An Initiative is a Collaborative effort with 3 or more partners that addresses an identified United Way of Midland Community outcome in one of the three Focus Areas: education success, social health and well-being, and self-sufficiency.
Club Read:
The United Way of Midland has collaborated with area agencies for the past ten years in a Summer Reading Program called Club Read. Club Read is offered through agencies that work with low-income / high-risk children. Club Read began in 2013 to keep children engaged, reading during the summer, and preventing summer slide.
In the summer of 2024, the United Way of Midland collaborated with the Boys and Girls Club of Midland, Casa De Amigos, and Opportunity Tribe - Fun Academy. Over 2,500 new books were ordered and delivered to 282 students participating in the summer reading programs. Each student also received a backpack filled with school supplies.
Each agency brought its unique flair to the reading program, pairing it with fun classes, engaging speakers, exciting field trips/camp, water activities, picnics, free lunches, snacks, games, and more. The program’s impact extended beyond just reading hours. Students showed significant improvements in their reading comprehension and vocabulary skills, as evidenced by pre- and post-program assessments. Staff, volunteers, and parents reported increased enthusiasm for reading and a noticeable boost in students’ confidence and academic performance. Additionally, the program fostered a sense of community and belonging among the participants, encouraging them to support each other’s learning journeys.
2024 Outcomes:
- 282 - Youth Club Read Participants (Includes 3 agency programs)
- 2,541 - New books purchased and distributed across three partnering agencies.
- 4,022 - Hours of total read time for Club Read/Fun Academy Youth
- 69 - Volunteers (Includes 3 agency programs)
- 1,241 - Total Volunteer Hours (Include 3 agency programs)
- 57% of the 185 Club Read youth took a pre and post-test (assessment).
- 90% of the 151 Club Read / Fun Academy youth who completed the pre and post-test assessment maintained or improved their grade-level reading scores.
- 14 - Average hours of reading time per youth (June- August)