The United Way Needs Your Help!
Over 1,200 School Age Children in Bay County Need Your HELP!
July 22, 2015
By: Josh Sharrow
Did you know?
- Nearly 52% of Bay County youth are eligible for free/reduced school lunch?
- Almost 27% of the 3rd graders in Bay County are not meeting appropriate reading levels?
- Over 19% of the children in Bay County live below the federal poverty level?
- More than 10% of the students in Bay County drop out of high school?
Do you see the trend? The kids in our community need your continued support! We all know that a good education leads to a sustainable adulthood, but the cycle of poverty creates many educational barriers for children and their families. Maslow?s Hierarchy of Need shows us that Physiological Needs (the need for food, water, shelter, and clothing) must be met in order for an individual to be able to reach full potential in life.
Each year, low income families in Bay County face the financial burden and worry of providing their children with the basic needs of returning to school.
What did we do?
In 2014, United Way of Bay County sent over 1,000 students from Bay County back to school with new clothing, undergarments, and shoes. This year, there have been over 1,200 qualified applicants to request clothing for the upcoming school year.
What can you do to help?
At an average of $65 per child, it will take nearly $80,000 to send each of these children back to school with new clothing and shoes. Currently, we are about $17,000 short of doing so.
If you or your business/organization would like to donate or sponsor a child/children, please contact us at 989.893.7508, or you can mail/drop off donations at The United Way Non-Profit Center, 909 Washington Ave, Suite 2, Bay City, MI 48708.
Special thanks to our major donors, including: The Wirt-Lee Trust, Bay Area Community Foundation, Kawkawlin Community Church, and St. Catherine of Siena Church.