United Way of Greater Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky joined United Ways statewide at the Capitol in Frankfort today to bring attention to issues of importance to all Kentuckians: education, income and health.
While there, many met with local legislators to bring attention to issues that impact their local communities.
Key focus areas for Live United Day include access to high-quality public or private pre-K experiences for all Kentucky 3- and 4-year-olds, quality childcare for working parents, enaction of a state refundable Kentucky Earned Income Tax Credit (to supplement the existing federal credit), and quality health care through adequate, affordable insurance coverage for all Kentuckians – particularly children in low-income, working families.
United Way will also highlight some of its work in their key focus areas, including the United Way Born Learning Academies. With half of Kentucky children not prepared for kindergarten, the academies are free workshops for parents and caregivers of children under 5 that provide tools to support their role as their child’s first teacher. Now in its fourth year of a five-year, $1 million investment, Toyota funds 42 academies statewide. With additional funding from Kentucky’s Race to the Top federal grant, and in partnership with Kentucky’s United Ways, there are now 104 Born Learning Academies in Kentucky.
United Way provides numerous supports to working Kentuckians, such as financial services and basic needs programs. One such program helping families throughout Kentucky is Bank On, which is a program to serve the “unbanked” and “under-banked,” those who live without access to mainstream financial institutions and rely on expensive check-cashing services. Bank On teaches the basics of banking, including using a check register, reviewing monthly statements, and even helps with making and sticking to a budget.
“We want to bring attention to key issues that affect hard working families in Kentucky,” said Kevin Middleton, president, United Way of Kentucky. “United Way is here to serve people in local communities and to give a voice to important issues that impact us all.”
From United Way of Greater Cincinnati