United Way of Allen County's Women United

Low-income preschoolers are more likely to succeed when enrolled in high-quality child care.
Data from the HighScope Educational Research Foundation, Carolina Abecedarian Project shows that low- income children in high quality early childhood programs exhibit stronger early reading and math skills than their peers. These low-income children
1) show significant gains in social emotional skills 2) are less likely to be retained a grade
3) are less likely to be placed in special education programs 4) greatly increase their likelihood of being in school at age 21 and of attending a four-year university.

More than 500 local children are waiting for quality childcare.
United Way partners with several fully accredited local child care centers to provide a sliding fee scale for the children of low-income residents. Currently, the partners report a total waiting list ofmore than 500 children seeking high-quality, low-cost child care.

Investment in child care gets results.
The local child care centers (funded in part by United Way of Allen County) are all nationally accredited and primarily serve low-income families. Of the 806 children enrolled in these programs in 2009, more than 82 percent experienced appropriate developmental gains as measured using a nationally recognized assessment tool.

WOMEN UNITED MENTORING EFFORTS
The Women United Mentoring Program is designed to empower the next generation of women
so they can engage in and strengthen the Fort Wayne community through leadership, fundraising
and advocacy.

The Mentorship process includes pairing experienced community leaders with new or potential Women United members to explore philanthropic leadership. Mentoring involves individual meetings and communication; together, the mentor and mentee decide on what to focus and how to make the relationship a success.

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
Women United members help to fund scholarships for low-income children to attend quality child care programs. Members can take part through a United Way workplace campaign, with a one-time payment or monthly payments.This year's theme, "each one, bring one," has the potential to bring membership levels to 500 women by 2015. Click here to download the Power Point presentation from this year's first quarterly meeting.

Membership levels
Introductory – no payment for a year (available to mentees, mentors, or persons serving in a volunteer or committee role within Women United)
Associate - $250/year; initial support of Women United
Full - $500/year; listed in United Way leadership roster; receive a Women United charm
Leadership - $1,000/year; all previous plus invited to all United Way leadership events
Platinum - $5,000/year; all previous plus additional United Way leadership functions
Tocqueville - $10,000/year; all previous plus United Way Tocqueville events and communication

To apply for membership please click here download the application, complete and mail to United Way of Allen County, 334 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802. Please send to the attention of Marcy Yoder.

Questions? Email us at WomenU@uwacin.org.

 
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