Money donated to United Way of Southwestern PA creates a “multiplier effect” in the region, generating hundreds of jobs and millions in economic activity each year, a new study has found.
The study, conducted by the Pittsburgh office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, or PwC, found that United Way supports nearly 600 jobs, generates $34 million in labor income and contributes $65 million to the region’s gross domestic product. For every dollar donated to United Way, at least $2 of economic value is created, the study says.
Excerpt: United Way’s broader investments proved substantial as well. In the last fiscal year, the organization provided $19.6 million in funding to partner agencies, serving more than 750,000 people across southwestern Pennsylvania.
Organizations such as the Pittsburgh Scholar House rely on such funding for its programs.
The Pittsburgh Scholar House, which assists single-parent families pursuing higher education, received a three-year $300,000 grant as a new startup.
“I’ve often said that every dollar that’s invested in United Way sort of has a doubling impact at the Pittsburgh Scholar House,” she (Dr. Diamonte Walker) said.