FY2024-25 (TCRC Sight Center)

  • 1572 clients served through the food pantry

    FY2024-25 (Salvation Army, Social Services)

  • 123 households provided with financial assistance

    FY2024-25 (Salvation Army, Social Services)

  • 427 Individuals assisted with case management

    FY2024-25 (Salvation Army, Rust Transitional Center)

  • 40 Families Assisted with permanent housing

    FY2024-25 (Salvation Army, Rust Transitional Center)

  • over 60 individuals attended our resume & job interview workshops

    FY2024-25 (United Way of Pekin)

2025 Campaign Pacesetters

  • Explosion of orange and yellow powder with the text 'EXCALIBUR™ Legendary quality. Royal flavor.' and a crown logo on a black background.
  • Logo of Commerce Bank with a globe icon and text indicating it is a member FDIC.
  • Logo of Pekin, Illinois with a yellow-orange marigold flower and waves, featuring the text "Pekin Illinois" and the tagline "Community. Opportunity. Home."
  • Logo for First Pekin Savings Bank featuring a stylized human figure in green with outstretched arms, blue waves beneath, and text.
  • A logo featuring a red and yellow dragon, a flaming torch, an open book, and the text 'PC HS' with the slogan 'The Fire is Within' and the phrase 'The Opportunity is Here' above.
  • Pekin Insurance logo with a maroon eagle and the tagline 'Beyond the expected'.
  • Logo for Pekin Public Schools District 108, featuring the word 'PEKIN' with a pencil replacing the letter 'I' and the words 'PUBLIC SCHOOLS' and 'DISTRICT 108' underneath.
  • Schwinn logo in red text on a white background.
  • Logo for Tazewell County Resource Centers featuring silhouettes of people holding hands across the top of large letters 'TCRC'.

“Our vision is connected communities, where every action elevates the health, education, and financial stability of every resident, making our area a model of success and resilience.”

Logo of FreeWill with blue text and a feather icon.
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Planned Giving

LOCAL Events & Fundraisers

Events hosted by United Way of Pekin, our Partner Agencies or Community Organizations

Click to download! Must present flyer at the store to support fundraiser.