UPDATED: February 16, 2022

June 15, 2021 - 

Dear Friends,

Our office is filled with excitement around many simultaneous events and opportunities taking place in June.

College Kits for First-Generation College Students
In Northern Kentucky, we are assembling college kits for first-generation college students. First-generation college students from families with insufficient resources often need more support than students whose parents have earned a degree. Thanks to a $15,000 sponsorship from Perfetti Van Melle candy company, we will assemble 136 kits containing dorm room essentials, school supplies, toiletries and cleaning products at our Northern Kentucky office in Fort Mitchell, on June 16.

Bilingual Literacy Kits
Also, in Northern Kentucky, thanks to a $12,000 grant from E. W. Scripps Foundation, we are helping Hispanic children prepare for kindergarten with bilingual literacy kits. Contact Kaeli Erskine at [email protected] if you would like to help.

Preschool Literacy Kits
In Cincinnati, our partnership with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and others to purchase, build and deliver 3,700 literacy kits to help parents prepare their preschoolers for kindergarten has been successful -- so far, we have 2,200 purchased and built. They'll be delivered through Children's Hospital's neighborhood clinics.

Higher Education Mentoring Initiative Scholars of Excellence Celebration
On Thursday, we host our Higher Education Mentoring Initiative Scholars of Excellence Celebration. This recognizes foster youth who have excelled academically, graduated high school and moved on to college. We are so proud of them for overcoming barriers their peers didn't face, and we can't think of a better way to thank them than scholarships to continue their education.

Black Empowerment Works
Finally, we have only a few weeks left to participate in our Black Empowerment Works program. Black Empowerment Works is our partnership with Black leaders to fund ideas and projects that help Greater Cincinnati communities address poverty and systemic inequities. There are two ways to participate: (1) Apply to be a grantee and (2) Apply to serve as a Reviewer, one of the people responsible for selecting the grantees. Apply today at uwgc.org/bewapply. 

Like I said, a lot is happening!

Sincerely,

Moira Weir
President/CEO
United Way of Greater Cincinnati