Starting in September each year, big signs with thermometers are posted throughout communities across the United States, along with billboards that say “Live United” in big letters alongside pictures of community members in “Live United” t-shirts. From the thermometers, we know that United Ways fundraise money, and we are able to see how much progress our local United Way has made during campaign season by watching the thermometer go up. However, if you are not participating in a workplace campaign, you may not know what your local United Way is accomplishing with the funds raised in your community.

To communicate what you are accomplishing, try a new approach to how you are using your thermometers. Replace the 10 percentages on the thermometer with 10 examples of the impact and results you are achieving for the issues your United Way is addressing in your community. This way, when your community members see a thermometer, they will see what your United Way is accomplishing with the funds that are being contributed. When the thermometer reaches the top, community members will know that they have helped address specific issues in your community, opposed to only knowing how much money was raised.

Do you have a unique way of communicating the issues you address in your community? Feel free to leave a comment below with your thoughts or ideas about the use of thermometers, or share with us how your United Way communicates the issues you address in your community.