A good education can set the foundation towards a better life. But for ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed) families, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Across Central Florida, students are struggling to overcome barriers to their academic success. Not having access to food to fuel their brains. Not having help with homework because mom works two jobs. Not having a place to study because their family has to live out of a car.
At United Way, we have a high-level view of the most critical issues in our community. We invest in strategic partnerships that address the multitude of barriers that can keep a student from succeeding. By focusing on the whole picture, we are meeting the immediate and long term needs of ALICE households.
Our Education Programs
Going2College: Going2College is an initiative designed to reduce barriers to information about higher education. Going 2 College improves college access and streamlines the application process by providing timely updates via text message.
UpliftED is a cross-sector coalition of community leaders working to build a better-educated Central Florida workforce.
By the year 2025, we want 60% of our workforce to hold a high-value credential or post-secondary degree. That’s a big increase from the 40% we have today. To hit that number, we’ve got partners in every sector — education, business, government, industry and nonprofit — working together to help more Central Floridians find, fund and finish high-quality higher education programs.
UpliftED creates resources and tools with and for our partners to share with their students, clients, employees and other stakeholders. These resources and tools help make education after high school more of a realistic, achievable goal for Central Floridians.
By making higher education more accessible and affordable to people across Central Florida, UpliftED will lift lives for students, boost local businesses and strengthen the economy of the region.
ReadingPals: Nearly 40% of Central Florida’s third graders attending public school cannot read at the appropriate level. This puts these students at a distinct disadvantage throughout their scholastic careers. These children are four times more likely to drop out of high school if they continue on this path.
ReadingPals connects passionate volunteers with students who need extra help developing essential literacy skills
