Connect resources and close opportunity gap

We are a community of doers. Put a challenge in front of us, and we not only accept the challenge, we conquer it. The most apparent examples include the floods of 2008 and again this past September. For more than 100 years, our United Way has served this community in tackling whatever challenges we've faced.

Last year, we had two closely connected challenges that presented an opportunity to build an even better community. The first was investing in our children at an early age through education initiatives. The opportunity gap between children from families with resources and those lacking resources is growing. The result is more low-income children falling behind developmentally and academically.

Our second challenge was how to build on the tremendous potential for engagement and leadership represented in the next generation of community leaders. Fresh ideas, creative solutions, and new ways to connect people to causes are critical to success in our community of doers.

So, what have we done this past year to address these two challenges?

Investing in Early Education:

' In partnership with HACAP, the RED Ahead program increased our ability to help families in the community by serving 3,250 children and 2,190 families in the last year (up from 2,867 childre and 2,024 families). RED Ahead expanded our reach to families to five sites in four counties, including a new one in Marion.

' Reading into Success (RiS) is a partnership of more than 25 organizations dedicated to helping students read proficiently by the end of third grade. This year alone, RiS:

1. Partnered with Wright Elementary (Cedar Rapids Community School District) on attendance strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism. RiS also kicked off a pilot program called VIP Rockin' Readers, which pairs volunteers and elementary school students to read together once per week during the school day.

2. Inspired a partnership between the Cedar Rapids Public Library and Cedar Rapids Metro YMCA that resulted in 129 kids participating in the library's Summer Dare Reading program. Volunteers also handed out more than 1,400 books for Kids Fest in downtown Cedar Rapids in May.

Engaging Emerging Community Leaders:

' During national volunteer month in April, United Way's Young Leaders Society hosts Time for Art, a silent auction where people bid volunteer hours to receive original artwork. This year, attendees pledged 3,165 volunteer hours in support of local nonprofits.

' Cause engagement, a new strategy for the traditional workplace campaign introduced this year, offers new ways to engage with our donors. Donations of time as well as, money are promoted to make a difference and help a cause tied to education, financial stability, or health. Cause engagement is a way for more people to support our community by lending their voice, raising their hand, and connecting with those who share their passion.

As we enter a new year, United Way will work with partner agencies, organizations, and companies to better connect resources and help bridge the opportunity gap. As a community of doers, we are counting on your help and are confident our community will be successful again. It won't happen without your involvement and support. To learn more about how you can get involved, please visit our website at uweci.org.

' Tim Stiles is CEO of the United Way of East Central Iowa.