UNITED WAY SUNCOAST INC

FINANCIAL SECURITY WE KNOW THAT ACROSS OUR FIVE-COUNTY REGION, 45% OR 658,473 FAMILIES EARN BELOW THE ALICE THRESHOLD, A NATIONWIDE MARKER FOR FINANCIAL HEALTH. FROM THIS THRESHOLD, A FAMILY WITH TWO ADULTS AND TWO CHILDREN IN CHILDCARE NEEDS TO MAKE OVER $100,000 TO GET BY FINANCIALLY ACROSS OUR REGION. TO ADDRESS THESE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES, UNITED WAY SUNCOAST RALLIES AROUND BUILDING STRONGER FINANCIAL SECURITY FOR EVERYONE. UNITED WAY SUNCOAST CONCENTRATES ON ENSURING OUR ALICE FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES AND SUPPORT AS WELL AS CAREER OPPORTUNITIES THAT LEAD TO A FAMILY SUSTAINING WAGE THAT CREATES A PATH TO FINANCIAL SECURITY. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS OR HIGHER EDUCATION DEGREES, HELP INDIVIDUALS RETAIN AND SUSTAIN THEIR ASSETS INCLUDING ACCESS TO BENEFITS, SAFE AND AFFORDABLE BANKING, AND SOUND FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE, AND BY REMOVING SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SUPPORT. IN ADDITION, UNITED WAY SUNCOAST HAS INVESTED $6.4 MILLION OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS WITH 34 NONPROFIT PARTNERS FOCUSED ON HELPING COMMUNITY MEMBERS OBTAIN LONG TERM EMPLOYMENT, KEEPING AND SUSTAINING ASSETS, AND REDUCING THE BARRIERS TO WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION. DURING THAT PERIOD, OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS REPORTED THAT MORE THAN 3,700 INDIVIDUALS SECURED AND MAINTAINED EMPLOYMENT FOR AT LEAST 12 MONTHS. THE PARTNERS ALSO ASSISTED IN THE COMPLETION OF MORE THAN 16,000 APPLICATIONS, HELPING ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS SECURE ACCESS TO SNAP, FAFSA, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND MORE. UNITED WAY SUNCOAST ALSO MANAGES NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCE CENTERS IN NORTH GREENWOOD (CLEARWATER) AND SULPHUR SPRINGS (TAMPA). OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, OUR RESOURCE CENTERS HAVE SEEN +14,000 VISITS PROVIDING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WITH CRUCIAL CASE MANAGEMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES SUCH AS LEGAL AID AND BENEFITS ASSISTANCE. VISITORS CAN ALSO ENGAGE WITH LOCAL RESOURCES SUCH AS NOTARY SERVICES, FOOD SUPPORT, AND INTERNET ACCESS.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY WHEN A YOUNG CHILD ENTERS KINDERGARTEN READY FOR SCHOOL, THERE IS AN 82% CHANCE THAT CHILD WILL MASTER BASIC SKILLS BY AGE 11, COMPARED WITH A 45% CHANCE FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT SCHOOL READY. UNITED WAY SUNCOAST CONCENTRATES ON ENSURING CHILDREN ENTER KINDERGARTEN READY TO LEARN BY STRENGTHENING CAREGIVERS AS THEIR CHILD'S FIRST TEACHER, PROVIDING EARLY LEARNING EDUCATORS WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND ENHANCING EARLY LEARNING CENTERS TO PROVIDE HIGH-IMPACT TOOLS TO STRENGTHEN SCHOOL READINESS. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, OUR MULTI-YEAR INVESTMENT STRATEGY HAS LED TO MORE THAN 7,000 STUDENTS ARRIVING ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN WITH THE NEEDED SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS. WITH THE AIM OF IMPROVING THIRD-GRADE LITERACY, WE ENSURE SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED BY COLLABORATING WITH OUR RESPECTIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL IN-SCHOOL SUPPORT AND ACCESS TO BEFORE- AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS. SINCE 2022, WE HAVE HELPED MORE THAN 10,000 STUDENTS READ ON LEVEL OR SHOW PROGRESS BY THIRD GRADE. WE'RE ALSO HELPING MORE CHILDREN ATTEND SUMMER PROGRAMS TO COMBAT SUMMER LEARNING BACKSLIDE. IN 2025, UWS INVESTED $599,402 INTO 19 PARTNER PROGRAMS AS IT EXPANDED ITS SUMMER CARE PROGRAM TO ITS ENTIRE FIVE-COUNTY FOOTPRINT, ADDING MANATEE, SARASOTA, AND DESOTO COUNTIES. THE EXTENSION INVOLVED 891 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS TO ATTEND 32 SUMMER CAMP SITES. STUDENTS WHO DROP OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL TODAY COULD BECOME THE STRUGGLING WORKERS OF TOMORROW, WHO MAY MOVE FROM A LOW-PAYING JOB TO A LOW-PAYING JOB, AND STRUGGLE TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. UNITED WAY SUNCOAST WORKS TO HELP MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON A PATH TO HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS. WE WANT THEM READY TO PURSUE COLLEGE OR CAREER TRAINING THAT ENABLES FAMILY-SUSTAINING EMPLOYMENT. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH INVESTMENTS IN STRATEGIC COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT CREATE SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, IDENTIFY AND INTERVENE WITH AT-RISK STUDENTS, CONNECT STUDENTS TO CAREERS, IMPROVE ATTENDANCE AND INCREASE CAREGIVER INVOLVEMENT SO STUDENTS' SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL. IN 2025, OUR ENGAGED WORK WITH PARTNERS HELPED MORE THAN 2,500 MIDDLE SCHOOLERS EARN HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT.