UNITED WAY OF CASS COUNTY INC

PROVIDE FUNDING TO MEMBER AGENCIES IN THE CASS COUNTY AREA AFTER ASSESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS TO DETERMINE ANNUAL ALLOCATIONS AND SPECIAL PROJECT GRANTS. UNITED WAY OF CASS COUNTY IDENTIFIES A NUMBER OF ISSUES/OUTCOMES FOR FOCUS AND ALLOCATES FUNDS TO MEMBER AGENCIES THAT INTEGRATE THE STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN WITH OUTCOME MEASURES TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY ISSUES. FUNDING DECISIONS ARE DETERMINED BY AGENCY PARTNERS' PROPOSALS THAT ALIGN WITH ONE OR MORE OF THE UWCC'S TARGET ISSUES AND PROPOSALS THAT PROVIDE HOW THE PROGRAM OR STRATEGIES ACHIEVE AN IDENTIFIED COMMUNITY OUTCOME AND MEASURED TO MEET ESTABLISHED INDICATORS. THE THREE AREAS OF FOCUS ARE: EDUCATION - HELPING CHILDREN AND YOUTH ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL GOAL 1) CHILDREN ENTER KINDERGARTEN READY TO LEARN COMMUNITY OUTCOME- CHILDREN ACHIEVE APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENTAL TARGETS IN LITERACY, SOCIAL SKILLS, EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PHYSICAL MOTOR SKILLS, AND COGNITIVE SKILLS GOAL 2) SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN SUCCEED IN SCHOOL COMMUNITY OUTCOME-SCHOOL- AGED CHILDREN GAIN THE BASIC LITERACY AND LEARNING SKILLS NECESSARY TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL GOAL 3) YOUTH GROW INTO PRODUCTIVE ADULTS COMMUNITY OUTCOME-YOUTH GAIN NEW SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE THAT PROMOTE POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT INCOME - PROMOTING FINANCIAL STABILITY AND INDEPENDENCE GOAL 1) PEOPLE ACHIEVE FINANCIAL STABILITY COMMUNITY OUTCOME-PEOPLE GAIN THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO INCREASE THEIR FINANCIAL WELL-BEING GOAL 2) PEOPLE GAIN THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY OUTCOME-PEOPLE SECURE A LIVING WAGE JOB AND MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT GOAL 3) PEOPLE IN CRISIS HAVE ACCESS TO EMERGENCY FOOD, SHELTER AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE COMMUNITY OUTCOME-PEOPLE HAVE IMPROVED ACCESS TO RESOURCES THAT IMPROVE STABILITY AND INDEPENDENCE GOAL 4) PEOPLE LIVE IN SAFE AND THRIVING NEIGHBORHOODS COMMUNITY OUTCOME- PEOPLE GAIN ACCESS TO SERVICES THAT IMPROVE PERSONAL SAFETY HEALTH - IMPROVING PEOPLE'S HEALTH GOAL 1) PEOPLE MAINTAIN HEALTHY NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL FITNESS COMMUNITY OUTCOME-PEOPLE BUILD HEALTHY HABITS AND HEALTHY BODIES GOAL 2) PEOPLE OVERCOME BARRIERS TO BECOME MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY HEALTHY COMMUNITY OUTCOME-PEOPLE RECEIVE SUPPORT TO ACHIEVE POSITIVE HEALTH AND MENTAL WELL-BEING

CASS COUNTY READING RAILROAD: READING SUCCESS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN RAISES COMMUNITY-WIDE AWARENESS OF THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF EARLY LITERACY AND CULTIVATES THE COMMUNITY'S CAPACITY TO SUFFICIENTLY SUPPORT THE READING SUCCESS OF YOUNG CHILDREN. THE CASS COUNTY READING RAILROAD SERVES AS A CATALYST FOR INCREASING THE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY LITERACY, AND TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN PROMOTING EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. THROUGH ITS MANY PROGRAMS, THE READING RAILROAD HELPS TO ENSURE THAT ALL YOUNG CHILDREN IN CASS COUNTY ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF READING. -READING RAILROAD BEGINDERGARTEN PROGRAM THE READING RAILROAD BEGINDERGARTEN PROGRAM IS A FORWARD THINKING AND GREATLY NEEDED PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES A SUMMER-INTERVENTION OPPORTUNITY TO THOSE CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE MOST AT RISK FOR FAILURE IN KINDERGARTEN. THROUGH A SCREENING PROCESS, DEVELOPED BY THE READING RAILROAD AND FACILITATED BY ELEMENTARY KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS, THE READING RAILROAD IS ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHICH CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE MOST UNDERPREPARED FOR ENTRANCE INTO KINDERGARTEN. THESE CHILDREN ARE THEN INVITED TO ATTEND THE READING RAILROAD BEGINDERGARTEN PROGRAM-A SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM FACILITATED BY READING RAILROAD, WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE A LAST-MINUTE BOOST TO THOSE CHILDREN WHO ARE ENTERING KINDERGARTEN IN THE FALL, BUT WHO ARE LACKING THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. READING RAILROAD HIRES AREA TEACHERS TO TEACH THE CLASSES. THESE CLASSES ARE RICH WITH ACTIVITIES THAT HELP CHILDREN STRENGTHEN THE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS THEY NEED IN KINDERGARTEN. THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE LOCAL CHILDREN WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE 90 EXTRA HOURS OF SCHOOL READINESS EXPERIENCE, PRIOR TO ENTERING SCHOOL IN THE FALL. THE MAJORITY OF THE BEGINDERGARTEN STUDENTS HAVE HAD LITTLE TO NO PRESCHOOL EXPERIENCE, SO NOT ONLY WILL THESE CHILDREN GAIN A GREAT DEAL OF ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE AT BEGINDERGARTEN, BUT THEY WILL ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN A CLASSROOM SETTING, BEFORE THEY ENTER KINDERGARTEN IN THE FALL. -DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY THE READING RAILROAD ALSO INSTITUTES DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROGRAM, WHICH MAILS A BRAND NEW, AGE APPROPRIATE BOOK EACH MONTH TO EVERY CHILD IN CASS COUNTY WHO IS SIGNED UP AND IS UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE. THIS PROGRAM SENDS OVER 1,504 BOOKS PER MONTH TO HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE REGISTERED. -BUSINESS PARTNER PROGRAM EACH YEAR, 86 BUSINESS PARTNERS READ 688 BOOKS TO PRE - KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SECOND GRADE CLASSROOMS THROUGH THE BUSINESS PARTNER PROGRAM. LOCAL BUSINESS PEOPLE OR THOSE WHO ARE RETIRED PARTNER WITH A CLASSROOM IN CASS COUNTY WHICH INCLUDES LOGANSPORT, PIONEER, LEWIS CASS AND CASTON SCHOOLS. THESE PARTNERS READ ONCE PER MONTH TO THEIR ASSIGNED CLASSROOM THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. THESE VISITS WITH LOCAL STUDENTS HELP TO FOSTER THE IMPORTANCE OF READING FOR 20 MINUTES EVERY DAY. IT ALSO HELPS TO ESTABLISH A VALUABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY AND SCHOOLS. -FIRST GRADE LIBRARY VISITS THESE VISITS ARE CONDUCTED THROUGH LOGANSPORT AND LEWIS CASS SCHOOLS. FIRST GRADE STUDENTS GET TO GO TO THEIR PUBLIC LIBRARY ONCE A MONTH DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. THEY ARE ABLE TO GET A LIBRARY CARD, CHECK OUT BOOKS, A VOLUNTEER READS TO THEM, DOES ACTIVITIES, AND THEY LEARN ABOUT THE LIBRARY. -COMMUNITY BOOK GIVE-AWAYS EACH YEAR, THE READING RAILROAD GIVES BOOKS AWAY TO THE CHILDREN OF CASS COUNTY. THESE BOOKS ARE GIVEN AT COMMUNITY EVENTS AND HELP TO ESTABLISH A LOVE OF READING WITH LOCAL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.