The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
United Way NSV launched Valley Assistance Network in 2017 as a result of its Community Needs Assessment and the Virginia ALICE® Report, which shines a spotlight on the number of working families who are struggling to make ends meet. The core service of VAN is a comprehensive Resource and Referral System. To date, VAN has helped more than 4,000 families connect with critical resources like housing, food, medical care, and job training.
Valley Assistance Network provides immediate crisis intervention services to help families navigate the complex social services system and move from crisis to financial stability. The program has primarily served the Winchester/Frederick/Clarke community has helped more than 4,000 families connect with housing, clothing, food, medical care, job training, and many other resources. Through coordinated care and case management services, VAN works to uncover the real reasons by clients’ struggles with issues like eviction and job loss. Providing a more holistic and comprehensive service, resource navigators connect families with additional services to help address the root causes that may be standing in their way of becoming financially stable.
VAN is based on an integrated service delivery model, where multiple partners work together to meet complex needs of clients. This model is proven to eliminate barriers to accessing services, eliminate redundancy, and decrease wait times for families seeking assistance.