Advancing childhood learning

Advancing childhood learning

ACHIEVE UNITED

WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST

Eighty percent of learning happens outside the classroom. Unfortunately, families struggling to make ends meet often don’t have the time, money, or access to provide these out-of-classroom experiences.

EARLY LEARNING

<50%

of Rhode Island Pre-K children are in school or early-learning programs

READING PROFICIENCY

33%

of Black and Latinx fourth graders are proficient readers, compared to 57% of their white classmates

AFTERSCHOOL WAITING LIST

37,471

Rhode Island kids do not have access to afterschool programs

WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ADVANCE CHILDHOOD LEARNING

Advocating for resources to build literacy

United Way of Rhode Island focuses on inspiring children to fall in love with reading and ensuring that all Rhode Island children walk into the classroom with the tools to learn. To accomplish this, we are mobilizing families and other community members to advocate for more resources for communities that serve a disproportionate number of students not reading at their proper grade level.

This year, we will continue to engage youth to brainstorm activities to improve their schools and communities. We will also explore public/private partnerships and funding to increase literacy levels for Rhode Island children.

Boy wearing a United Way shirt while reading a book.
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Advocating for out-of-school time learning

We know that Rhode Islanders are impacted by the environment they live in, and they are impacted by the neighborhoods they live in. We are creating pathways for more youth of color to participate in high quality out-of-school time learning. We are also working to reduce the pathway to prison, using education as a key catalyst.

This year, we’ll be campaigning to secure state funding for out-of-school time learning programs, specifically in areas with the greatest access needs. We will invest in and support programs focused on restorative justice practices, empowering young people, and trauma-informed care.

Working towards our Achieve United 2025 Goals

LIVE United 2025: Achieve United

Advancing Childhood Learning

Through our Achieve United pillar, we're working to ensure that all Rhode Island children walk into the classroom with the tools to learn. This includes increasing literacy levels and expanding access to afterschool and summer learning programs.

Kid planting seeds inside in a homemade planter
Goal: Third Grade Reading

Double the 3rd Grade reading proficiency of Rhode Island’s Black and Latino Children

Black Students 

Source: RI Kids Count Fact Book
Frequency: Annual

Hispanic Students 

HOW YOU CAN HELP ADVANCE CHILDHOOD LEARNING

Make every hour count for all our kids.

Join

Join the Rhode Island Afterschool Network (RIAN) to stay informed about the issues and learn how you can advocate for more funding for afterschool programs.

Advocate

Contact your local legislator and let them know you support out-of-school time learning and would like to see it supported in the state budget.

GIVE

Your contribution to United Way of Rhode Island will help us continue to expand childhood learning.

Roshni Darnal is United Way of Rhode Island’s director of community investments. / Courtesy United Way of Rhode Island.

Five Questions With: Roshni Darnal

Providence Business News

Roshni Darnal is the director of community investments for United Way of Rhode Island... where she manages the organization's strategic direction to address the needs of Rhode Islanders through its grantmaking processes… Darnal spoke with Providence Business News about those grantmaking changes and what it means for the nonprofit community moving forward.

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Providence Business News Best Places to Work RI Awards Winner 2023 logo.

PBN announces 2023 Best Places to Work honorees

Providence Business News

Sixty-seven honorees, including United Way of Rhode Island, have been named by Providence Business News for its 2023 Best Places to Work Awards program... The honorees will be recognized June 7 for their efforts in a ceremony at Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick in Warwick, where the company rankings in each category will be announced.

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ANTHONY BOTELHO serves as senior vice president of commercial banking and team leader for the commercial and industrial group at The Washington Trust Co. / COURTESY THE WASHINGTON TRUST CO.

Five Qs With: Anthony Botelho

Providence Business News

Anthony Botelho serves as senior vice president of commercial banking and team leader for the commercial and industrial group at The Washington Trust Co. He was recently appointed to lead the bank’s commercial lending growth in Connecticut, where the company recently opened a New Haven commercial lending office. Anthony also serves on United Way of Rhode Island's Board of Directors.

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United Way Investing $10 Million in Community Programs

With a focus on achieving the goals of its LIVE UNITED 2025 plan to build racial equity and opportunities for all Rhode Islanders, United Way of Rhode Island is investing $10 million in the work of community organizations over three years. These latest grants have been awarded from United Way’s Community Impact Fund and received by… 45 local nonprofits.

Power The Future

On Aug. 19, 2023, at the Rhode Island Convention Center, the area’s premier youth and family workforce development and career awareness event will be brought to you by United Way of Rhode Island. It’s called Power The Future. Power The Future will be an annual empowerment event aligned with the 2030 plan of raising incomes, […]

Director Sought for New Statewide Nonprofit Center

A new, first-of-its-kind statewide resource center for Rhode Island nonprofits is becoming a reality. United Way of Rhode Island, which has convened the state’s nonprofit community to establish the center, today announced it has opened the hiring for the center’s inaugural director.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Power The Future


Join us at the Rhode Island Convention Center for the area’s premier youth and family workforce development and career awareness event.

 

Learn more