Every year it is amazing to look back and see what the power of collaboration has made possible. By donors, volunteers, community partners, non-profits, and governments all coming together, we get closer and closer to breaking the cycle of poverty. This year there are so many successes that Valley of the Sun United Way gets to celebrate because of you.
Impact For Kids
Helping kids succeed in school means making sure every child has equal access to resources and opportunities and can focus on their education. In 2019:
- 8,000 School Readiness Kits were distributed to help parents incorporate learning into everyday activities and get their little ones ready to enter school
- 70,142 students received Breakfast in the Classroom to start the day off right and focus on lessons, not hunger
- 163,405 mentoring hours ensured youth have positive connections
Impact For Families
When a family is making tough decisions every day like whether to pay the rent or buy groceries, it is difficult to get back on your feet. Providing a way to get connected to services makes it easier and helps families in our community feel supported. This year:
- 5,579 people received financial coaching to get assistance in setting and meeting their individual and personal household financial goals
- 635,646 people received emergency meals so food was on the table for the whole family
- 3,766 individuals in workforce development programs obtained employment
Impact For Neighborhoods
Surrounding a community with full circle support can change the lives of so many people within it. In 2019 and continuing into 2020, one of the local neighborhoods we have focused on is the Murphy Elementary School District. The district is home to 1,540 students in PreK through 8th grade located in south-central Phoenix. The students in these schools face numerous challenges as the lowest-income, off-reservation district in Arizona. Some of these challenges include being well below state standard test scores, high staff turnover, and 90% or more students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. By providing students with the tools to improve their literacy skills, stimulating learning opportunities, and the proper supplies at school and in the home, we are providing hope for their academic future.
These are just a few examples of the many successes we’ve seen this year. Check out all our numbers in the full impact report on www.vsuw.org/impact.
