The Agenda for Change: United Way Style
| Renee Moe |
by Laura Salinger
While the idea of “change” has been all the rage since the Obama campaign, and despite those that
lambast this notion as fluff, there truly are organizations that are really taking it to heart and getting to
work. At the United Way of Dane County, a shift has been taking place and the excitement about their
Agenda for Change is palpable. In a recent interview with United Way’s Vice President of Resource
Development and Marketing Renee Moe, she detailed what the United Way of Dane County is doing to
improve Dane County communities and how the Agenda for Change has strategically focused their efforts.
“Agenda for Change was a huge shift for the United Way,” Moe contends. “It truly was a transformational
change.”
The Agenda for Change targets seven of Dane County’s most pressing issues (as identified by the
community itself.) Seven goals were created to make up the “agenda.” The goals are that students of
color achieve at the same rate as white students; that children are cared for and have fun as they
become prepared for school; that people’s health issues are identified and treated early; that there is a
decrease in homelessness; that seniors and people with disabilities are able to stay in their homes; that
there is a reduction in violence towards individuals and families; and that non-profit agencies and
volunteers are strong partners in achieving measurable results.
While the idea of “change” has been all the rage since the Obama campaign, and despite those that
lambast this notion as fluff, there truly are organizations that are really taking it to heart and getting to
work. At the United Way of Dane County, a shift has been taking place and the excitement about their
Agenda for Change is palpable. In a recent interview with United Way’s Vice President of Resource
Development and Marketing Renee Moe, she detailed what the United Way of Dane County is doing to
improve Dane County communities and how the Agenda for Change has strategically focused their efforts.
“Agenda for Change was a huge shift for the United Way,” Moe contends. “It truly was a transformational
change.”
The Agenda for Change targets seven of Dane County’s most pressing issues (as identified by the
community itself.) Seven goals were created to make up the “agenda.” The goals are that students of
color achieve at the same rate as white students; that children are cared for and have fun as they
become prepared for school; that people’s health issues are identified and treated early; that there is a
decrease in homelessness; that seniors and people with disabilities are able to stay in their homes; that
there is a reduction in violence towards individuals and families; and that non-profit agencies and
volunteers are strong partners in achieving measurable results.
After identifying these core issues, the United Way of Dane County-together with their many community partners- then set out to really
get to the root causes of these problems in order to implement effective strategies that will produce long-term, measurable results.
While the goals seem awful lofty, it was easy to understand Moe’s excitement once she detailed the achievements that have already
occurred and the very target-specific programming that is underway.
One of United Way’s programs that has been measurably successful and that served as an impetus for the Agenda for Change is the
Schools of Hope Literacy Project.
The United Way of Dane County recently announced that they will significantly expand this literacy program, which they say has been
integral in reducing the achievement gap in Dane County. Moe says that United Way partnered with UW-Madison researchers to discover
the formula for getting kids reading at grade level (a key predictor for future success in school) by the 3rd grade; it was, simply, by
reading with them. The key was one-on-one and/or small group tutoring.
According to the United Way, prior to Schools of Hope, an astounding 29 percent of African American students were reading below grade
level. Nine years later, in 2004, that number was down to 5.1 percent.
Schools of Hope partners include the Urban League of Greater Madison, Centro Hispano, the Madison Metropolitan School, and many
more. The United Way board recently approved additional resources for the program to provide tutoring support to an additional 1,000
students this summer and upcoming school year, up from the 6,000 students served in 2009. Twenty one full-time and 28 summer
AmeriCorps members will serve as volunteer coordinators and tutors in Dane County elementary schools. According to the United Way,
95 percent of teachers reported that volunteers made a significant impact on student achievement in 2009.
While Schools of Hope is directly tied to reducing the achievement gap, Moe contends that it is really tied to the overall health of the
community.
“Education is really the key to a strong community,” she says. “We want to make sure that all students are able to be successful
because it doesn’t just benefit them but the whole community.”
Another key to a healthy community, Moe says, is that everyone has stable housing and access to food. That is why the United Way set
the goal to reduce student homelessness by 50 percent. They want to end the trend of the shelter becoming the first line of defense for
struggling families.
“The shelter is so bad for kids,” Moe says. “It causes them to be more isolated. Kids are much more likely to get sick. The family
dynamics shift so dramatically.”
This, in turn, impacts a student’s ability to perform in school. According to the United Way, homeless children are absent from school
more often, are more likely to have behavioral problems and have more barriers to learning to read.
In 2008, there were 776 homeless students in Dane County. In the last year, the United Way and their partner organizations were able
to help 102 students (45 families) procure stable housing. Their focus is on improving landlord/tenant connections, increasing access to
financial counseling, case management, access to food and Housing First- the strategy of getting families “housing first” and then
moving on to deal with the other issues as to why they struggle.
These are some areas where the United Way has seen measurable impact and as they implement more programming to address
the Agenda for Change, Moe says, more positive impacts are on the horizon.
get to the root causes of these problems in order to implement effective strategies that will produce long-term, measurable results.
While the goals seem awful lofty, it was easy to understand Moe’s excitement once she detailed the achievements that have already
occurred and the very target-specific programming that is underway.
One of United Way’s programs that has been measurably successful and that served as an impetus for the Agenda for Change is the
Schools of Hope Literacy Project.
The United Way of Dane County recently announced that they will significantly expand this literacy program, which they say has been
integral in reducing the achievement gap in Dane County. Moe says that United Way partnered with UW-Madison researchers to discover
the formula for getting kids reading at grade level (a key predictor for future success in school) by the 3rd grade; it was, simply, by
reading with them. The key was one-on-one and/or small group tutoring.
According to the United Way, prior to Schools of Hope, an astounding 29 percent of African American students were reading below grade
level. Nine years later, in 2004, that number was down to 5.1 percent.
Schools of Hope partners include the Urban League of Greater Madison, Centro Hispano, the Madison Metropolitan School, and many
more. The United Way board recently approved additional resources for the program to provide tutoring support to an additional 1,000
students this summer and upcoming school year, up from the 6,000 students served in 2009. Twenty one full-time and 28 summer
AmeriCorps members will serve as volunteer coordinators and tutors in Dane County elementary schools. According to the United Way,
95 percent of teachers reported that volunteers made a significant impact on student achievement in 2009.
While Schools of Hope is directly tied to reducing the achievement gap, Moe contends that it is really tied to the overall health of the
community.
“Education is really the key to a strong community,” she says. “We want to make sure that all students are able to be successful
because it doesn’t just benefit them but the whole community.”
Another key to a healthy community, Moe says, is that everyone has stable housing and access to food. That is why the United Way set
the goal to reduce student homelessness by 50 percent. They want to end the trend of the shelter becoming the first line of defense for
struggling families.
“The shelter is so bad for kids,” Moe says. “It causes them to be more isolated. Kids are much more likely to get sick. The family
dynamics shift so dramatically.”
This, in turn, impacts a student’s ability to perform in school. According to the United Way, homeless children are absent from school
more often, are more likely to have behavioral problems and have more barriers to learning to read.
In 2008, there were 776 homeless students in Dane County. In the last year, the United Way and their partner organizations were able
to help 102 students (45 families) procure stable housing. Their focus is on improving landlord/tenant connections, increasing access to
financial counseling, case management, access to food and Housing First- the strategy of getting families “housing first” and then
moving on to deal with the other issues as to why they struggle.
These are some areas where the United Way has seen measurable impact and as they implement more programming to address
the Agenda for Change, Moe says, more positive impacts are on the horizon.
Laura Salinger is
a freelance
writer based in
Madison, Wis.
a freelance
writer based in
Madison, Wis.
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She points that it takes the whole
community to make it happen.
“If we all operated independently, we
wouldn’t be able to be as powerful as we are
when we come together,” Moe says. We are
the agency that coordinates all the agencies;
we are able to bring people together.”
For more specifics on the United Way’s
Agenda for Change and programs supporting
the Agenda for Change, please visit www.
unitedwaydanecounty.org.
community to make it happen.
“If we all operated independently, we
wouldn’t be able to be as powerful as we are
when we come together,” Moe says. We are
the agency that coordinates all the agencies;
we are able to bring people together.”
For more specifics on the United Way’s
Agenda for Change and programs supporting
the Agenda for Change, please visit www.
unitedwaydanecounty.org.