By Lyubov Sakara, member of Atlantic Circle

Volunteers from United Way of Northeast Florida’s affinity groups traveled to Tallahassee, FL to advocate for increased  financial security, expanded access to healthcare and ensured quality education in our community. Check out how this experience helped Atlantic Circle member Lyubov Sakara better understand the impact of United Way in creating a better community for all. 

Participating in United Way’s Capitol Days’ event has given me a better understanding of the active role United Way plays in fighting for a brighter future for our communities. It has demonstrated the power of our voice, and it unified the community for the common cause of making a difference in people’s lives.

Fighting for a brighter future.

The experience of visiting Tallahassee and advocating for financial stability, veteran’s support, education and health has also shown me creating national change starts in our local environments. As citizens of this great nation, we have the right to fight for the causes we believe in and every big idea has small beginnings.

Power of our voice.

The Capitol Days’ event caught my attention because I know there are gaps in our community and opportunities for improvement. These gaps need citizens who ware willing and able to use the power of their voice to trail blaze and take on leadership roles to shift the status quo. The biggest lesson I learned from this experience is change starts with us. We have the power to use our voice and lead so others will see that they are cared for and valued, and that change is possible.

Coming together to create an impact.

The Capitol Days’ event gave young  leaders the platform to advocate for our communities and it’s fueled a my desire to invite more of my peers to participate. It is truly beautiful to see citizens gather together with a single mission of bettering our society.

Organizations like United Way give hope to hundreds of thousands of people across Northeast Florida by tackling our community challenges. I encourage anyone looking to make a difference in their neighborhood to get involved and join the conversation.

How you can help

At United Way, we believe in a community of opportunity where everyone has hope and can reach their full potential. You can join us in the fight for a stronger Northeast Florida by joining the movement for community change. For opportunities on how you can get involved, visit unitedwaynefl.org/get-involved.