Recently, United Way of Story County (UWSC) announced a record-breaking fundraising effort, with $2,165,523.90 raised through the 2016 LIVE UNITED campaign. The money raised through the annual campaign is allocated to programs within Story County that focus on the areas of education, income and health – the three building blocks for a good quality of life.
Last month, this column showcased how the campaign money is allotted back into these three areas through the ASSET process. Over the next three months we will focus on how the funding is broken down between the three initiatives of education, income, and health, and the funding that happens outside of the ASSET process through community grants.
Forty-four percent of UWSC’s annual campaign funds are invested back into the community in the area of education. These funds are allotted to a wide range of programs, allowing a large cross section of the community to be positively impacted.
Raising Readers of Story County’s (RRSC) Reading Corners is a UWSC funded program that promotes reading in children as young as the preschool level. This unique program provides literacy-rich areas in public reception rooms to encourage families to enjoy books together while they wait. This year UWSC was able to fund $3,000 toward this program, resulting in the establishment of two new Reading Corners!
As children progress through childhood and into adolescence there are UWSC funded programs that correspond with their aging educational needs. The Bertha Bartlett Public Library Foundation’s Tween Read of Story County received a $1,524 grant from UWSC. The program is for children in 4th through 6th grade who sign up and commit to reading the same book and come to weekly discussions. This challenges youth to read at an age-appropriate level while simultaneously promoting reading for comprehension.
Another aspect of the community that the education programming addresses is low income neighborhoods. RRSC’s Family Literacy Programs in Low Income Neighborhoods takes two approaches in its goal toward literacy: Storytime and Coffee & Chat. Storytime is an after-school program that is held twice a month, where children receive a snack and read one-on-one or two-to-one with volunteers. A theme is chosen for the day and the session begins with a song, bringing everyone together. Two or three stories based on that common theme are read to the group, with music and movement activities interwoven into their learning. The themes blend science, mathematics, culture, social emotional problem solving, character education, and art. To further enhance the stories, the participants are led in making an open-ended craft that they can take home. All sessions promote the concept that reading is fun and stories can come to life through organized, tangible activities. Coffee & Chat integrates a vital factor in children’s literacy: parents. Here, meaningful conversations take place, such as the best ways to help young, non-readers "read" the pictures in storybooks. Previous exchanges between the moms included conversations about their parenting difficulties and possible solutions. Usually, building relationships with their children through reading is emphasized. UWSC allotted $5,000 towards this program to support literacy among low income children and their families.
A very critical time for the promotion of education activities is in the summer months. Without educational opportunities, children may experience learning loss and be at a deficit when they return to school in the fall. Youth & Shelter Services’ (YSS) Story County Summer Enrichment Program is a UWSC funded program that offers the opportunity for educational engagement throughout the summer months. YSS currently provide full day, full summer enrichment programs in 6 elementary schools. This year USWC was able to allocate $ 16,942 toward the Story County Summer Enrichment Program and help support literacy all year round.
Education is a key component to a good quality of life. Through allocation of funds from our annual campaign, UWSC is able to supplement programming aimed toward improving literacy throughout Story County. Reading Corners, Tween Read of Story County, Family Literacy Programs in Low Income Neighborhoods and Story County Summer Enrichment Programs are just a few examples of UWSC funded programs that are making an impact on education in Story County and reaching a large cross section of the community.
UWSC is a strategic leader in building countywide partnerships to identify needs and to develop, support and evaluate effective human services, especially in the areas of education, income and health for our diverse community.
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