At the heart of United Way’s mission is the understanding that our future success begins with our youth. Our state and nation are in the middle of a reading epidemic, with less than half of third grade students reading on grade level in most places. To break cycles of generational poverty, improve academic performance, and foster a love of learning, we mobilized our resources to create educational programs for the next generation of leaders.
All-Star Readers
Sponsored by The Community Foundation of West Tennessee, the Jackson Rockabillys, and UT-Martin, this program incentivizes independent reading among kindergarten through third-grade students across the region and rewards them for their progress. Participants track their reading with the provided log sheet, then prizes are awarded to those who achieve each mini-challenge.
Child Care West Tennessee
Too many families in our region face chronic poverty and toxic stress. But we believe that no family should have to face these challenges alone. Funded by the TN Department of Human Services, Child Care West Tennessee provides Family Champions to offer guidance for child care assistance, family coaching, literacy enrichment, and critical resource connections like employment services, continuing education, and more.
Frazier's Book Bus
As one of our mobile libraries, Frazier’s Book Bus make scheduled stops in neighborhoods and schools across in Carroll, Henry, and Weakley, counties, providing access to free books and ensuring literacy reaches this part of our service area. We welcome donations of gently-used books.
Jackson Grown
Emerging in 2018 from a series of articles in Our Jackson Home, which profiled the stories behind unique alumni of the Jackson-Madison County School System and deep-rooted community leaders, Jackson Grown, supported by Leaders Education Foundation, aims to cultivate leadership skills in the next generation. JMCSS alumni (high school students called Fellows) are connected with local leaders and influencers who teach them about civic engagement, economic development, and innovative problem-solving.
Mentor U
Mentor U is a partnership between five Higher Education institutions in Jackson (Union University, Lane College, University of Memphis-Lambuth, Jackson State Community College, and TCAT Jackson) that provides mentorship and college exposure to local middle school students. Participants visit each college campus three times throughout the school year, having the opportunity to learn about future learning and career opportunities.
The READ Team & WOW Wagon
Sponsored by the Leaders Education Foundation, the READ Team pairs volunteer coaches with second-grade students to help improve their sight word recognition. By volunteering just one hour per week, coaches make a measurable impact on the lives of our students. On average, students participating in The READ Team increase their sight word recognition by over 300%. As part of The READ Team, the WOW Wagon is a mobile library that provides free books for children in local neighborhoods and schools. Books are donated by the community and are available to those in Pre-K through high school.
Tutor U
This after school tutoring initiative, funded by the Tennessee Department of Education, focuses on small-group instruction led by skilled educators and trained volunteers. Lessons are tailored to each student’s specific needs, ensuring that no one is left behind, and every reading hurdle is approached with creative solutions.