United Way helps children succeed
During the summer and after school lets out, activity picks up at the Kansas City Urban Youth Center. This privately funded, nine-year-old program targets low-income Kansas City and Kansas City, Kan., neighborhoods. It provides children in kindergarten through eighth grade with safe places to learn and grow.
Will Certain, program coordinator for the center, credits the United Way of Greater Kansas City for providing staff training on youth development. “It’s an incredible resource,” he said.
Donations to the United Way benefit organizations like the center. Nearly 150 agencies provide more than 300 programs that improve the health, education and income of this community.
Literacy and reading are big parts of the center’s programs. So is fitness and health. Gardens at each of the three sites enable staff and volunteers to teach children the importance of healthy diets and food preparation to counter childhood obesity.
The center also teaches bicycle safety, and with a fleet of 20 bikes, offers rides after school. It provides interactive training to excite children about science careers. And it matches youth with adult mentors, who set social and academic goals with the kids.
To keep worthy programs strong, donors are again being asked to increase contributions by 5 percent and area companies to increase the number of donors by 5 percent. It’s a worthy goal. United Way fundraising efforts run through Nov. 15. For information visit unitedwaygkc.org.
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