Civic partner content: A collaborative initiative amplifying nonprofits’ missions, expanding community engagement and driving meaningful impact. Learn more here.
In a new civic partnership, Lookout Santa Cruz is collaborating with United Way Santa Cruz County to strengthen community engagement and spotlight the people and programs creating a healthier, more equitable future for local youth and families.
Founded in 1941, United Way Santa Cruz County has spent more than 80 years mobilizing residents to give, advocate, and volunteer in support of a thriving community. The organization’s mission centers on ensuring youth success, family stability, and community connection through locally driven action and collaboration.
Through this partnership, Lookout will help amplify United Way’s impact by highlighting community-led efforts and sharing stories that inspire civic engagement and collective care across Santa Cruz County.
At the heart of United Way’s work is United4Youth, a countywide initiative that uplifts youth voices, expands access to opportunities, and improves overall youth well-being. Programs such as Jóvenes Sanos, based in Watsonville, empower young people to address mental health, reduce stigma, and build leadership skills especially among Latinx and immigrant youth.
Another pillar of United4Youth, the Youth Action Network, connects young people with adult allies and local leaders to strengthen civic participation. This collaboration helped advance a milestone achievement this year: the adoption of the Santa Cruz County Children and Youth Bill of Rights, affirming that every young person deserves to be safe, healthy, valued, and heard.
United Way’s second core initiative, United4Community, focuses on building financial stability, improving health, and ensuring access to essential services. Through programs like 211 Santa Cruz County, residents can connect to food, housing, transportation, and disaster preparedness resources. In addition, the Free Tax Assistance Program helps local families maximize refunds and achieve greater financial independence.
These efforts come together each year through community events such as Stuff the Bus, United Way’s annual backpack and school supply drive in partnership with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education. Now in its 16th year, the campaign provides more than 2,500 students experiencing homelessness or housing hardship with the tools they need to start school ready to learn. Lookout Santa Cruz has joined as a volunteer partner, helping fill backpacks during the August Stuff-A-Thon and sharing the story with readers throughout the county.
Through this new partnership, Lookout and United Way aim to expand awareness of local needs and solutions, engage youth in storytelling and civic participation, and celebrate what’s working in Santa Cruz County. Together, they are connecting residents to information, inspiration, and action that strengthen the community from the classroom to the newsroom.
