United Way works to end America’s education crisis - United Way of Danville Area works to enhance education for all ages
Education is the cornerstone of individual and community success. But with more than 1.2 million children dropping out each year nationwide, America faces an education crisis. The cost? More than $312 billion in lost wages, taxes and productivity over their lifetimes.1These trends are reversible, when communities and public, private and nonprofit sectors work together. United Way of Danville Area believes we must go upstream and start educating when children are young, engaging parents, grandparents, and care-givers, nurturing a love of life-long learning for all.
Our Goal
United Way of Danville Area's goal is to reduce poverty by investing in services that will strengthen our communities by empowering people to be productive members of the workforce, enabling them to to provide for their families. It is an ambitious, multi-faceted goal, but by utilizing strategies and approaches rooted in research and working with engaged, committed partners and the public — we can achieve it.
Our Strategy
Our strategy is to engage parents, schools, businesses, and local government to work together to help parents prepare their children for successful school and life; to help provide homework assistance, youth mentors, leadership development, and substance abuse resistance training for youth; and to provide job training and continuous education for adults in the workforce.
Our Focus Areas
- Enter school ready to succeed
- Read proficiently by 4th grade
- Make a successful transition to middle school
- Graduate from high school on time
- Be ready for success in college, work, and life
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Dolly's vision is to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month.
The United Way of Danville Area has partnered with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to provide Danville Area kids with free books.
Click here to download the application to register your child.
Education Research Overview
The Education Research Overview (PDF) gives communities and United Way partners a more detailed picture of the research grounding United Way’s cradle-to-career education continuum. It’s organized around United Way’s five education focus areas, dedicating one section to each. Each section frames the case for action (rooted in the latest research), offers strategies that experts suggest work, and gives examples of promising practices underway and innovative ideas from United Ways.
How You Can Help
To reach our goal, we need your help. The strategies proven to work are those that connect communities to their schools: parent involvement; literacy volunteers in the classroom; mentors for disadvantaged students; business leaders engaged in early childhood advocacy. Volunteer to help.