United Way of Westchester and Putnam

Creating Opportunities

All of us want the same opportunities in life

A place to call home. Health for ourselves and our families. A good education. A decent job. And a chance to better our lives. But even in an affluent area like ours, there are many people who are facing enormous challenges. That's why United Way is so important — working year-round to provide opportunities to
hope again.

Together we can tackle the barriers that stand in opportunity’s way

Obstacles that take many devastating forms… and lock individuals and families into marginally sustainable lives.

United Way tackles these complex problems by figuring out what’s causing them, then building community teams — experts in the non-profit, business, government and educational communities — to find ways to overcome them. The goal is to produce lasting change... results that lead to stronger communities and
changed lives.

Mrs. R is working full-time and raising her sister’s
three kids

The kids were in trouble. Their mother had died from substance abuse several years ago. Mrs. R took over the care of her two nephews, 13 and 15 years old, and her niece, 14, working as a corrections officer at night to make ends meet.

The three teens were angry and confused. All were diagnosed with attention deficient disorder, with histories of childhood trauma. Each was failing two or more subjects at school.

Looking for help, Mrs. R enrolled the teens in the United Way community school located at their middle school. As one of three community schools established by United Way in urban school districts, it offers a comprehensive array of academic and human service activities from early morning to early evening to help get at-risk kids back on track and give them a chance to succeed in life.

The community school team assembled by United Way, in collaboration with the host school district, includes teachers, guidance counselors, and a number of human service organizations. Together they are tackling the challenges facing troubled youth with tutoring, mentoring, counseling and other tailored activities. And parents are encouraged to get actively involved in their kids’ school lives.

Community school participants are coached in life skills to help them make better decisions. And through the tireless efforts of the entire team as well as Mrs. R, who has been very involved at each step along the way, the three teens have been able to strip away many layers of emotional trauma and are effectively managing their anger. They also are now passing their core subjects.

United Way’s community schools have changed the lives of more than 250 teens this past year. Community school participants improved their school attendance by 86%; behaviors that could lead to dropping out decreased by 99%, and parent involvement increased by 40%.