Consider this: 5.6 million US teens and young adults ages 16 to 24 are neither in school nor working. Many of these "disconnected youth" are simply cut off from the education and career paths that could help them live a good life and make positive contributions to our society and our economy.
UPDATES
Dear friends and colleagues:
One of the hardest choices we face is how to answer the many appeals from charities. We wish we could say "yes" to everyone, but we know we can't. It's hard to choose.
That's why we're grateful for United Way. By contributing, you're helping to address needs and improve lives throughout Gibson County. United Way funds and creates long-term, effective solutions to our community's most pressing needs. United Way brings people together to get things done that make Gibson County a better place to live, work and play.
Thanks to our many volunteers we were able to complete several service projects in our community during our Week of Caring event this past September. Volunteers worked at various non-profits throughout the week completing projects. By working together with United Way, we are able to dedicate our time to one organization but help so many.
While working with 12 different partner agencies, United Way is able to united people, organizations and resources to improve lives in Gibson County. We do this by trying to provide the basic building blocks of a good life: Education, Income and Health. Our approach is less about helping on person at a time and more about changing systems to address root causes, not just the symptoms, of problems.
United Way of Gibson County is also the local champion and funder for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library that benefits all Gibson County children from birth thru age 5 if the register for the program. United Way of Gibson County has enrolled over 800 Gibson County Children ages birth- 5 years old for the program. These children receive a free book each month mailed to their home until their fifth birthday.
We have seen and experienced firsthand the benefits the United Way funding has provided. The impact our partner organizations have on our community is truly incredible and we invite all of you to learn more about these great organizations.
Thank you in advance for your generosity to our annual Community Campaign. it takes an entire community to make a difference and LIVE UNITED!
Sincerely,
Jamie K. Schafer
Executive Director
Nationally, two-thirds of students are not reading on grade level by 4th grade. That proportion rises to four-fifths for children from low-wage families. Our work in the area of early grade literacy will enable us to identify, fuel and replicate best practices in our local schools.
To be financially stable, working families need housing that is affordable. Today, more than 4 million working families spend more than half of their income for rent and/or mortgages, leaving them particularly vulnerable to eviction or foreclosure if their income is interrupted.
Advancing the common good is less about helping one person at a time and more about changing systems to help all of us. We are all connected and interdependent. We all win when a child succeeds in school, when families are financially stable, when people are healthy.
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