Women's
Initiative
Creating brighter futures for children
| Women's Initiative : Resources |
Mutlimedia |
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How You Can Help |
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A dynamic group of women came together in 2004 to launch the United Way Women’s Initiative, a program designed to improve the lives of women, children and families across southeast Michigan. The members decided to harness their collective philanthropic resources to increase literacy rates for children in the region.
 Experts agree that the majority of learning occurs before
children enter school, and research shows that reading skills
provide the foundation for all school-based learning. Of the
children who have difficulty reading at grade level by third
grade, 10-15 percent will eventually drop out of school and
only 2 percent will complete a four-year college program.
Educational preparedness is part of United Way’s new Agenda
for Change work, aimed at equipping people with the tools to
be successful. By partnering with literacy programs throughout
Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, the United Way Women’s
Initiative is helping children ages 0-6 and their parents
access quality early childhood opportunities in their home.
We help children develop literacy skills
 Tiffany Dunlap, 19, enrolled in the early literacy program supported
by the Women’s Initiative nearly two years ago, after the
birth of her daughter, Tijenae.
“The program helps with Tijenae’s
development and my own,” said
Tiffany. “It helps me set goals and
make sure I have the resources I
need to be a good parent.”
Tiffany said her daughter’s language
skills developed slowly. However, in
the months since she began receiving
in-home reading instruction and
exposure to various educational
toys, Tijenae has made incredible
progress. She frequently asks her
mom to read to her, easily identifies
shapes and colors, and has
improved her vocabulary skills.
Tiffany has also benefited from the
program’s influence. She graduated
high school last year and is currently
studying to become a medical
assistant.
We get results
Over 200 families have received literacy training in their
homes through the initiative, and more parents and children
understand the value of the program. In these families:
- More than 91 percent of parents now recognize reading to their child regularly is vital to success in school
- 57 percent of preschoolers have shown improvement in
recognizing letters
- 61 percent have shown substantial improvement in their
awareness of printed materials
- 43 percent more preschool-age children are now asking their parents to read to them every day
(Source: Ty Partridge, Ph.D., Wayne State University)
Join us
Through advocacy, philanthropy and volunteerism, the
Women’s Initiative is producing impressive results, and
members are looking for others to join the effort. The
initiative is open to contributors who give $1,000 or
more annually to United Way. Get involved, today! Click here or call Ruth Mossok Johnston at 313-226-9239 for details.
“Our membership and reach is
expanding more than ever, but there
is always room at the table. Now is
the perfect time to join this energetic
group of women as we work to
change our children’s futures.” -
Christine K. Cortez, chair,
Women’s Initiative
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