CHILDREN AND YOUTH
United Way invested in 30 partner agency-based programs during FY’09 that served more than 90,900 children and youth (ages 0-17) throughout both Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties. Funded programs focused on United Way’s three intermediate outcomes:
- Children enter kindergarten ready for school (ages 0-5)
- Children and youth achieve academic success (ages 5-17)
- Children and youth develop strong life skills (ages 5-17)
In addition, United Way of Tampa Bay has created specific programs to help low income parents with a variety of opportunities to help their children succeed:
• United Way’s Children’s Book Drive has collected more than 285,000 books since its inception in 2006. In August 2008, approximately 85,000 books were collected and distributed to school-age children in economically disadvantaged schools in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.
• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Hillsborough County is an early literacy initiative designed to help children enter kindergarten ready for school. The program puts a free age-appropriate book in the hands of children from birth to kindergarten each month. Through June 30, 2009, more than 109,000 books have been delivered to over 11,000 children enrolled in the program.
• United Way’s Summer Care initiative ensures that low-to-moderate income families have access to quality, affordable child care while providing parents with financial literacy classes. In 2008, Summer Care served 591 children, saving families more than $441,750 in child care expenses. Simultaneously, parents and guardians participated in financial literacy classes learning about budgeting, dollar-stretching, and credit/debt management.
United Way is devoted to making our children’s education a priority—entering kindergarten ready for school to graduating from high school inspired to seek additional higher education.