WOMEN UNITED

Women United supports programs and initiatives focused on Early Childhood Success in central Iowa.

Book Buddy

Children who start behind in kindergarten often stay behind in school. As a Book Buddy volunteer, you can help shape the future for children by preparing them for a successful start in kindergarten. Each week volunteers are paired with one or two students to read the selected book and review curriculum questions for 15 minutes and then repeat the activity with another student.

Even with prep time, the opportunity only requires 40 minutes. Reading begins mid-October and continues through April - a total of 24 weeks with breaks scheduled around holidays and spring break. Invite a friend or colleague to alternate a weekly shift! 

Opportunities are weekday mornings from 9:20 to 10:00 am. Choose the day and location that works best for you:

• Bidwell Riverside Child Dev. Center
  1203 Hartford Ave
  Tuesday or Friday
  
  
• Capitol Park
  800 E 12th Street
  Wednesday or Friday
  
  
• CFI Child Development Center
  801 Forest Ave
  Tuesday or Thursday
  
  
• Conmigo
  828 Scott Avenue
  Wednesday or Thursday
  
  
• House of Mercy
  1409 Clark St.
  Tuesday or Friday
  
  
• Oak Academy
  1401 Center Street
  Tuesday or Thursday
  
• Perry Child Development Center
  920 18th St. (not pictured on map)
  Perry, Iowa 50220
  Tuesday or Thursday
  
  
• West Des Moines Child Care Center
  1721 25th St. Ste. 200
  West Des Moines, IA 50266
  Tuesday or Thursday
  
• Wonder Years Academy
  3838 MLK Parkway
  Tuesday or Wednesday

Program results are compelling – three years after reading with a mentor, 10% more students are reading proficiently than their peers not Book Buddy. Even more convincing are the bright smiles and growing confidence of Book Buddy students! Join our team of readers or contact Rachel to learn more at bookbuddy@unitedwaydm.org or (515) 554-1417. Process includes a one-hour training and background check.

Book Buddy wouldn't exist without the support of Women United.

Stuff The Bus

According to early literacy research, within the U.S., access to books is essential to reading development: the only variable that directly correlates with reading scores is the number of books in the home.

However, most recent data describes a profound, even shocking gap: while the ratio of books to children in middle-income neighborhoods is approximately 13 books to 1 child, the ratio in low-income neighborhoods is 1 book to 300 children. Additionally, more than 80 percent of childcare centers serving low-income children lack age-appropriate books.

Women United Early Learning Centers

** Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC sets professional standards for early childhood education, and to help families identify high-quality child care and early education programs. To earn NAEYC's accreditation, a program conducts a self-study to determine how well it meets the standards. After necessary improvements are made, the program is observed by professional validators and then reviewed by a national panel. Programs are accredited by NAEYC for a five-year period.

Women United Funded Programs by Strategy

Strategy 1.1: Provide access to preventive health services that foster positive & mental health development

• Smile Squad
• Licensed Social Worker
• First Five/Developmental Screening
• Connections in Primary Care

Strategy 1.2: Strengthen parenting skills & resources to promote early learning and interaction at home

• Literacy Specialist
• Literacy Support
• Play & Learn

Strategy 1.3: Expand access to & improve the quality of early care & education environments for at-risk children

• Early Childhood Consultants
• Teddy Bear Town
• Quality Early Learning Centers (6)
• Reach of the Stars (Warren & Dallas; CCR&R)
• Early Childhood Quality Initiative
• Child Care Nurse Consultants
• Quality Rating System (QRS) Actions Plans
• Dallas County Gap Funding (CCNC)
• Scholarships

Strategy 1.4: Improve quality of training & professional development for early care & education providers

• TEACH Scholarships
• Refugee Child Care Providers
• Training & Development
• WAGE$

Strategy 1.5: Increase availability & utilization of quality preschool for at-risk children

• Book Buddies
• Reach Out & Read