Public benefit programs – such as income, food, housing, childcare or healthcare assistance – provide vital resources to support the economic security of households with low incomes. 

As the pandemic took a toll on our beloved city, UPO was needed more than ever. UPO is the designated Community Action Agency for the District’s residents with low incomes,...

Federal Pandemic Programs Provided Extensive Aid for Three Years, But Ended Abruptly, Leaving Low-Income DC Families Stranded FY 2025 DC BUDGET CUTS WILL COMPOUND THE IMPACT OF EXPIRED FEDERAL AID

As aid winds down for families with lower incomes, how does our community help them deal with ongoing financial struggles. We have recommendations for how to protect them. 

Statement of Andrea Thomas, President and CEO of United Planning Organization (UPO) on the PROPOSED ELIMINATION OF THE CHILDCARE PAY EQUITY FUND

Each year, UPO asks customers and staff to share the most urgent issues for our community. Here is the summary that is driving our work.

Washington DC has an affordable housing crisis. UPO is constantly researching what our community can do to improve the situation. See our analysis and then join us to create change....

UPO was founded in 1962 to help DC residents become the change agents of their lives — to lift themselves into economic security. See our legacy and impact in UPO’s...

DC SHOULD EXPAND GUARANTEED INCOME PILOTS TO ALL FAMILIES, NEW ANALYSIS SHOWS

Two DC pilot programs are boosting the incomes of DC families with low incomes and hold great promise to improve economic security. Our paper shows why the District should expand...

UPO and MLK Jr. Holiday DC hold King-Centered Prayer Breakfasts

What do you need to know before building a 2nd home on your property (an ADU – Accessory Dwelling Unit)? See our manual, created with the Coalition for Smarter Growth...

How did DC native Freddie Jeffcoat wind up diving into IT? He has a different job at a DC Public School but one day he volunteered to oversee the school’s...

Southeast resident Gina Miller was unhappy as a contracted security guard. She was grateful to be working during the pandemic but was not fulfilled — she imagined more for her...

Angelo Brandon was in the prime of his life — at 30 years old, he was a talented artist and painter. He was also a single dad with no job....

DC native Lawrence Jackson just graduated from high school and from the UPO CARES Construction Trades Program. Earlier this year, on a school field trip to UPO’s Building Careers Academy,...

New team will help UPO address how policy impacts opportunity for District residents

Alexis Scott never had much support for her education yet she hungered to learn more. When she saw a chance to take her next step, she grabbed it. She saw...

DC native Alexis Simmons is the oldest of 8 siblings. She would often help her younger brother with his schoolwork — he had developmental delays and needed her aid. As the...

Victor Kolako was a DC senior citizen with a low income and a problem to solve. His laptop was old and its glitches kept getting worse. But new laptops were...

DC native Lena Coleman always knew that education was her calling. She attended Morgan State University and earned her BA in Applied Liberal Studies with a concentration in Elementary Education....

“People are out here working, but they are still behind, and they need to know there is hope, that there is help – and they don’t know that. I have...

For Sharon Gray-Rush, securing a laptop was a game-changer, especially during the pandemic: Her background in data entry meant that she had basic computer skills, but she didn’t own a...

We introduce high school students to new career paths. The UPO Workforce Institute and our CARES Act team guide them to skilled careers with job security.

At the back of Chef Jerald Thomas’ classroom inside Frederick Douglas Early Learning Center on Stanton Road SE is a flashy bulletin board full of wisdom for anyone who’s being hard...

Olivia Henderson was cajoling, dancing and yelling outside the Bald Eagle Recreation Center on Joliet Street in Southwest D.C. the other day. She wasn’t trying to entertain pedestrians or drivers....

The Board of Directors of United Planning Organization (“UPO”) announced elections for 4 open seats. These directors will represent low-income residents of the District of Columbia who are striving towards...

Now, Nacole Thrower can relax. Her son gets education, love, and support at a UPO emergency child-care center. That makes the COVID-19 crisis easier to bear. Read More at the...

When DC activated a Cold Emergency Alert, Fox5 reporter Josh Rosenthal wanted a compassionate lead story. He interviewed UPO outreach worker Vincent Blackson, whose kindness is in his blood: Blackson’s...

Initiative will catalyze affordable rental housing and increase financial stability for lower-income homeowners in Washington, DC

Congratulations to our new President & CEO: Andrea Thomas A LETTER OF CONGRATULATIONS FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR Dear Friends and Colleagues, On behalf of the board of directors and search...

Scholarships for a Dream: An organization helps DC students with their university studies El Tiempo Latino cover storyBy Olga Imbaquingo SPECIAL TO EL TIEMPO LATINO Discipline and perseverance are two qualities...

Each year, UPO gives a $10,000 scholarship to each of 5 outstanding DC high school students. Keiri Sanchez, one of the scholars, aspires to become a pilot.

Wanda Dudley gives hope to people who think life has dealt them an unbearable hand because she once felt that way, too. She found healing by helping others at UPO’s...

In our series, A More Perfect Union, we aim to show that what unites us as Americans is far greater than what divides us. We look into a program that...

Cynthia Brown-Thomas’s job requires her to rise before the sun. It pays a meager stipend of $2.65 an hour. An exhausting display of patience is a must. She credits the...

One of Only 12 Agencies to Ever Win this Best-in-Class Award WASHINGTON, DC:  The United Planning Organizationwas presented the Award for Excellence in Community Actionat the Community Action Partnership’s 2018...

Thank you! On behalf of UPO and WinnCompanies, we would like to thank you for participating, and supporting our 2018 National Night Out Event. National Night Out is designed to heighten...

Wednesday, June 13, 2018 (Sam Ford/ABC7) Inmates at the D.C. jail participated in voting in the city’s primary election next week. Elections officials and poll watchers were present as approximately...

UPO, Hendley Elementary School, and the Safer, Stronger DC Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement plan to walk for peace Thursday, June 21stfrom 11AM to 2PM during our Safe Summer...

With a mission to help inspire students to pursue an education and careers in STEM, professor Ramona Hutchins and the United Planning Organization created the Robonauts robotics team. She is here along...

“A group of amazing kids in the district is fresh off a trip from a world championship competition.” Watch on NBC4

Reporter Mark Segraves wanted to spark awareness about the needs of homeless people. To start this heart-to-heart talk with the public, he interviewed UPO staffer Vincent “Bones” Blackson. For 16...

This is Ramella, a 2015 Joseph A. Beavers scholarship recipient. Annually, we award 5 ambitious, deserving D.C. high school students, $10,000 each to be applied towards their collegiate aspirational pursuits....

“It means a lot because we help and give to the homeless. I’m truly dedicated to what we do. I know the cause we have is utterly necessary with the...

“UPO’s P.O.W.E.R. program means a lot to me. It broadens your horizons to new experiences. UPO teaches you that college is for everyone, regardless of your financial need, where you...

“UPO helped me to better formalize my resume. To be outspoken, confident within myself, being able to speak to any and everyone. It also helped me to finish my culinary...

“My heart is service.” Myra is a proud UPO volunteer! She was born with a heart to serve. It’s in her blood. She watched her grandmother and aunt take care of...

“The first class treatment that UPO showed me was everything that I needed to know. The staff at UPO helps and receives you with open arms. You’ll swear that they’re...

“It means that I get the chance to be hands on with my community and help those less fortunate. To try to save lives out here in the cold weather...

“I would highly recommend UPO’s Hospitality program. I learned about every position in a hotel and it definitely helped in my interviews. This program really is six weeks to a...

We distributed 300 turkeys and other food to low-income residents to help them celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday! Islamic Relief USA donated turkeys, and Capital Area Food Bank provided fresh produce....

D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine awarded Warren King, an eighth-grader at Johnson Middle School with a Right Direction Award. The award and ceremony are a time to honor DC youth...

At the beginning of 2017, UPO began to address concerns of domestic violence in the Washington Highlands community. Throughout the year, we have worked to provide awareness, education, training, and...

UPO Homeowner Resource Fair Assists Senior Homeowners in Southeast DC! UPO’s Housing Team hosted a Homeowner Resource Fair, targeted at seniors and older homeowners. Vendors gave five-minute presentations about programs...

UPO’s Workforce Institute works to decrease the number of unemployed residents in the District of Columbia through job training and job placement. This October we helped prepare more than 200...

“Orlando Gore is a one-man generator of small acts of kindness, driven by his own memories of tough times in his native North Carolina and his early years in Washington,...

“I now see my future in Networking instead of Cyber Security because of the multiple opportunities for growth! My life has changed and I’m in a better place overall to...

Part of what keeps Grandma Virginia young is working with her community’s youth. For 21 years, she’s helped children with severe disabilities learn skills. All of this comes through the...

In this Making a Difference report, NBC interviewer Chelsea Clinton visited a group of retirees—“foster grandparents”—who are aiding children in some of the nation’s toughest school districts. Watch on NBC Nightly News

Data shows us that children who are touched by Foster Grandparents have a higher educational achievement level…and it’s not just kids who benefit: older Americans who volunteer report lower levels...