United Way works to end America’s education crisis

Education is the cornerstone of individual and community success. But with more than 1.2 million children dropping out each year, America faces an education crisis. The cost? More than $312 billion in lost wages, taxes and productivity over their lifetimes.¹ These trends are reversible, but only when communities and public, private and nonprofit sectors work together.

Our Goal

In 2008, United Way launched a 10-year initiative to cut the number of high school dropouts in half by 2018. It’s an ambitious goal, but by utilizing our core strengths — a national network, committed partners and public engagement capacity — we can achieve it.

About Success By 6™™

Success By 6™™ is a public and private partnership committed to ensuring that every child in our community is healthy, safe, nurtured and ready to succeed in school by age six. The first six years of children's lives shape their futures, and the success of our community depends on the success of our children. United Way of Pinal County is the catalyst and convener of this community initiative.

This initiative is rooted in the understanding that the earliest years are critical to human development. Ensuring that quality early childhood services are available and continued requires a long-term commitment from families, service providers, policymakers, businesses, educators and civic leaders.

The Success By 6™ initiative provides a structure to encourage people and organizations to work together for the benefit of children. This initiative offers unique opportunities for collaborations and partnerships among the public and private sectors. These collaborations and partnerships represent our community's commitment to doing what it takes to help the youngest members of our community achieve success. Monthly trainings that help parents and providers and the annual “READ TO KIDS DAY” all work to help and support children and the adults in their lives.

Mission Statement

Helping all children succeed for life.

Vision Statement

Success By 6™ is a public/private Initiative created to address the issue of childcare in Pinal County. Our goal is to prepare all children to succeed before entering school. We believe nurturing children within a safe, healthy, and stimulating environment promotes socially, emotionally, and intellectually prepared students who are then prepared to succeed in school. In our effort to improve the quality of childcare available, we are addressing the needs of parents, childcare providers and employers through a variety of educational and informative activities.

Friend, Family and Neighbor Caregivers Outreach Assistance Project

United Way of Pinal County has been awarded a $355,000 grant to recruit and provide support to Friend, Family and Neighbor home care providers. The focus will be on recruiting 60 unregulated lawful home providers (providing childcare services to 4 or less children) who are already serving families with children birth to five, but are not required to be regulated or licensed by the State of Arizona. Participants will be recruited throughout all communities in Pinal County and the Ak-Chin Indian Community.
Currently, many children in Pinal County are in Family, Friend and Neighbor care for all or part of their day. The goal of the project is to provide access to resources, training, networking and professional development opportunities for home child care providers.
Participants will receive information on safety, health, child development and a myriad of other topics. Home providers will receive incentives such as books/incentives and door prizes for participating in the community trainings.

Child care will be provided for participants during networking and training events with five (5) days advance notice.

Participants may be eligible to receive up to $2,000 in environmental quality improvement supplies to improve their home child care setting and $500 is set aside for participants choosing to become a licensed or certified child care provider. As a result, the children in their care are better equipped to succeed in school and life.

The United Way of Pinal County Friend, Family and Neighbor Caregivers Outreach Assistance Project is brought to you by First Things First (FTF) (www.azftf.gov), approved by Arizona voters and works to ensure that our youngest children have access to quality early childhood experiences so they will start school healthy and ready to succeed. Across the state, FTF regional partnership councils in collaboration with local leaders identify the educational and health needs of children from birth through age five in their communities and fund strategies to address those needs.

Child Care Provider Resource Training

Do you want to learn how to promote safety, health and nutrition in a fun, hands on manner to encourage “teachable moments” in your child care environment? Home child care providers are encouraged to attend one of these exciting training opportunities in your community.

TO REGISTER CALL: 520.836.0736/1.800.390.0736

A minimum of five (5) participants must be registered in advance.

Trainings will be held at the following locations and times throughout Pinal County:

Download schedule to print in pdf

This program is brought to you by First Things First (FTF), approved by Arizona voters and works to ensure that our youngest children have access to quality early childhood experiences so they will start school healthy and ready to succeed.  www.azftf.gov

United Way helps Americans achieve financial stability

As many as one-third of working Americans do not earn enough money to meet their basic needs. Wages have not kept pace with the rising cost of housing, healthcare and education. Our nation's personal savings rate in 2006 was the lowest since the Great Depression, -1%. For families walking a financial tightrope, unable to save for college, a home or retirement, United Way is here to help.

Our Goal

In 2008, United Way initiated an ambitious 10-year plan to cut in half the number of lower-income families who are financially unstable. With your help, we believe that by 2018 we can help 1.9 million working families get on the road to economic independence.

United Way works for a healthier America

Whether it is a neighbor without health insurance, a victim of abuse, or someone struggling with mental illness or an addiction, United Ways are working to ensure everyone has access to affordable and quality care.

Our Goal

Since 2008, we've been working to achieve our bold, 10-year goal: to increase by one-third the number of youth and adults who are healthy and avoid risky behaviors by 2018.