June 21 is the longest day of the year. More daylight hours than any other. More time for volunteers to bring sun into someone's life. More time to help elected officials see the light. More light to shine on United Way's solutions to community issues. June 21 is a perfect day for United Ways across the country to let their actions speak louder than words. To show, by example, what it means to LIVE UNITED.

June 21 presents an opportunity for the United Way system to declare our intention to improve lives in measurable and lasting ways by mobilizing thousands of people around a common goal: advancing the common good by focusing on education, income and health. These are the building blocks for a good life - a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement, and good health.

This toolkit is designed to provide local United Ways with guidance and ideas for actions you can take on June 21 to show what it means to LIVE UNITED. You may choose to do a service event, start a petition, or host an online fundraiser. Whether your action is big or small, whether you choose to give, advocate or volunteer, it is your day to consider and to show what it means to LIVE UNITED.

This toolkit does not lay out what you should do on June 21. Rather, it provides a vision of what your United Way Day of Action can be, with plenty of room for creativity among each of the 1,300 United Ways across the country. Like anything new, there will be questions. We hope we have anticipated most of them, and we welcome your feedback.