UNITED WAY GRANTS NEARLY $2 MILLION TO COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Children and Families in Santee, Linda Vista, Tierrasanta and More Will Benefit

May 22, 2015(San Diego) – United Way of San Diego County is granting nearly $2 million to four community partnerships that are working collectively to help the youngest San Diegans and their families.

These networks were awarded the grants based on their commitment to using a “Collective Impact” framework – a proven, more effective way to solve complex social issues. Each partnership brings together approximately 20 nonprofits, health providers, schools, government, businesses and other community-based organizations to support key issues, including getting children ready for kindergarten and reading at grade-level, as well as family stability and health. Numerous research studies prove these are critical issues linked to high school graduation rates and students’ continued success.

“We believe multiple organizations effectively working together can always do better than one,” said United Way President and CEO Kevin Crawford. “United Way’s role will be to fund these community partnerships, while also providing our expertise in convening large groups around common goals, taking a hard look at data and building the infrastructure to make it all work. We want to support children outside the classroom, so that they are best prepared to learn inside the classroom.”

The partnerships are:

Santee Primary Success Impact Network

Led by: Santee School District

Serving: Santee, East County

This network will focus on children and families residing in an affordable housing complex, with largely Middle Eastern refugee residents. Education, housing, social services and health providers have joined together to help.

Military Family & School Success Impact Network

Led by: SAY San Diego

Serving: Tierrasanta, Central San Diego

Using the existing partnerships that United Way supported through the San Diego Military Family Collaborative, this network will focus on working with young students and their families at Hancock Elementary, the largest off-site military housing complex in the world. The plan is then to expand services to all schools that feed into Serra High School.

Linda Vista Kindergarten Readiness Network

Led by: Jewish Family Service

Serving: Linda Vista, Central San Diego

This group will help establish family support hubs at early education sites in Linda Vista and work to help children and families successfully transition from preschool to kindergarten.

Tiered Quality and Rating Improvement System Network

Led by: San Diego County Office of Education

Serving: San Diego County

The San Diego County Office of Education is partnering with United Way to bring quality early education practices to 40 family care providers across the region, using California state and First 5 quality standards. The goal is to help a total of 320 children.

United Way is focused on making investments that lead to long-term success. These grants and support will help grow the partnerships over 18 months, starting in July 2015, and each partnership has a plan to continue efforts beyond the initial funding period to best serve their communities.

United Way’s Collective Impact work has included its oversight of the Partnership for Children in City Heights and Vista; creation of the Project 25 pilot program for the homeless; and support of the Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood, Diamond Educational Excellence Partnership (DEEP) and the Military Family Collaborative.

Funding for the grants was made possible from the support of companies around San Diego County, including AT&T, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, GEICO, NASSCO, Solar Turbines, UPS and many others.