PREPARED TO THRIVE

SUPPORT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY

In 2021, United Way of the Piedmont shifted our work in education to a robust strategy called Prepared to Thrive. We are committed to the long-term success of our community, and that starts with ensuring the success of our youngest community members.

about prepared to thrive

Developing this strategy started with exploratory conversations with local experts and leaders in early education to understand where the gaps were in our community’s ability to prepare our youngest learners for kindergarten and success in the early grades. 


From these sessions, United Way developed a multi-faceted strategy that encompasses putting our leadership and resources towards expanding the following:  

  • Access to books
  • Parent engagement
  • Childcare and Teacher supports
  • Summer Climb supports

 

Because the challenges associated with kindergarten readiness are multi-faceted, so is our strategy for tackling those challenges.

interventions

Prepared to Thrive Book Drive

Access to books is critically important to help local children improve their reading abilities. That’s why United Way of the Piedmont is supporting literacy in our community through our Prepared to Thrive Book Drive.

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AmeriCorps Teaching Support Specialists

Our AmeriCorps Members spend one academic year in an elementary school where they serve teachers and students through providing small group instruction, supporting social and emotional needs of students, enriching family and school relationships, assisting teachers with remote and e-learning opportunities, and supporting students with one-on-one reading and math assistance. 

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Partnership with Spartanburg Academic Movement

We partner with Spartanburg Academic Movement and Movement 2030 to address opportunity gaps for children in our community that contribute to academic success.


United Way works closely with Spartanburg Academic Movement to support children from cradle to career. 

PARENT RESOURCES

EQUITY-based approach

As part of our commitment to equity in our programming, United Way will leverage data from the Early Development Instrument (EDI) to determine and prioritize which areas in our community have the greatest need for these supports.

The EDI is a tool for measuring child development and school readiness. The results are mapped via zip code, which means that we can target our supportive services geographically instead of using a "one size fits all" approach. 

Learn more about the Early Development Instrument from our partner, Spartanburg Academic Movement.
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donate to prepared to thrive

Invest in the long-term success of students by donating to our Prepared to Thrive initiative.

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