United Way of Southwest Virginia September Newsletter

United Way of Southwest Virginia NEWSLETTER Issue No. 1 | September 2021

KINDERGARTEN CAMPS First Lady of Virginia, Pamela Northam visited to Norton, Virginia, as a part of a press event announcing Kinder Camps. READY REGIONS Through the Ready Regions for School Age Care grant, United Way Of Southwest Virginia provided resources to school-age childcare providers. EDUCATORS Over the course of the 2020- 2021 school year, United Way of Southwest Virginia offered Virtual Educators in Industry Tours through its Ignite Program. 2021 IMPACT AWARDS During the virtual 2021 Impact Awards held via Zoom on April 13, 2021, we honored those who change lives in our region.

BONUS STORY: From Cover to College See what one of our original Ignite Interns is up to now. How did having an Ignite Internship shape her first year at college?

What’s Coming Up? Ignite Expo - 10/4 - 10/9 Rural Resilience Summit - 10/28

Celebrity Bagging - 11/23 TLC Conference - 12/10

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“I showed the Ignite Educators in Industry tour to my Vet Science class. I cannot tell you how much the students got out of it!” - Rachelle Rasco, Carroll County High School

Dr. Daniel Claffey D.V.M. preparing for a dental procedure at Radford Animal Hospital.

Ignite Educators in Industry Offering critical virtual access for our region’s teachers While COVID-19 prevented these tours to be in person, a virtual platform offered the teachers the opportunity to participate in live sessions or recorded sessions. There were over 300 educators who participated in a tour and completed a tour survey. They also received a Certificate of Participation that could be used as professional development. Organizations who participated were the Abingdon Police Department, CGI Federal, Celanese and the Radford Animal Hospital. When asked why they participated in the Virtual Educators in Industry Tour, Mandi Martinez, Practice Manager at Radford Animal Hospital stated, “Connecting with educators and helping them prepare students for careers early can help spark interest in subjects in school. It helps us bridge communication with teachers in related fields, so they can maybe use that information to lead students along a helpful path. For us, we can create bonds and open lines of communication to help our team learn and grow. Through relationships with teachers and counselors in the area, we are able to recruit interns and future team members who have an interest in exploring the field.”

Kayla Richardson of Abindgon Virginia Police Department leading an online educators in industry tour

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Cover to College See what one of our first Ignite Interns is up to now! Career exploration has always been an important part of our Ignite Internship Program. One of our original Ignite Interns from 2019, Jules Lemmon, found herself highlighted on the cover of The Business Journal of Tri-Cities TN/VA featuring her time at Universal Fibers as an intern. Lemmon completed two Ignite Internships before deciding to continue her education at Marymount University. Her first with Universal Fibers and the second with United Way of Southwest Virginia. She currently studies a major in Political Science and two minors in communications and law. In addition to maintaining good standing in her academics, Lemmon competed on the University’s track and soccer teams and participates in an honors program. She completed work over the summer of 2021 with Feeding Southwest Virginia through Americorps and plans to keep busy when she returns to school in the fall. “I expected both of my internships to be rigid and intimidating when they were quite the opposite.” said Lemmon. Jules tells us her time management skills have come in handy to juggle all her classes, work, and sports while in school. “The great part about an internship is that there is more to it than working. The goal is also to gain knowledge and experience. I ended up having a lot of fun with both of my internships, and quite frankly, that wasn’t something that I was expecting.” The United Way of Southwest Virginia team is happy to hear she is doing well and wishes her all the best in her future endeavors!

“I am so thankful for all of the experiences I had with my Ignite internship. Taking advantage of the opportunities that were placed in front of me was one of the smartest things I have done. If you choose to complete an internship then you’ll get more out of your summer than money and it will help you in the long run.” - Jules Lemmon

To learn more about Ignite Internships visit www.unitedwayswva.org/ignite-internships

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Virginia’s littlest learners areamong themost affected by the pandemic, but they are strong and resilient, and with access to quality early learning opportunities, we know they can thrive in school and beyond.

-Pamela Northam, First Lady of Virginia

Kindergarten Camps Resilience for our region’s youngest citizens

On April 14, 2021, United Way of Southwest Virginia held a press conference and announced a partnership with Ballad Health to provide funding and coordinated support for up to 30 Kinder Camps classrooms. In attendance were First Lady Pamela Northam, Secretary of Education Atif Qarni, Secretary of Health and Human Resources Daniel Carey, MD, MHCM, Alan Levine, Executive Chairman, President, and CEO of Ballad Health, Travis Staton, President, and CEO of United Way of Southwest Virginia, and Susan Patrick, Ph.D. Director of Childhood Success, United Way of Southwest Virginia. Kinder Camps will provide a jump start for kindergarten students who may have fallen behind due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. “The students who attend kinder camps will have a chance to acclimate to the school environment, learn important social-emotional skills, connect with licensed teachers, and engage in hands-on learning—all skills that will benefit them from kindergarten to graduation,” said Secretary of Education Atif Qarni. “Kinder camps are an important stop- gap measure as Virginia recovers from the pandemic, and we are grateful for Ballad Health and United Way’s commitment to serving young students in this innovative way.”

“These Kinder Camps will be a vital part of the resilience of our region’s youngest citizens,” said Travis Staton, President and CEO of United Way of Southwest Virginia, “Participation in a Kinder Camp will set up our Southwest Virginia students for success and ensure they are on track to excel in school for years to come.”

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“It is important for children to know that school is a fun and positive place, we are preparing them for the future, and by instilling these strong values, they will learn that having a job and contributing to our community is very important,” said Anne Newlun, Teacher at Norton Elementary School.

Kindergarten Camps Resilience for our region’s youngest citizens

In the Ballad Health service area of Virginia, on average, 45% of children are not prepared to enter kindergarten. In addition, nearly half of Southwest Virginia students do not have the necessary literacy, math, social interaction, or social regulation skills to enter kindergarten successfully, and children all across the continuum are experiencing widening gaps. With support from Ballad Health, United Way of Southwest Virginia will provide funding and coordinated support for up to 30 Kinder Camps classrooms; up to 450 children. Kinder Camps will provide a jump start for students before they enter kindergarten. “Ballad Health made an investment in Kinder Camps in Southwest Virginia in order to help children become ready for kindergarten,” said Heather Logan, Community Engagement Specialist, Ballad Health, “Ballad is interested in entire community health. We know that there are social determinants that can predict a person’s health throughout their life. Two of the most significant factors in someone’s long-term health are kindergarten readiness and third-grade reading levels,” she continued, “If we can focus on those strong starts and a strong kindergarten program, then we are going to be a healthier community as a whole.” “One of the biggest challenges students face when entering Kinder Camps is that they are not used to being away from home, and their caretakers; that initial separation is the most difficult step for children when entering school,” said Destinee Hunnicut, Teacher at Norton Elementary School, “Kinder Camps provides a more relaxed and fun atmosphere for them to acclimate to the new school setting while still setting them up with the educational foundation they need to be ready for school.” “I believe Kinder Camps prepare our students for school by acclimating them to classroomnorms and social norms, said Scott Addison Th.D, Ed.D, MBA, Norton Elementary School Principal, “Many times when students come to school on the first day of kindergarten, they have no Pre-k or Head Start experience, and it can be a socially challeging environment and can be very intimidating for the student. Kinder Camps allow our students to be around other students and teachers and sets them up for success when entering school.” Kinder Camps put students in an environment where they are surrounded by teachers who want the best for their students and show kids how fun and supportive school can be. “Even in the three short weeks these children have participated in Kinder Camps, we have seen such a significant improvement in their social-emotional skills and their behavioral health. They are now completing tasks, following directions, and we have worked through a lot of the challenges that we initially saw at the beginning of the program,” said Destinee Hunnicut, Teacher at Norton Elementary School, “These students are now flourishing.”

Thank you New Peoples Bank for supplying Lit Kits to Kinder Camps. President and CEO of New Peoples Bank, Todd Asbury, (pictured above) told us, “Being involved in helping kids’ school readiness leads to lifelong success. It is important for us to give back to our youngest community members.”

Pictured above are Heather Logan of Ballad Health and Madison Van Dyke of New Peoples Bank reading Mrs. Wishy Washy’s Farm to students in a Kinder Camp at Norton Elementary in Norton, Virginia.

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2021 Impact Awards Stitching our communities together and changing lives in our region.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam addressed the honorees and attendees by saying, “Hearing the accomplishments your organization has made during a particularly difficult year is so encouraging, and I am reminded that what makes Southwest Virginia great is the ability of its people to come together and develop innovative response strategies.” “While many industries struggled during 2020, our nonprofit organization continued to experience growth, adding major initiatives targeting COVID relief needs. We also expanded the service area of our organization to include another locality: Wythe County. This was all while continuing the work to improve health, education, and financial stability,” said Travis W. Staton, President and CEO of United Way of Southwest Virginia. Keynote speaker Jessica Stollings-Holder said, “I believe it is on us to create a stronger and better future for the younger generation, and it is on us to create an intentional and lasting change to make a lasting impact.”

2021 Impact Awards Winners

2020 Media Partners • Bristol Herald Courier • WCYB-TV • 93.9 WMEV • The Business Journal of Tri-Cities TN/VA 2020 Corporate Partners • Food City • Universal Fibers • Utility Trailer of Atkins • Utility Trailer of Glade Spring

Unsung Hero Award • George Hunnicutt Pepsi Bottling Co.- Norton • Freda Blevins Feeding America SWVA • Steve Kegley Berry’s Home Supply Recognition of Service Award • Mary Begley Appalachian Power Company Woman of Distinction Award • Virginia Pillion

Champion of Change Award • Suzanne Potts Owner/Operator Discovery Daycare Impact in Youth Award • CGI Federal Top Giver Award • Food City Leader of Resilience • Mike Quillen • Tommy Casteel Spirit of the Community Award • Ballad Health

Thank you to all our community partners and donors who help us make a lasting impact on the Southwest Virginia region!

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Ready Regions Offering critical virtual access for our region’s teachers Through the Ready Regions for School Age Care grant, United Way Of Southwest Virginia is able to provide necessary resources to school-age childcare providers. As we move forward from the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that childcare centers have the resources to provide safe and quality care is important. The Ready Regions for School Age Care grant, supported by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF), provides funds to ensure school-age childcare centers have tuition support and the resources to create Safe Learning Spaces (SLS). The primary goal of Ready Regions is to provide direct assistance to childcare providers. This direct assistance can come in the form of tuition assistance and upgraded appliances such as HVAC systems, refrigerators and freezers, stoves, and improved remote learning resources like internet support, tablets, and laptops. “It was amazing to be able to share tuition assistance with families, many even shed tears because of the impact it had on them. We are also excited to work toward improved internet for our students! One day we had 42 kids trying to do virtual learning and it was such a challenge. Improved internet will be such a blessing,” said a Ready Regions childcare provider. Ready Regions for School Age Care has a far-reaching impact on our region. “With this grant, we will be able to give so many needed resources to providers in our region, and it’s a great way to support them as they are taking care of some of our youngest citizens,” said Travis Staton, President, and Chief Executive Officer, United Way of Southwest Virginia. Thus far, the Ready Regions for School Age Care grant has provided over 600 tuition slots for children and has impacted approximately 3,200 students through grant-funded initiatives in the following counties/cities: Bristol, Carrol, Floyd, Galax, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski, Radford, Russell, Smyth, Tazewell, and Washington.

Classroom updated using Ready Regions Funding

We were blessed with all the new materials to help improve our 3-12 year old classrooms. Thank you for all you guys have done. We are truly grateful. - Ready Regions Provider

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Ignite Careers Expo For Youth

OCT. 4 -9

Rural Resilience Summit

OCT. 28

NOV. 23

Celebrity Bagging

Tender Loving Caregivers Conference

DEC. 10

Don’t let the impact stop there, use the enclosed envelope to make a donation to UWSWVA now! Your generous contribution will help us continue to fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in Southwest Virginia.

Thank you to our Corporate Partners for helping us make an impact on the Southwest Virginia Region!

Glade Spring

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