In 2015, Horace Holmes, Jr. joined United Way of Central Georgia. We spoke with him about his role in providing hope to people seeking assistance from United Way.
What does a typical day at United Way look like for you?
Veronica Benitez contacted the 2-1-1 help line to find diapers and found that United Way of Central Georgia offers a variety of family services.
"It took me awhile to call, but when I received a response from United Way, it was just so friendly, that I felt like I had finally had someone I could turn to," explained Veronica.
United Way of Central Georgia is proud to announce that Daniel Charles, the program supervisor for Parents as Teachers, has been named the Georgia Home Visiting Supervisor of the Year. Daniel was selected from nearly 40 home visiting programs in the state. Daniel supervises our Parent Educators who provide home visits and family connection meetings to families in our local communities using an evidence-based model for parent education. The program provides parents with resources and knowledge to help their children succeed at school and in life.
United Way of Central Georgia's commitment to disrupting the cycle of family poverty starts at birth. Children born into poverty have greater odds of not being ready for school than children not born into poverty. Our Parents as Teachers program enrolls families from the beginning of pregnancy until the child enters kindergarten. Over 500 families were served this past year through one of our birth-eight initiatives.
Read United is United Way of Central Georgia's comprehensive literacy program that combines school-based tutoring with a structured tutoring model built on volunteerism.
Dr. Sherri Flagg became involved in UWCG's Read United program as a volunteer. "Giving back to my community was important to me, so when I heard about the opportunity to help my former elementary school, L.H. Williams, I leaped at the chance to give back to others," said Dr. Flagg.
What is the connection between reading at grade level by 3rd grade and graduating high school? Reading proficiency by third grade is the most important predictor of high school graduation and career success. It is estimated that two-thirds of Georgia's third-graders are not reading at grade level. Children who can't read proficiently by 3rd grade are 4 times more likely to drop out of high school. As part of our efforts to disrupt the cycle of family poverty in Central Georgia, reading plays a key role.
ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, & represents the growing number of working families who struggle to afford the basics:housing, childcare, food, transportation, healthcare, and technology.
What is a Community School? We get asked this question often. A Community School serves as a hub for the community by providing a rigorous and relevant educational program that is integrated with family and community involvement. Currently, there are about 5,000 community schools in the United States, and a study indicated that every dollar invested in community schools provides an additional $12-$15 in social benefit. For a community school to succeed, it requires many complex partnerships and strategic planning.