 |
|
|
91% vs 78% in Carteret!
91% of first graders in an after-school program initiated by United Way passed the year-end literacy assessment test. Only 78% of those not enrolled passed.
This free after-school program was available to all first graders enrolled in the Columbus School in Carteret as a result of United Way of Central Jersey and as part of a generous grant from the PSE&G Foundation.
United Way's focus in Carteret is on early grade reading because research shows that low-income students who fail Language Arts tests at the end of 3rd grade are 4 times more likely to drop out of High School. Nationally, one out of four students who enter High School every year drop out before graduation.
United Way of Central Jersey forms collaborations with community partners including families, government, schools and corporations to address the underlying causes of poor academic performance that can lead to high numbers of High School dropouts.
By supporting this effort, you can help lower the cost of welfare, medical care and incarceration as well as help to avoid thousands of individual personal tragedies. You can Advance the Common Good by helping to create opportunities for a better life. GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. LIVE UNITED. Contact Gloria Aftanski, President, for more information: gaftanski@uwcj.org | |
|
Rev. Dr. DeForest Soaries
Immigration Conference
"More than 140 social service providers said they will continue to network and cooperate after meeting at the first-ever immigration conference of the United Way of Central Jersey..." began the Home News Tribune report of June 29th.
The conference, "Building Relationships to Better Serve Immigrants," included a report by Dr. Anastasia Mann of research commissioned by UWCJ on county immigration patterns that illustrated the shifts in immigrant populations from Europeans to Asian and Latin American populations. Language and income barriers continue to be the primary barriers for immigrants.
The keynote speaker, Rev. Dr. DeForest "Buster" Soaries, told several compelling tales to support the conference objective: "nonprofits need to work together to better serve the immigrant population".
Service Providers spoke about the importance of early childhood development, especially pre-school, regardless of ethnicity. The conference also offered workshops on naturalization, legal services, education, English as a second language, and health.
For more information, please contact Gloria Aftanski at gaftanski@uwcj.org. | |
 21 Enrolled in Pre-K Summer Academy | |
UWCJ joined with Target in Milltown and the North Brunswick School District to address inadequate school preparation among low-income children. Do you know your colors, shapes and numbers? Do you know what a book is for? Too many children starting kindergarten do not have this basic knowledge, and it takes weeks for them to catch up.
Working with Parsons School, UWCJ developed a proposal for Target funding that resulted in the launch of the new Pre-K Academy. The children's skills were assessed before the start of the sessions and will be re-assessed at the end 4 weeks later. The children's progress will be tracked vs. a control group during the kindergarten year.
While this group of 22 children will benefit from only 3 days of instruction per week - and only for 3 hours in the morning each day - we hope to see measurable progress. Additional funding could increase the number of children reached or the hours of instruction. Parents are invited to join the program as volunteers in order to increase at-home engagement in their child's literacy development.
Please contact Gloria Aftanski for more information 732 247-3727. |
Parent-Child Home Program Graduation
Eighteen children completed two years of literacy training and were recognized along with their parents in a ceremony held by UWCJ to reinforce the importance of their achievement. It is well known that children who are ready to learn when they start school have a better chance of success. The Parent-Child Home Program seeks to prepare low-income children by providing books and other learning materials as well as modeling behavior for parents/caregivers during two years of home visits.
Research indicates that participants in a PCHP program had a 20% higher high school graduation rate than students in a matched control group. | |
 |  | |  | |
Community Conversations Report
UWCJ continues to engage diverse populations in "Community Conversations" to hear their views regarding community needs and the role of education to meet those needs. At Ozanam Family Shelter, one participant said, "Knowledge is power. So if we eliminate the source of power, what's going to happen to this country?" The speaker was homeless and his 9 year old daughter was forced to move with him to the shelter. She was forced to move to a new school in the middle of the school year, and her father, homeless and jobless, was concerned not only about her success in school but for the success of the country's school children.
In Perth Amboy, at a community conversation with childcare providers, the focus was on parents and their role as teachers. One provider talked about a single mother who works two jobs and has 2 children. "She doesn't have the time to sit down and read to her kids." But the consensus was that parents need to be made aware of the important
role they need to play. Suggestions for achieving this awareness revolved around asking parents to mentor other parents and to offer services that parents need, e.g., child care, ESL, job search, networking, etc. in order to build trust and educate. |  | |  |
|
|
Volunteers in Action
June 21st Day of Action
 | |
The longest day of the year gives volunteers more hours of daylight. That's why United Ways all across the nation organize Days of Action that day to put volunteers to work. This year, UWCJ invited volunteers to give their time to help low-income, pre-school students to read.
Four locations of Head Start schools offered volunteers the chance to interact with kids and help teachers to conduct teaching sessions in the class room. Reading to children and helping them to love books is a great way to prepare them for success in school. |
|
2012 Hometown Heroes
The 2012 United Way of Central Jersey Hometown Heroes Award dinner recognized 30 volunteers and volunteer groups in the Central Jersey community and celebrated their impact on Central Jersey children and families. Volunteers worked with the United Way to review the nominations and determine those who would be recognized at the dinner.
Thanks to their effort, these Central Jersey Hometown Heroes and their valuable contributions are remembered by the community. Thanks go to the following volunteers who helped in the determination of the 2012 Hometown Heroes during their service on the Volunteer Advisory Committee: Jesse Lazarus, Chair, Joanne Franklin and Shirley Jones. | |
|
Literacy Kits Distribution
 500 kits were assembled by volunteers and donated to the Carteret School District for distribution to elementary school students. The kits contain a book as well as games for parents to play with their children that make reading an interactive activity. By using the book and games, parents help develop children's conceptual ability, vocabulary and verbal skills. All these skills will help students succeed in school.
Thank you to the volunteers at Target, Vertis and the Board of Trustees of UWCJ for helping to assemble these kits. | |
|
School Supplies Needed
We can all help children do better in school by giving them the tools they need. | |
Please call Patricia Desiderio at United Way: 732 247-3727 to find out how to help. |
JJHCS Volunteers Help to Close the Education Gap
Book Drives, Literacy Kits, School Supplies and more have been the focus for volunteers at JJHCS in Piscataway. Their focus on achieving impact in the local community has extended the organization into new areas of community support. Volunteers are planning to read and tutor to children, and are joining together to explore ways to address the education gap. One idea raised during community conversations was to use technology to improve parents' access to teachers and engagement in their children's learning. | |
Thank you to the volunteers at Johnson & Johnson for their passion and commitment to the communities where they live and work. |
|
50 More Families for NFP | |
Thanks to NJ legislators, Rush Holt, Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez for their continuing efforts to secure funding for NJ home visitation programs. Federal legislation directing an additional $9.4 million to the State of New Jersey to expand home visitation programs to all 21 counties has been recently announced. Research showing the effectiveness of services delivered in homes includes support for the Nurse Family Partnership - a program implemented by United Way of Central Jersey in Middlesex County.
As a result of the increased funding, United Way of Central Jersey will increase the number of families participating in the program by 50 to a total of 163. In this program, specially trained nurses work with first time, at risk mothers to help ensure healthy birth results. Research shows a reduction in child abuse and neglect as well as an increase in father participation resulting from NFP. For more information, please contact Gloria Aftanski at gaftanski@uwcj.org. |
|
|
|
