What We Do

Give All Kids Equal Opportunities

What We Do

Give All Kids Equal Opportunities

Together, we can ensure every child in our community has access to quality early learning experiences prior to kindergarten – setting them up for lifelong success.

What we're up against

Benchmark measurement: In 2022, statewide data showed that only 82.6% of third graders score at or above Maine state expectations for reading.

By tracking these data points over a 10-year period and in collaboration with Impact2032, our goal is to increase the number of 3rd graders scoring at or above state expectations for reading to 87%.

A red circle with a white outline of a book in the middle -- representing education.

Together, we can ensure every child in our community has access to quality early learning experiences prior to kindergarten – setting them up for lifelong success.

What we're up against

Benchmark measurement: In 2022, statewide data showed that only 82.6% of third graders score at or above Maine state expectations for reading.

By tracking these data points over a 10-year period and in collaboration with Impact2032, our goal is to increase the number of 3rd graders scoring at or above state expectations for reading to 87%.

How we make it better

Early brain development is crucial for children to become lifelong learners and successful readers. And the transition from learning to read to reading for comprehension occurs around third grade, marking a critical turning point. If children are not reading at the appropriate grade level by this stage, they are likely to face difficulties in other subjects. Investing in the success of our children is the most significant contribution we can make to the well-being of our entire community.

That’s why United Way of Kennebec Valley invests in programs that ensure all basic health and safety needs can be met to be successful and ready for learning.

Through investments in 16 different education programs across the county, UWKV can provide children and families with resources and opportunities to develop literacy and language skills that support school readiness and promote their social and emotional development.

FACES OF ALICE

This year’s UNIGNORABLE campaign amplifies the voices and experiences of our ALICE neighbors – Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed – right here in our community. Continuing the visual storytelling from last year, where graphic illustrations brought critical issues to the forefront, this campaign features powerful and poignant black and white photography by Augusta’s own Dave Dostie. Through compelling narratives shared directly in their own words, we invite you to truly see and understand the daily realities faced by ALICE. Join us in making both ALICE and the issues they navigate in today’s challenging economic climate UNIGNORABLE.

GABRIELLE

Augusta, Maine

Graphic illustration of Isreal holding a basketball

ISREAL

Waterville, Maine

Help make Gabrielle
UNIGNORABLE

Growing up in Maine has definitely been tough. My parents’ addiction was a constant presence, and their abusive behavior became a normal part of my childhood. Then, on March 5th, 2014 when I was five, my life took a huge turn when DHS took me and my younger brothers, Uriah and Bentley. Being separated from them was incredibly painful. Going from seeing them every day to not even being able to hug them or know if they were okay left a real emptiness. I’d always felt like I needed to protect them, and suddenly I couldn’t, which forced me to grow up fast, even though I still needed someone to care for me. Then, in 2018, my adoption day with my aunt and uncle felt like things might finally get better. They showed me what it felt like to be truly cared for, even after I’d been the one trying to protect others for so long. It was like I finally had a place where I belonged.

Things got complicated again when I reconnected with my birth parents a couple of years later. I developed a close bond with my dad, but then in 2019 my brother Jaxon was born sleeping — was devastating and made my dad’s struggles worse. The chaos at home eventually led to my younger siblings, Charlie and Gracie, being taken into care. My heart broke again, feeling completely powerless to help them. Around the same time, my mom relapsed after we had started to rebuild our relationship, and my sister Lani was taken away. It felt like a constant cycle of losing trust, but a part of me still hoped they could heal, not just for me, but for my siblings.

During that overwhelming period, the teen center became a really important support. It was a place where I could focus on something positive, make genuine friends, and feel like I belonged, especially because of Lizzy and the other supportive staff. They understood and helped me deal with stress. Looking back, I can see how much I’ve been through, but honestly, it’s not about the tough times, it’s about how we rise up from them. My story is still continuing, but I know now that whatever challenges come next, I can face them with the support I have and a growing sense of confidence.

Help make Isreal
UNIGNORABLE

Having an upbringing in Waterville, Maine has definitely not been the worst thing that has happened to me, if you view it in a broader perspective. I was forced to move to Waterville with no other choice, no loopholes or possible persuasion enabling me not to. 
 
I was raised on the bottom end of poverty my whole life, and I enjoyed it. One thing that helped me get by was the South End Teen Center, more specifically the summer lunch program; I was not old enough to attend the program for teens so I took what I could.
 
I have a knack for teaching and the staff were very happy to be schooled by a nine/ten year old in specific board games and mandarin. Once I entered sixth grade at the age of ten, I jumped on the opportunity to attend the teen center and was ecstatic to join. 
 
Every trip, event, or competitive opportunity with the teens would be a magical experience for me due to not having a car or extensive commuting opportunities. The teen center has helped me through misery and famine— all these hellacious troubles thwarted by this amazing place.
An outline of a book in white with a ribbon on the corner

76.6%

Percentage of economically disadvantaged 3rd graders who score at or above state expectations for reading.

Help make Education Inequality
UNIGNORABLE

Education inequality can feel like being perpetually excluded from opportunities available to others. Imagine every other student in the class having access to resources, while you do not. This exclusion not only affects one’s sense of belonging but also their long-term health and financial stability. Without equal access to quality education, children and adults miss out on essential knowledge and skills, limiting career prospects and earning potential. This disadvantage follows them throughout life, contributing to chronic stress, poorer health outcomes, and a cycle of poverty that’s hard to break.

The ripple effects of education inequality extend beyond the individual to the community. A community with widespread educational disparities often faces higher unemployment rates, lower economic growth, and increased social tensions. Limited educational opportunities can stifle innovation and reduce overall productivity, hindering the community’s development and well-being. The sense of exclusion and lack of opportunity can also breed resentment and social unrest, further destabilizing the community. Addressing education inequality is not just about providing opportunities for individuals; it’s about fostering a healthier, more prosperous, and cohesive community.

The outline of hands holding an empty plate.

15.1%

Percentage of children who experience food insecurity.

Help make Hunger
UNIGNORABLE

Food insecurity profoundly affects children, impacting their ability to learn, natural development, and overall well-being. When a child is hungry, it’s like a constant, gnawing ache that consumes their every thought. They can’t focus on anything but the need for food. In school, learning becomes an uphill battle; their empty stomach distracts them, making it hard to concentrate on lessons or absorb new information. This relentless hunger also affects their ability to make friendships. Instead of playing and interacting with peers, they’re preoccupied with the pain in their belly. Hunger overshadows every aspect of their life, leaving them feeling isolated and powerless.

Childhood hunger can lead to long-term health problems, including weakened immune systems and chronic illnesses. The lack of proper nutrition stunts physical and cognitive development, creating barriers to educational achievement. Limited education reduces job opportunities and earning potential, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and financial instability.

15% of Kennebec County children are food insecure. They don’t choose the lives that they have. It’s a struggle that no child should have to face, impacting their growth, development, overall health, and future financial stability.

COMMUNITY PRIORITIES

Literacy & Kindergarten Readiness

Early Social & Emotional Development

Basic Health & Safety Needs Met

COMMUNITY PRIORITIES

Literacy & Kindergarten Readiness

Early Social & Emotional Development

Basic Health & Safety Needs Met

Help us give all kids equal opportunities!

Help us give all kids equal opportunities!

EDUCATION PARTNERS

United Way of Kennebec Valley partners with 12 agencies specifically to create positive learning experiences throughout our community. UWKV funds one or more programs, through the following organizations, that strive to give all kids equal opportunities throughout Kennebec County.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine

Boys & Girls Clubs of Kennebec Valley

Capital Area New Mainers Project

Children’s Center

Family Violence Project

Kennebec Valley Community Action Program (KVCAP)

Kennebec Valley YMCA

Literacy Volunteers of Kennebec

Maine School Administrative District 11

MaineGeneral Health

Southern Kennebec Child Development Corporation

State YMCA of Maine

EDUCATION PARTNERS

United Way of Kennebec Valley partners with 12 agencies specifically to create positive learning experiences throughout our community. UWKV funds one or more programs, through the following organizations, that strive to give all kids equal opportunities throughout Kennebec County.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine

Boys & Girls Clubs of Kennebec Valley

Capital Area New Mainers Project

Children’s Center

Family Violence Project

Kennebec Valley Community Action Program (KVCAP)

Kennebec Valley YMCA

Literacy Volunteers of Kennebec

Maine School Administrative District 11

MaineGeneral Health

Southern Kennebec Child Development Corporation

State YMCA of Maine

Learn More

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