Community Celebrates Success of United Way’s After-School Program

United Way of Westchester and Putnam (UWWP) unveiled its groundbreaking new free bilingual after-school program, Education United, and the results are already in: It’s a resounding success!  

See what The Journal News had to say about the program here!

With nearly 200 students enrolled, the program’s success is evident. To celebrate this incredible achievement, the organization held an open house last month to share the news. The event allowed the community to hear from program organizers, parents, and local politicians. Plans to start an additional program at another local school are also underway.  

United Way launched the Education United After-School Academic and Enrichment Program in February at Brookside Elementary School in Ossining. The inclusive program was designed to provide children with a safe and supportive environment to learn, grow, and have fun after school hours. The free program offers a range of activities to support academic achievement, including homework help, arts and crafts, fitness and wellness activities, social-emotional learning activities, STEM activities, and more in both English and Spanish. There is also a range of services for parents of the program participants, including free Lyft transportation, work readiness and career awareness, and access to United Way’s essential goods distribution. In addition, parents do not need to worry about after-school care or snacks while their children are in the program, which helps to reduce those costs for families.  

“With an enthusiastic team of dedicated professionals, the after-school program has quickly become a beacon of hope for families in the community,” Nicole Colon, Director of Educational Programs for UWWP said. “Everyone involved works very hard to make this a good experience for the kids and their families, and providing this service to the community is a joy. Many of our students and their families are bilingual and have recently relocated to the area, so this is an important support system for them.”  

The event included program tours, which provided attendees with a firsthand look at the activities and resources offered to students. Additionally, the event included an Essential Goods for Basic Needs distribution, which provided parents and kids with school supplies, backpacks, socks, mattresses, plush toys, hygiene kits, and tote bags free of charge.   

Missed the Open House? No problem.

Check out this footage from Fox News and News 12 

for a glimpse into the program

“The kids loved the books. That was the night’s hit,” Avery Zuvic, director of community impact for United Way of Westchester and Putnam, said. Zuvic and other United Way team members set up the essential goods distribution to provide families with an easy, fun shopping experience.  

The Education United program is funded by the Nita M. Lowry 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, which provides federal funding to support after-school programs for students in high-poverty and low-performing schools. United Way of Westchester and Putnam runs the Education United program in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle, a leading youth development organization that provides a range of programs and services to young people in communities across Westchester County.  

Check out the article from The Examiner

“We are proud to partner with the Boys and Girls Club to provide high-quality after-school programs to students in our community,” President and CEO of United Way of Westchester and Putnam Tom Gabriel said. “This collaboration allows us to leverage our resources and expertise to provide students with the tools they need to succeed academically and personally.”  

The success of the Education United Academic and Enrichment After-School program is a testament to the United Way of Westchester and Putnam’s commitment to providing support and resources to local families. To learn more about United Way of Westchester and Putnam, or how you can support the program: visit www.uwwp.org. 

Appointments Available for Nonprofits
Shred Day Hosted by United Way

The United Way of Westchester and Putnam is pleased to announce that it will host a free Shred Day for local nonprofits on Wednesday, June 14th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event, sponsored by Veolia, requires registration.

The event helps nonprofit organizations safely and securely dispose of sensitive papers they may have accumulated over time. Knowing these services can be expensive, United Way of Westchester and Putnam holds events like Shred Day to help nonprofit organizations save money while keeping their information safe and disposing of paper records in an environmentally friendly way. 

"We are thrilled to host this event for our local nonprofits," said Tom Gabriel, President and CEO of United Way of Westchester and Putnam. "We understand the importance of protecting sensitive data, and we want to help our nonprofit partners dispose of their paper records safely and responsibly. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, paper waste is about 25 percent of all landfill waste. Hosting Shred Day is just one of the many ways we work to support our community partners and the environment." 

Last year, United Way of Westchester and Putnam hosted E-Waste Day, where 800 electronics were properly disposed of for area nonprofits. 

The event's sponsor, Veolia, is a global leader in optimized resource management. They are dedicated to sustainability and environmental responsibility, making them an ideal partner for United Way of Westchester and Putnam. 

Nonprofits interested in participating in Shred Day are encouraged to pre-register at www.uwwp.org/shred-day. The event will occur at the United Way of Westchester and Putnam's office at 336 Central Park Avenue, White Plains, NY 10606. 

Help Close the Digital Divide in New York

Affordable, reliable, high-speed internet access, and the skills needed to use it continue to be a significant barrier for historically marginalized populations. In it’s efforts to promote digital equity, United Way of Westchester and Putnam is actively looking to amplify the collaboration between the STEM Alliance and ConnectALL to close the digital divide.

ConnectALL and other partners will conduct listening sessions in every region of the state. These sessions are designed to learn what's working to close the digital divide and to improve the well-being of marginalized populations. By gathering feedback from local communities, they can gain a better understanding of the unique challenges that different regions face when it comes to digital inclusion.

To make this effort more effective, United Way is encouraging people to visit https://broadband.ny.gov to view past presentation and session notes, see the listening sessions schedule, or take the New York State Internet Access Survey.

This survey was launched to better understand the needs of New York residents when it comes to internet access, and it will be open until June 30th. By taking the survey, individuals can help The STEM Alliance and ConnectALL gain a more accurate picture of the digital divide in New York and what steps can be taken to close it and we invite you to share the link to the survey.

"DIGITAL EQUITY is achieved when all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy. Digital equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential services."

National Digital Inclusion Alliance.