At the LIVE UNITED celebration on April 24, 2019, United Way of Central Iowa announced progress toward the community’s Goals for 2020 in Education, Income, and Health with the release of its 2019 Community Impact Report. The event also honored Athene with the Spirit of Central Iowa award, along with several organizations and individuals for their efforts to improve central Iowa over the past year.
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Updated October, 29, 2018
This holiday season, as wrapping paper is ripped off gifts, many kids will find hidden gems among their toys: books that will take them on adventures and turn them into lifelong readers and learners. But not all kids will get them.
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A community-wide effort to improve central Iowa students’ reading skills has recruited 500 reading mentors and launched several strategies that are showing success. United Way of Central Iowa announced the results of its READ to SUCCEED campaign at Willard Elementary School on September 11, 2018.
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United Way of Central Iowa announced a new name for the Women’s Leadership Connection (WLC) at its 2018 Premier Event on August 30, 2018. The new name—Women United—honors a diverse and vibrant group of women leaders who are making an impact locally for kids and worldwide through the United Way network. In central Iowa, more than $21 million has been contributed to kids ages 0-8 over the group’s 16-year history.
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One in three central Iowans doesn't earn enough to cover basic expenses without support. Many struggle to find enough food to eat or a place to sleep at night, while others manage by piecing together jobs and support. Yet, they are one flat tire or one emergency room visit away from crisis.
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The percentage of central Iowa students graduating high school within five years increased to an all-time high of 93.6 in 2016, from 92.8 percent in the prior year, according to data released by the Iowa Department of Education on April 11. The increase moves the region closer toward its Community Goal for 2020 to increase graduation rates to 95 percent and is up more than 10 percentage points over nine years.
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After a long and hopefully fulfilling weekend focused on food, family, and finding the best shopping deals, today is an opportunity to focus on another side of the holiday season.
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Youth in central Iowa, particularly those living in poverty, are much more likely to graduate high school and earn more money throughout their lives if they’re well prepared to succeed from the start. According to the Urban Institute, over a third of youth contribute over 20% of the total annual income of their households, and one tenth contribute over 50%.
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For many students, for many reasons, college may not be an option. Yet, many alternative paths exist that can lead to well-paying jobs and long-term financial stability. As stakeholders at businesses, schools, nonprofits, and the community, we have an opportunity to help all students understand their options and support them in taking the next step toward a better future.
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As Book Buddy volunteers met their preschool reading partners over the past few weeks—the kids they will be working with throughout the school year—they were greeted with smiles and hugs.
They were also met with some gratifying new data that makes the hard work they are about to put in over the next six months all the more meaningful.
United Way of Central Iowa assesses the progress of Book Buddy students over the course of the year as they read twice weekly with volunteers.
During the 2016-17 school year, 74% of Book Buddy students showed growth on the literacy assessment.
Even more impressive, 60 percent of the kids showed mastery of or demonstrated strong reading and writing skills by the end of the year, despite the fact that kids in the Book Buddy centers start the school year with lower scores than kids at centers that don't have the Book Buddy program.
The most dramatic data point, however, demonstrates that this improvement is not just a blip for these kids, but a long-term sustained impact on their lives.
Three years later, in first grade, the Book Buddy students scored 10% higher than their Des Moines Public School peers who didn't participate in Book Buddy on the FAST assessment for reading readiness.
Book Buddy volunteers, who spend 40 minutes a week reading with 4-year-olds and preparing them for kindergarten, can feel confident they are making an impact because the data backs it up.
Because of the volunteers' generosity, the children in the Book Buddy program are much more likely to read proficiently by the end of third grade. That makes them four times more likely to graduate from high school.
A high school graduate earns $700,000 more than a dropout during their lifetime and contributes to the overall economic health and development of central Iowa.
The kids don't know these numbers as they greet their Book Buddies will cheers and hugs each week. But they are grateful all the same.
Book Buddy is part of United Way of Central Iowa's READ to SUCCEED initiative to increase third-grade reading proficiency in central Iowa. Click below to learn more about how to get involved as a volunteer, parent or caregiver, or community member.
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United Way of Central Iowa is proud to have earned a four-star rating for 18 straight years from Charity Navigator, an American independent charity watchdog organization that evaluates charitable organizations in the United States. This record places United Way of Central Iowa in the top 1 percent of charities nationwide. Click the logo to review our complete evaluation.
United Way of Central Iowa has received a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, the world's largest source of information on nonprofit organizations. The seal is given to nonprofits who have achieved the highest level of transparency through disclosures, information made available to the public, and accuracy and frequency of updates. Click the logo to learn more.