United Way is continuously monitoring the changing landscape of human services needs in our communities. As we look to the next year, there will be the opportunity to expand and grow programs that will be beneficial to all living in Story County. With the beginning of another LIVE UNITED annual campaign, attention turns from identifying needs to attracting financial support for the solutions.
This year, UWSC conservatively estimates anticipated grant requests and program growth to total nearly $300,000 – which doesn’t include increased requests from agencies through the ASSET process. We live in a very generous community, but we know $300,000 would still be an uncharacteristic increase to attach to our campaign goal in just one year. However, it certainly indicates the increased need for support.
This year’s goal was announced as $2.1 million, $100,000 more than the 2015 goal, at the kickoff event on September 11. Read on for just a few examples of necessary program growth which demonstrates the increased need for support.
The proven solutions for anticipated requests and identified needs includes such programs as the expansion of Iowa Reading Corps, the continuation of the Workforce Training Academy and the introduction of an evaluation tool to measure impact.
Iowa Reading Corps will expand to include five additional Story County schools at the estimated increase of $30,000. To support the tremendous work of educators in our state, Iowa Reading Corps places trained AmeriCorps members in qualifying elementary schools to provide research-based literacy tutoring to students in kindergarten through third grade who are below grade level in reading. Members serve full-time in their schools and provide targeted, one-on-one literacy tutoring to Reading Corps students for 20 minutes each school day. United Way of Story County (UWSC) supported six members in six elementary schools this past school year and will support five additional members for the current school year.
The Workforce Training Academy, a pilot program initially funded through endowment earnings, will continue at an estimated $3,000 per certification. The Workforce Training Academy is a new program to Story County and helps meet the employment needs of businesses in our communities plus increases the earning potential of participants. The program provides training to adults to help them become certified and connected to in-demand employment. The two certification programs that are being piloted at the DMACC Career Academy Hunziker Center include Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) and Construction Specialists. The goal of the program is to help individuals gather new skills in an effort to help them increase their earning potential and lead them on a path to self-sufficiency.
Providing partner agencies with an evaluation tool and training that will better inform UWSC’s work will be introduced at an estimated $20,000. It is important that we understand and document the needs that are prevalent in our community, but it is even more important that we measure the progress made on improving conditions for all. This information will help us make better decisions in where to invest your donated dollars.
Thank you for your interest in United Way. Great things happen when we live united, and we greatly appreciate the community’s help in supporting solutions for increased human service needs.