Across the globe, people are hurting. More than 6.3 million people have died from the COVID-19 pandemic, a staggering and profound loss. Even as we continue to grieve, other global crises we face – climate crisis, hunger, inequality, poverty, children’s health and education, and increasing division and violence — can feel like a second pandemic.

There is no silver bullet to solve systemic global problems. But as CEO of the largest community-based nonprofit in the world, I believe we can make progress by working with partners to address social problems in an innovative way.

United Way includes more than 1,100 communities in 95 percent of the United States and 37 countries across the globe. Our reach is global, but the impact we have on 48M people every day is through hyper-local work. It’s local United Way leaders, volunteers and donors working with 29,000 local community organizations to identify local challenges and come up with local solutions that can be scaled around the world.

We must come up with new ways to solve old problems – in partnership with public, private and NGO leaders. At United Way, we take on the biggest challenges—in new ways. That’s why our Ride United: Last Mile Delivery program won awards last year for innovation and impact. This program has helped us deliver more than 11.1 million meals, providing those in need with free deliveries of food and essential items such as personal care supplies for infants and seniors, food and supplies for pets and service animals, and educational supplies for students. The free “last mile” door-to-door deliveries of food from area food banks, food pantries and other distribution points to senior citizens, low-income families and those who can’t leave home has made a big difference during the pandemic.

As the pandemic sparked rising levels of hunger across the United States, United Way knew an innovative solution had to be found. The program is a hyper-local tool to combat new waves of hunger, with United Way and partners (including many of our 45,000 corporate partners) working with local food pantries to identify the community members in need of these essential deliveries.

Another example of innovative partnership is the work happening to restore the coral reefs of the Florida Keys. In the Florida Keys, a tourism-based economy means that some 60% of residents depend on the marine environment for their livelihood. That’s why United Way of Collier County and the Keys is driving innovative initiatives focused on building up this community’s health, education, and financial stability – including joining coral reef restoration efforts.

Much like the meaning of SK Innovation’s incredible Mangrove Reforestation Project, we cannot neglect environmental issues because the communities we serve depend on safe and healthy environments to live in. That is an undeniable truth for United Way as well. We are excited to see the ongoing work with Vietnam mangroves, the Community Chest of Korea, and we are inspired by your commitment to build strong partnerships for the future of our planet.

▲ (Left) SK Innovation’s members and business partners participate in the Mangrove Reforestation Project in Tra Vinh, Vietnam in June 2022 / (Right) Recent photos (taken on June 9, 2022) of the mangrove reforestation location where SK Innovation first planted in May 2018.

If we want to meet and address urgent global needs in rapidly changing times, we need to invest for the long-term.

Among the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), United Way is focused on education, income stability, and health (including environmental health) as key pillars for success of every individual in every community. Those are long-term goals, requiring long-term investment.

And long-term investment is what SK Innovation is doing in the U.S., with new electric vehicle battery plants in Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. As Ford’s major battery supplier, SK Innovation is also building stronger communities, providing family-sustaining jobs, and building stronger economies.

I commend SK Innovation for its focus on social value, testing new ideas and approaches to address social problems in an innovative way. The social value of the SK Innovation – Community Chest of Korea’s partnership, including Vietnam Mangroves Reforestation project, is especially impressive.

United Way looks forward to partnering with SK Innovation at a global scale. Together, I’m confident we can make lasting change that contributes to a better world.