Impact Areas

Education

Our goal: children and youth are on track to reach their full potential.

Our Goal:
Impact Area Vision Statement

Every child, from birth to adulthood, is valued and supported. Resources are maximized to support the development of our children and youth as contributing members of the community.

What is this Impact Area focused on?
  • Ensure children enter kindergarten developmentally on track in the areas of literacy, social, emotional and cognitive skills.
  • Ensure children and youth have high quality, safe and positive developmental experiences.
  • Ensure children attain third grade reading success.
Why is this important?

According to the 2011 LIFE Study, a community assessment of the Fox Cities, more families are in poverty. About 90% of mothers giving birth had prenatal care, but one in three births was to an unmarried woman and both teen mothers and low birth weights are becoming more common. Schools have reported serving more low-income students than in the past. Based on the growing number of students qualifying for free or reduced-price hot lunch, about 16% of youth are going hungry in the Fox Cities. This indicator of the increasing poverty being experienced by local families will have an impact on the growth and development of children and youth.

What are we doing?

United Way is committed to improving early learning opportunities for young children so that they are able to start kindergarten ready to succeed, and investing in programs fostering positive healthy youth development to help them achieve their full potential as adults.

What will your gift fund?
  • Programming that helps support and ensure local child care centers provide quality early learning experiences
  • Programs offering low-income working families access to affordable quality child care
  • Support services providing tutoring and literacy skills to children and youth
  • Structured after school programs for children and youth
  • Access to services and programs for young people with special needs
  • Supportive programs for youth considered at-risk with identified barriers