United Way announces 10-year goals in education and financial stability

United Way and its stakeholders want to see measurable change in our communities. Knowing that “what matters gets measured” the board has set 10-year goals in Education and in Financial Stability.

In Education, United Way focuses on preschool children and middle school youth, building on four central strategies: increase literacy in English and math, improve social and emotional development, increase parent engagement, and build greater community support.

10-year Goals in Education - By 2020 we want:

• 75% of kindergarteners to enter school ready to learn. Currently at 50%.
• 90% of 3rd and 8th graders to meeting reading standards. Currently, 69% meet standards.
• 75% of middle school students to demonstrate commitment to school. Currently at 56%.

Thanks to donors and partners who have stepped up on behalf of kids, we are making strides:

• 1,000 children and parents are reading more due to a partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
• 6,500 children are better prepared to start school. United Way is using a nationally-acclaimed assessment to develop social and emotional strengths in infants, children and preschoolers with a demonstrated improvement of 34%.
• 1,000 adults trained to provide youth with the key opportunities they need to succeed.

10-year goals in Financial Stability – By 2020 want:

• Increase by 10,000 the number of lower-income households that are saving.
• To decrease by 50% the number of lower-income families relying on tax refund loans
• To increase the number of eligible Earned Income Tax Credit filers by 15% to 38,000.

Thanks to donors and partners who have stepped up on behalf of families, we are making strides:

• $10 million in income tax refunds for low- and moderate-income families, including over $3 million in Earned Income Tax Credits.
• This fall, United Way and its partners will launch Bank On North Sound, an initiative to connect people to affordable financial services.