Of the 667,000 people living in poverty in Maricopa County, 1 in 4 are children. To break the cycle of poverty in our community and to help create equal opportunities for all children, Valley of the Sun United Way, our volunteers, our donors, and our partners fight for kids. Take a look at a few examples of what that means.
“I work at United Way to fight for kids,
because at this point in their lives they are too young to do it for themselves and need people like you and me to help advocate for them. The work at United Way makes a difference in kids’ lives by sparking the love of reading through the simple act of providing books and playing literacy rich games in summer programs. The work we do also helps connect them with peers and mentors who can assist them in navigating school and life. I love waking every day knowing that the work we do is changing kids’ lives for the better.”
– Eileana Gudiño
Valley of the Sun United Way Education Expert
Ready for Kindergarten
With quality childcare and School Readiness Kits, kids are able to keep up with their peers before they enter kindergarten by offering a place for them to build basic education skills outside the home. The tools for parents to teach kids within their home, allows everyone involved in a child’s life to access tips for a strong education that every child deserves.
More About School Readiness Kits
Reading Proficiently by 4th Grade
Some children in Arizona are being held back from their classmates because they aren’t reading at grade level by the end of 3rd grade. One-on-one tutoring with students who could benefit from guided reading sessions is a simple solution, but teachers can’t do it on their own while they take care of an entire classroom. With Vello, they don’t have to. Passionate volunteers are able to tutor students from anywhere through the use of a simple screen and audio share system, just like a webinar.
Quality After-School & Summer Programs
When school is out, whether it’s just for the day or for the summer season, some kids don’t have a safe place to go while their parents are still at work. By partnering with quality after-school and summer programs, we are able to not only provide a safe place, but also a place for kids to continue to learn and grow. These kinds of programs mean a lot to many students who are now able to participate in them and receive tutoring and mentoring from a caring adult offering an opportunity to learn more over the summer and maintain the progress they made over the school year, avoiding the summer slide!
