United Way of Southwest Virginia September Newsletter

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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