Bold Goals – Preparing Children to Succeed
PREPARE CHILDREN TO SUCCEED
TOGETHER WE THRIVE
Ensuring the longevity of our communities starts with preparing our children—not just for life, but for success. Giving young people the tools to thrive is essential to building a healthy, resilient community. But we know that it starts even earlier than that.
At United Way of Southeast Iowa, we address the root causes of household stress that affect a child’s early development. We empower parents with the resources they need to create a stable, nurturing environment where their children can grow and succeed. This means tackling homelessness, providing consistent meals for families, and funding activities that promote physical well-being and encourage curiosity.
IN OUR COMMUNITY
It can be difficult to reconcile that your child might be struggling, but you’re not alone. In Southeast Iowa:
- Roughly 18% of adults do not possess the knowledge of basic reading and writing. While NAEP Reading scores show that 27% of 4th graders, are below basic reading and writing comprehension. ⁽¹⁾
- An estimated 11% of children in Southeast Iowa are not enrolled in any school, public or private. This coincides with the rising number of adults, roughly 12%, that do not have a high school diploma or equivalent. ⁽¹⁾
- Disparity between households has caused our Child Opportunity Levels (COI⁽²⁾) to decrease rapidly over the last 4 years, lowering available opportunities for our youth to build a life in Southeast Iowa alongside their families. ⁽³⁾
In 2023, Our Community Worked to Achieve:
- 5,129 children received mental health counseling, counseling materials, drug education materials, treatment, and other varying forms of crisis therapies.
- 372 youths under age eighteen, and 114 children under age eight, received free YMCA memberships. Of this, 90 second-grade aged kids finally learned to swim, over the course of 360 safety lessons.
- 81 kids were able to attend camp, and receive membership fee waivers, for Scouts. Granting them an opportunity to develop their natural skills. This included, but not limited to: providing 56 Scouts with integral STEM education, and 100 Scouts reaching NOVA Award Status.
SPOTLIGHT
The following success stories are from our partnered agencies, highlighting how United Way Funding has impacted their programs. Each story has changed the client’s name for privacy reasons. No names displayed are of actual clients.
“Of the many Juvenile Court Service referrals that we have helped complete their service hours and get off probation, one young person stands out this last year. Their service stemmed from an assault charge. Additionally, this young person is currently in the foster care system. Through the time spent with this young person, we discussed strategies to cope with anger and worked through the some of the mental anguish associated with being in the foster care system. They turned out to be one of the hardest and dedicated workers at the Homestead this last year. They were able to use the skills we discussed to avoid and solve conflicts and bring fresh produce home to his foster family. Though their required hours have been long completed, this young person continues to give their time to help others. Without United Way funding, these kind of opportunities for young people to repair harm and become better community members would not exist.”
— Homestead 1839
“We have a lot of successes to share, however, the trend we are seeing in Southeast Iowa is that families with multiple children, especially those with both boys and girls are so excited to be able to do Scouts as a family. With the help of financial assistance, it has made it possible for them to sign up all of their children, when otherwise it would not be possible. One family has four children in the program now. They cut the cost of their registration and start-up fees from $580.00 to $170.00 they were able to not only register their children but also get their uniforms as well.”
— Mississippi Valley Boy Scouts
“Troop [REDACTED] from Burlington earned their Bronze Award, the highest award 4th and 5th grade Girl Scouts can earn by completing a service project at Starr’s Cave Nature Center. These dedicated Girl Scouts took on the impressive task of replacing the benches at Starr’s Cave Nature Center, and their hard work truly paid off. The troop met several times at the nature center to plan and research the best approach for their Take Action Project. Initially, they considered repainting the benches, but they soon realized a full replacement was necessary. Undeterred, the girls got to work, removing the old, rotted wood and installing 12 brand-new benches made from treated lumber. While guided by adults they learned how to properly use tools and equipment to cut, install, and sand the benches to perfection. Throughout the project, the girls enjoyed seeing their ideas come to life and witnessing the transformation of their meeting place. They gained valuable skills in teamwork, planning, and construction, which they can use in future projects. These skills not only benefit these Girl Scouts but also strengthen the community as a whole by fostering capable and confident young leaders.”
— Girl Scouts of America
