Dear Editor:

With the first meeting of the New Year for the Action Council of United Way of Greater Cincinnati – Eastern Area, I was struck by the wide range of discussion topics we covered, illustrating the many ways United Way is involved in Brown and Clermont counties.

• Child Focus, a United Way agency partner, is hosting a new site for free tax preparation as part the Earned Income Tax Credit initiative. It’s at 551-B Cincinnati-Batavia Pike, Cincinnati OH 45244. Check out www.Makeworkpay.com for hours, to see if you qualify, what to bring, and more. Or call United Way 211 (just dial 2-1-1).

• United Way will host a speed mentoring event in early March at Glen-Este, Amelia, and Bethel-Tate high schools in partnership with Clermont Chamber Foundation’s Workforce Readiness Initiative, which works to create a healthy economy by supporting and developing high school students as our future workforce. Speed mentoring is designed to facilitate a series of short, focused conversations between volunteer mentors/professionals and high school students in order to:

• Provide a positive experience, inspire and provoke introspection among students about life after high school and college;

• Raise awareness of the benefits of mentoring and United Way’s support of education; and

• Facilitate the creation of mentoring relationships.

• Stephanie Byrd, executive director, United Way Success by Six®, gave an overview United Way’s kindergarten readiness efforts and the importance of quality pre-school in getting children ready for kindergarten. “In this country, we typically spend 90 percent of education dollars on programs for children over age 5. However, 90 percent of brain development occurs before age 5.

“This has implications for future workforce development,” she said. “United Way strategies to achieve our community’s Bold Goal by 2020 of 85 percent of our region’s children prepared for kindergarten include home visiting programs, access to quality early learning and parent engagement.”

These strategies are in place in Brown and Clermont counties through programs that include Ready Schools, YWCA’s Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters/HIPPY and a new United Way place matters initiative in Williamsburg. These efforts focus on kindergarten readiness and third grade reading proficiency, essential tools for ensuring children’s future success in school and life.

In addition, one of United Way’s new programs is the Clermont County Safety Net Alliance (CCSNA), a program led by Clermont County Community Services, Inc. It is part of an effort that helps enhance alignment and coordination of resources that can ultimately break the cycle of poverty and help reach the Bold Goals for Our Region by 2020.

CCSNA formed in 2012 to improve, coordinate and manage existing emergency assistance services in the county.

“Doing together what we cannot do separately is our goal,” says Billie Kuntz, executive director, Clermont County Community Services.

Want to get involved or learn more about how United Way helping improve people’s lives in your community? Visit www.uwgc.org or contact Sarah Ghee, director, UWGC – Eastern Area at 513-536-3005 or Sarah.Ghee@uwgc.org.

Matt Van Sant
President,
Clermont Chamber of Commerce Chair,
United Way of Greater Cincinnati – Eastern Area