Preparing Kids Sure Feels Good! The Best Programs in Cass and Clay Counties to End Childhood Poverty
This fall we’ll be uplifting the work we do together to help prepare kids to succeed. This year, we are approving funding for some pretty exciting programs that are proven to help children in poverty. We wanted to share the latest United Way Community Partners with you and welcome them (some back again!) to the United Way family.
How do we decide what programs to fund?
We thoughtfully select the programs we fund based on community need, alignment to our strategic goals, and those that can demonstrate the biggest, measurable impact. Community members, just like you, serve as volunteers to review each application, do site visits, review financials, and hear proposals. Based on these reviews, our volunteers recommend which programs we should fund.
With the help of our volunteers, we are confident we are honoring our commitment to our donors and investing in the most impactful programs to help get and keep our local children out of poverty.
What do we hope to achieve?
- 1,390 children enrolled in a high-quality, early childhood education program
- 969 families gaining knowledge of early childhood development and parenting strategies
- 813 families receiving resources to support their child(ren)’s early learning and development
- 87% children demonstrating growth on developmental milestones
- 434 of children entering kindergarten socially, emotionally, and academically ready for kindergarten
Who will be receiving funding?
- Jasmin Child Care: New overnight care, tailored for parents working 2nd and 3rd shifts
- Umoja Program, Youthwork: Unique, youth development and leadership program located within local High Schools
- Jeremiah Program: Increased access to quality care for single, low-income moms perusing higher education
- Friends of the Children: Growth of proven, national program to provide mentors to at-risk kids
- Carl Ben Eielson Middle School (FPS), EL Berger Elementary School (WFPS), and Eastwood Elementary School (WFPS): Add 3 coordinators to provide services where kids are at – school
- Northern Cass Public Schools: An additional classroom to expand rural options for families
- Fargo-Adult Learning, Even Start: An additional classroom to expand access for families with parents enrolled in ELL or GED classes
- CAPLP Summer Head Start: Summer Head Start programming for 20 students
- Fargo Public Schools’ Even Start Family Literacy Program: Add third pre-k classroom
- Moorhead Area Public Schools Jump Start: Quality pre-k program for low-income families
- SENDCAA’s Child Care Center and YMCA’s of Cass and Clay Counties: Child care scholarships for low-income families to access high-quality childcare
- YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties West Fargo Child Development Center: Program to ensure all kindergarteners are entering school ready to learn
- Boys and Girls Clubs of the Red River Valley Afterschool & Club Programming: Reduce costs for low-income families to participate in quality afterschool programming
We are so excited to fund these proven programs and see their impact in helping our community’s children thrive.