The importance of learning in early childhood development is crucial, as a child with poor early education is 25 percent more likely to drop out of school. Our goal is to help make educational opportunities easily accessible for parents and caregivers of young children. One simple activity to stimulate learning is to visit a Born Learning Trail. These pathways feature activities and games that make learning fun. Simply go for a short walk and help boost your child's language and literacy skills.

The ability to receive an education is critical in setting up children for success in life. The Walking School Bus, a partnership with Racine Unified School District, was designed to reduce absenteeism and get community school students to school on time and safely. Since the program started in October 2020, many students have received a safe and fun way to get to school. Currently, 25 students are enrolled in the program which runs routes to both Knapp Community School and Julian Thomas Community School.

April 26, 2023 (Racine, WI) — According to a new report from United Way of Racine County partner United For ALICE, the ranks of Racine County households unable to afford the basics decreased slightly from 27,452 households in 2019 to 27,290 households in 2021.

Children's Wisconsin School-Based Mental Health Program provides students and their families with mental health services. United Way of Racine County is proud to support the operation of in-school clinics that provide services to the entire neighborhoods of Julian Thomas Community School, Knapp Community School and The Academies of Racine at Mitchell Community School. By providing these services, Children’s Wisconsin has helped improve suspensions at Julian Thomas Community School by 45 percent. They have also seen improvement in MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) scores among patients.

United Way's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program has been instrumental in helping low-to-moderate income and limited English-speaking Racine County residents receive free access to their earned tax refund. This incredible work is made possible due to the commitment of local volunteers. Before directly working with taxes, volunteers undergo a background check, intensive training and must pass an IRS-certification exam. All of this effort is worth it for VITA volunteers who get to see their impact first-hand.

Feb. 15, 2023 (Racine, WI) — On Thursday, Feb. 16, United Way of Racine County President and CEO Ali Haigh will share the collaborative impact of United Way of Racine County’s Equity Innovation Fund with a group of elected officials and community leaders at the White House.

Schools of Hope has been improving Racine County students’ literacy for over a decade. The program recently reached the end of the first semester of the 2022-23 school year. During this time, 55 tutors provided services that benefitted 42 students. The positive outcomes seen this year have been tremendous.

Schools of Hope tutor Tricia recounted the growth she has seen from her student. “I see the difference that this work makes every week. I can see how the strategies we are taught help the children to improve their reading abilities,” she said.

Workers may get a larger tax refund this year because of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). But to get it, they must file a tax return and claim it.

Jan. 27, 2023, marks the 17th anniversary of EITC Awareness Day, a nationwide effort to increase awareness about the EITC and free tax preparation sites. This year, the IRS is promoting the EITC and providing information on other refundable tax credits that taxpayers may be eligible for.

In Wisconsin, approximately 461,000 taxpayers received over $869 million in EITC from 2021 tax returns.

Jan. 20, 2023 (Racine, WI) — On Thursday, Jan. 19, more than 250 United Way supporters gathered at Fountain Hall to celebrate 100 years of impact in the Racine County community.