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United Way of Elgin offers 2017 investment opportunities

Over the past decade, United Way of Elgin has evolved from its roots as a fundraising organization to an important community convener that works to mobilize local partners, including businesses, community leaders, public officials and community residents, to expand opportunities for people to succeed.

Working together, they must tap into people's aspirations, focus on issues and underlying conditions for change, and bring people and organizations together to create lasting impact.

The United Way of Elgin's goal is to create a well-educated community prepared for success. Within that broad goal, there are four critical focus areas: Success by Six/Early Learning; Reading Success; College and Career Readiness; and Strong and Secure Families.

The first three focus areas center around education, as education is one of the most powerful antipoverty strategies. While employment may be what pulls one above the poverty line, education is the primary and most consistent driver of sustained upward growth.

People with higher levels of education earn more throughout their lifetime. Early intervention in the form of quality child care and preschool can help even the playing field. Continuing support through the school years and connections to enriching opportunities and caring adults are important factors in advancing youth toward high school graduation and beyond.

The fourth focus area, Strong and Secure Families, centers on the financial, physical, and metal health of the community.

Many in our community continue to face significant challenges that affect one's ability to meet their family's basic needs, which jeopardizes a child's ability to have a consistent path of growth and development.

Health and wellness issues, including hunger and mental health, are also important pieces of a strong community. Therefore, the United Way of Elgin also is committed to supporting an accessible community safety net to help stabilize those in need and push all people toward more stable lives.

To identify the very best programs to help achieve its goal, the United Way of Elgin is accepting applications from community organizations seeking funding in one of the first three focus areas only: Success by Six/Early Learning, Reading Success, College and Career Readiness.

Organizations do not have to be located in Elgin, but must serve a significant part of the greater Elgin area population.

Application information, including eligibility criteria, timelines, and instructions, is available on the website, www.uwelgin.org. Monday, March 27, is the deadline to apply.

Funding for Strong and Secure Families programs is limited to currently funded agencies. United Way of Elgin will not accept unsolicited applications for funding in that focus area.

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