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Valley of the Sun United Way has launched an innovative online tutoring program, called Vello, for students and volunteer tutors to connect and read books from a virtual library to improve a child’s reading ability.
See what a difference can be made and how you can be a part of it for your community.
Thanks to Valley of the Sun United Way’s Helping the Working Poor funds, Rasheedah was recently able to go back to school to earn a degree so she could better provide for her family. Donations to Helping the Working Poor fund are eligible for a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit up to $400 for single filer and $800 for couples.
On December 15, Valley of the Sun United Way held Project Connect at Monte Vista Church in Phoenix, where 250 individuals experiencing homelessness or people struggling to make ends meet gained access to life-changing resources all in one place.
Students at Brunson-Lee Elementary School in Phoenix are getting grounded in learning to grow food. But they’re also learning about sustainability with these community gardens that were recently unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony at the school. By planting the seed with community gardens, Valley of the Sun United Way, along with schools, community groups, and the private sector, hope to grow awareness with families and provide access to nutritious and sustainable food.
It seems like a lot of money — $2.5 million – but it’s actually priceless when you consider the money was used to get 250 homeless people off the streets in Phoenix into their own apartment as part of Rapid Rehousing, a program that helps with rent and supportive services for a short time.
Did you know that children living in food-insecure households are 50 percent more likely to miss days of school, twice as likely to be suspended and 50 percent more likely to have to repeat a grade? This is happening right here in OUR community. Children in 82,000 Valley households don’t know where their next meal is coming from.To put that number in context: If one refrigerator from each of these households were lined up, they would reach rim-to-rim and back again at the Grand Canyon!
Life is about making choices. Unfortunately, for some families in Maricopa County, those choices are choosing between paying for groceries or child care and paying utility bills or rent. Many parents give up on the dream of going to college to provide for their family. Making these types of choices makes it tough to break free from the cycle of poverty.
Triple-digit heat didn’t stop 700 dedicated volunteers from showing up on Unite: Day of Action to paint murals, plant gardens, clean up graffiti, and stuff WeekEnd Hunger Backpacks in communities across the valley. In all, there were 16 different projects going on at the same time. Below are hi-lights from this large scale event!
Some things are easy to take for granted in life: a place to live, a job, a driver’s license or state-issued ID, and even a birth certificate. Think about what life would be like if you didn’t have any of these things. It’s hard to imagine, but men and women live this way on any given day in Maricopa County.
