Orange County is one of the country’s most affluent regions, but with persistent underlying issues such as impoverished neighborhoods, educational and health disparities, lack of affordable housing, and homelessness.
OC United Way’s stated mission to deliver “measurable long-term solutions” is a driving force for Susan B. Parks, president and chief executive officer since June 2017.
Parks blazed a career in fitness and corporate health and had been a volunteer on the United Way board of directors for 15 years before taking on the leadership role.
“What has been instilled in me and that I knew from my past of being a board member is how diverse we are, how generous this community is,” Parks said.
“But at the end of the day, there are really two sides to Orange County.”
With its 100th anniversary, OC United Way hopes to continue closing the gap through its key initiatives: United to End Homelessness, United for Financial Security, United for Student Success, the health-oriented Equity in OC, the Safety Net Fund, and now the expansion of 2-1-1.
One new effort to take shape next year involves working with another venerable Orange County nonprofit that turned 100 this year, Goodwill of Orange County, to host sites where United Way’s free income tax prep services can be offered.
Said Parks: “There is not as much visibility as we would like to bring of how challenging it is to live here for close to a million people. And every day we work to bring more visibility into what all of Orange County is.”