United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona Education Programs (Accelerate Quality, Connecting Children to Nature)

United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona Education Programs (Accelerate Quality, Connecting Children to Nature) is sponsored by United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona. United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona has several education initiatives. Accelerate Quality helps eligible preschools, childcare centers, and family childcare homes in Pima County to increase high-quality early care and education.

Education | Nonprofit Charity Donations - United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona Expand equitable access to high-quality educational pathways for children, youth, and adults for lifelong success.

Number of Books Given to Children Opportunity Youth Enrolled in Re-Engagement Services Children benefited from Quality Early Education Improvement Efforts Middle Schoolers impacted by Improved Math Curriculum education Spotlight on up & atom Girls in STEM Educational Programing Early Childhood Education & Care Accelerate Quality anchored at United Way of Tucson is aimed at helping local families with young children.

It works with eligible preschools, childcare centers, and family childcare homes to increase high quality early care and education in Pima County. Accelerate Quality provides coaching and technical support, small improvement grants, and program assessments.

These supports help prepare programs to attain a high-quality rating through Arizona’s quality rating and improvement system, help them achieve accreditation, or help programs that are already high quality add additional classrooms or spaces so they can serve more children. *If you run an Early Childhood Learning Center – you can apply for Assistance from Accelerate Quality today!

Participant Application/Solicitud de Participante Connecting Children to Nature The Pima County Connecting Children to Nature initiative is led by United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, City of Tucson Parks and Recreation, Tucson Clean and Beautiful, and Pima County Conservation Lands and Resources.

Together we aim to connect diverse stakeholders with the shared vision of creating safe and equitable access to the outdoors for all children in our communities. For more information, contact Monica Brinkerhoff at mbrinkerhoff@unitedwaytucson. org First Focus on Kids (FFK) The First Focus on Kids (FFK) Coalition began in 1999 and continues to evolve to help move our shared early childhood agenda forward.

The group includes agencies and individuals that come together to support our vision: All young children ages 0-8 in Tucson and Southern Arizona are in safe and supportive environments that promote their cognitive, physical, social & emotional well-being. The FFK Coalition publishes a regular newsletter with information and resources related to early care and education called the Pima Early Care and Education Update.

The Family Support Alliance provides at-risk families the parenting resources they need to raise healthy and engaged children.

The Family Resource Centers are designed to serve and support families with children birth through age 5, the Family Resource Center is funded by First Things First with United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona serving as the lead grantee, and implemented in partnership with Casa de los Niños, Easterseals Blake Foundation, Make Way for Books, Parent Aid and UA Community Extension Programs. All programs and activities are FREE.

Great Expectations for Teachers, Children, Families & Communities United Way’s Great Expectations Program with the support of various partner organizations and agencies utilize their collective capacity to reach and serve Early Care and Education providers across Pima County by offering quality Professional Development for Early Care and Education Practitioners that serve children in our community from birth to five years.

The goal of Great Expectations is to meet the needs of the early childhood teaching community and improve and sustain positive changes in young children’s outcomes. The My Summer Library program represents a targeted approach to reach children in Pima County and southern Arizona who reside in low-income, high-need communities and attend elementary schools that are working to improve educational outcomes.

The goals of My Summer Library are to improve 3rd-grade reading proficiency, build student’s home libraries and mitigate summer reading loss. Dolly Parton Imagination Library Since 2012 United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona has been serving as a local affiliate for the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program, which sends a free book every month to young children (birth to age 5) to their home address.

Untied Way promotes the program locally and enrolls children (ages birth – 5) in selected coverage areas; and collaborates with Freeport McMoRan and other donors to support this program. The goal of Project READy is to ensure early success for Flowing Wells Unified School District (FWUSD) students as they enter kindergarten.

Project READy achieves its goal by supporting early literacy, a love of reading, and strong home-school relationships. Through a two-generation approach, FWUSD builds the capacity of incoming kindergarten students and their parents over the course of eight weeks through Project READy. Watch a Video to Learn More Here Read On Pima partners demonstrate a collaborative approach to making grade level reading a priority in our community.

The Cradle to Career Partnership anchored at United Way of Tucson brings together a broad range of partners from across sectors using data and alignment of resources to identify and spread strategies that improve educational outcomes for children, youth and young adults.

Educational Success Stories Building Stronger Futures: How Home Visiting Changes Lives Across Southern Arizona When families face uncertainty, the right support can change everything. Learn how United Way of Tucson’s Family Support Alliance is helping families find stability, healing, and hope. People Profile Rosales Family When families face uncertainty, the right support can change everything.

Learn how United Way of Tucson’s Family Support Alliance is helping families find stability, healing, and hope. Building Stronger Futures: Real Stories of Family Resilience and Support When families face uncertainty, the right support can change everything. Learn how United Way of Tucson’s Family Support Alliance is helping families find stability, healing, and hope.

When Support Shows Up: Stories of Hope, Healing, and Safety for Families When families face uncertainty, the right support can change everything. Learn how United Way of Tucson’s Family Support Alliance is helping families find stability, healing, and hope.

Finding Hope and Healing: Jillian and Jaime’s Journey with United Way’s Healthy Families Program From addiction and uncertainty to stability and joy, Jillian and Jaime’s story is a testament to what happens when we Live United — supporting families, strengthening communities, and building brighter futures.

Building Brighter Futures: Family Support Success Stories Families across Southern Arizona are thriving thanks to United Way’s Family Support Alliance. These inspiring stories celebrate resilience, growth, and the power of support in helping parents and children build brighter futures.

Empowering Arizona’s Workforce: The Cradle to Career Partnership and University of Arizona Collaboration The Cradle to Career Partnership anchored at United Way of Tucson and the University of Arizona are revolutionizing workforce development in Arizona’s booming semiconductor industry.

By offering specialized training and education, this collaboration is creating high-paying job opportunities, supporting economic growth, and empowering individuals for lifelong success. Up and Atom: Students in STEM Through initiatives like the Up and Atom program, girls like Burree and Joyce Lewis are getting hands-on experience in fields like engineering and electronics.

With the support of mentors and access to real-world projects, these young innovators are gaining the skills and confidence to envision themselves in STEM careers, creating a diverse and inclusive future workforce.

Community Development Bulletin: C2C Team Makes Waves at StriveTogether Convening in Salt Lake City Last week, our Cradle to Career (C2C) team traveled to Salt Lake City for the annual StriveTogether convening, bringing with them two Leadership Table members to deepen their understanding of our impactful work.

Community Development Bulletin: Expanding Early Childhood Education and Elder Care At United Way of Tucson, we’re committed to fostering positive change in our community through collaborative efforts and strategic partnerships. We’re excited to share two recent developments that highlight our ongoing dedication to both our youngest and oldest community members.

Featured Educational Event Annual Business Leaders for Early Education Breakfast Hosted by Women United On February 27, 2025 we will celebrate our 20th Annual Women United’s Business Breakfast promoting the importance of early childhood education with our business community and also celebrate two Literacy Champions and a Business Champion for Early Education.

Women United spearheads this event each year as they utilize their combined financial power and collective talents of local philanthropic women leaders to address early childhood education in our community. Children who read proficiently by the end of third grade are more likely to succeed academically and graduate from high school prepared for the workforce, college, and careers.

In Southern Arizona, 6 out of 10 children are not reaching this crucial benchmark. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) End of Life Care Partnership