Transcript Document
There’s a new kind of need in our region. Thousands of children and families that never asked for help before are asking for assistance. Family homelessness is at an all-time high, including more than 17,000 children. Last year, we helped more than 11,000 people keep or get homes. One in four working families in Massachusetts doesn’t earn enough to cover basic costs of living. Last year, we helped 733,775 people receive emergency food. Massachusetts’ jobless rate is the highest in years. Last year, we helped nearly 13,000 gain competitive job skills. We must join together to meet the crisis of today with a strong, hopeful vision of tomorrow. United Way is helping today and strengthening tomorrow by focusing on 3 key community impact areas: Children: Ensure children are ready to learn when they enter school Youth: Keep kids engaged in learning so they graduate able to compete Families: Help families achieve financial stability Children Too many children are entering school not ready to learn. United Way served 21,953 young children in quality early care and education programs that help them develop and gain the skills they need for kindergarten. Your support also ensured that 8,400 young children were screened early and that more than 500 identified with developmental and behavioral concerns were referred to services that could help them and their families. Children Many parents don’t know how to support their child’s healthy development. United Way’s Born Learning campaign ensures parents have information and resources they need to support their child’s healthy development and learning. United Way is spearheading a community-based initiative in Allston-Brighton that is coordinating the neighborhood’s network of organizations that serve young children to help families better access existing support services in a timely manner. Youth There’s an achievement gap and disparities in the drop out rate. Your support enrolled 138,000 youth in high quality afterschool and out-of-school time programs that support learning and positive youth development. United Way’s Summer Experiences in Greater Lowell (SEGL) program also helped bridge the summer achievement gap for 3,000 youth in the Merrimack Valley. Youth Low-income youth lack the skills needed to compete in the 21st century workforce. United Way collaborates with afterschool programs and the region’s healthcare, life sciences and technology industries to help our youth succeed in the sciences and inspire the next generation of professionals. Many youth don’t have caring adults in their lives to support and guide them. Your support matched 6,000 youth with mentors. More than 60% of these matches lasted for one or more years. Families Many families struggle to meet their basic needs. Your support provided direct aid for food, fuel, clothing and emergency housing assistance to nearly 20,000 families through the Community Support Fund. Families Family homelessness is at an all-time high. Your support helped prevented 10,000 families from becoming homeless, placed 2,000 in permanent homes and developed or preserved 7,400 units of affordable housing. Many families lack the tools and resources to achieve financial stability. United Way provided 14,000 individuals with basic and job skills training, placed more than 4,000 in full-time jobs, provided 3,000 with financial education and helped 700 families secure the Earned Income Tax Credit. Together, we can do more than any one of us can alone. No other single organization has the scope, expertise and influence to bring together hundreds of human services agencies, government, businesses, private foundations and volunteers around a common vision. • Partnered with the City of Boston to implement, Thrive in 5, a 10-year plan to achieve universal school readiness for 39,000 young children. • Convened more than 80 leaders from state government, United Ways, and other key stakeholders to create a coordinated publicprivate Massachusetts Action Plan to improve the odds for youth. • Opened the United Way Financial Stability Center, powered by SPIN, to provide families in Lynn with the supports and services they need to move from poverty to economic security. Donate to support our work. Join others as a voice for change. Create the most impact with your time. Unite your hopes, talent and time with others to advance the common good. Reach out to one and influence the condition of all. Join the LIVE UNITED movement. Thank you.