EDUCATION

United Way is committed to ensuring every child gets a strong start in life and stays on track to succeed and become a contributing member of the community.

“It’s simply a chain,” says CEO, Bill Varner. “Children who succeed in kindergarten are more likely to be strong readers by the time they’re in the third grade.”

Getting a strong start in life will help with the other issues such as literacy, employment and graduation rates.

United Way provides financial support for eight agencies with missions of improving education. The programs range in scope from early childhood, scouting and child-care to after school programs and mentoring.

0%
OF MENTORED YOUTH SHOWED IMPROVED SCHOLASTIC COMPETENCY
0%
OF YOUTH WHO RECEIVED EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES SHOWED REPORT CARD IMPROVEMENT
0%
OF 5-YEAR-OLDS WHO PARTICIPATED IN PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAMS AT THEIR AREA YMCA DEMONSTRATED READINESS FOR KINDERGARTEN

Seth's Story

Seth had a speech impediment and his parents found it hard to get the teaching and education he needed to excel. Seth received services from EXcELL, a program that is part of Smart Beginnings of Central Virginia. Smart Beginnings and United Way work together as a part of the Central Virginia School Readiness Initiative.

“To have that advantage of being able to go into the classroom and not feel like they are behind…we want to make sure that we are reading to him and recognizing alphabets and letter sounds…That’s probably the best part of the EXcELL program. It allows us to do that with a more formal and comprehensive approach, because we do not have the expertise for that.”

2017 Partner Agencies Outcomes

The United Way of Central Virginia partners with not-for-profit agencies that have demonstrated their ability to address our most challenging issues, the ones below are related to Education.

Bedford Area Family YMCA

Pre-School:

  1. 100% of participant’s preschoolers progressed at their age-appropriate level
  2. 100% of 5 year olds demonstrated readiness for Kindergarten

BAFY Kid’s Club:

  1. 90% of children’s homework was completed during the after school program
  2. Homework completion leads to learning and earning a satisfactory grade
  3. 100% of the children participated in DEAR time, reading at an age-appropriate level during the summer program

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Virginia

Community Based Programs

  1. 87% of matches had a strong relationship at the end of 6 months
  2. 81% of matches had a strong relationship at the end of 12 months
  3. 84% of youth surveyed showed an improvement in social competencies
  4. 71% of youth surveyed showed improvement in scholastic competencies

Site Based Program: 84% of matches had a strong relationship at the end of 6 months

  1. 51% of matches had a strong relationship at the end of 12 months.
  2. 88% of youth surveyed showed an improvement in social competencies
  3. 80% of youth surveyed showed improvement in scholastic competencies
 

Boy Scouts - Blue Ridge Mountain Council

Scoutreach:

  1. Community organizations will enact a quality youth development where youth develop basic family values, build worth as a person, recognize successful role models, build partnerships with neighborhood organizations and respect cultural diversity.
  2. 56 Scoutreach youth earned 1 or more STEM (electronics, computers, welding, robotics, nuclear science, space) related merits
  3. 132 Scoutreach youth spent at least 30 hours on reading skills
  4. 281 hours of community service performed giving youth an understanding of what it means to be a contributing member of society

HumanKind

Child Care Resource Center:

  1. 100% of participants enrolled in Child Development Associate class increased score on the final exam, indicating preparedness for the credentialing exam.
  2. Information and referrals on child care information were provided to parents who were seeking child care information.
  3. 52% of participants submitting self-reported data reported a decrease in childcare licensing violations.
 

Jubilee Family Development Center

Youth Educational Support Systems:

  1. 100% of students have homework reviewed in tutoring session and receive additional academic work if grades are below a “C.”
  2. 74% of report cards showed an improvement of at least one letter grade since the previous semester
  3. 77% of report cards showed and improvement of at least one letter grade after the second nine weeks
  4. 86% report cards showed an improvement of at least one letter grade in math since the last grading period
  5. 90% of participants demonstrated knowledge of a new subject area.
 

Lynchburg Community Action Group

Headstart:

  1. 100% of enrolled families were assessed for educational and service needs.
  2. 100% of families were provided referrals to community service programs as needed
  3. 25% of parents participated in trainings, workshops and other Headstart activities

Mary Bethune Academy

Child Care:

  1. Children are prepared to enter kindergarten.
  2. 100% of Preschool children scored well on PALs tests and entered kindergarten with necessary age appropriate emergent literacy skills
 

YMCA of Central Virginia

Out of School Time Childcare:

  1. 94% of parents agree that programs that allow them to work without having to worry about the safety and well-being of the child
  2. 85% of youth enrolled participated in the Healthy Education and Physical Activity program contributing to a healthier lifestyle.
 

Recent Causes

  1. 18%
    0 Donators
    Sustaining Our Students – Backpack Program
    Raised: $9,023.00
    Goal: $50,400.00
    United Way of Central Virginia is proud to be entering its fifth year of the Sustaining Our Students (S.O.S.) Backpack Program. The program currently provides 10 meals and snacks and juice packed in a backpack every weekend during the school year to children who have been identified as “food insecure” by a teacher, counselor, or by a parent, and possibly without a reliable food source on the weekends.
  2. 0 Donators
    United Way General Fund
    Donated: $21,647.00
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