Introducing Our 2018 Campaign Video

We are thrilled to share our new campaign video! Because of you, we are helping alter the trajectory of a child’s life by investing in them during the most critical years of their development and creating a path towards prosperity.

A special thank you to Daugherty Business Solutions for their time and work to bring our programs to life in this video. Check it out below!

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Caterpillar: New to Lake County and Already Giving Back

On August 14, a group of 20 volunteers from Caterpillar created an Early Learning Trail at East Elementary in Zion. Early Learning Trails are great because they can spark meaningful learning moments for a child as they begin their first day of school.

Welcome to Lake County, Caterpillar, and thank you for making a difference in the community!

Watch a slideshow of photos from the volunteer event by clicking below.

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Lake County Townships Come Together to Invest in 2-1-1

United Way of Lake County is engaging local townships to invest in 2-1-1, an information and referral service available 24/7 through phone, chat and email.

Currently, 94% of the United States has an established 2-1-1 program. Unfortunately, Illinois has less than 30% coverage with no coverage in Lake County. Implementing 2-1-1 would transform the way Lake County residents access critical information and resources in time of need.

United Way, alongside participating townships, have begun building a coalition of support for 2-1-1.

Currently, over $42,000 has been raised from the following townships:

• Benton Township
• Libertyville Township
• Vernon Township
• Warren Township
• Waukegan Township
• West Deerfield Township
• Zion Township

In addition to building the township coalition, United Way is working with the Lake County Government, local businesses and individual donors in the community to fund the launch of 2-1-1.

Working together, we can bring 2-1-1 to Lake County and transform the way our residents get help and set the new standard for 2-1-1 in Illinois. To learn more about bringing 2-1-1 to Lake County and ways to get involved, visit www.LIVEUNITEDlakecounty.org/211. To support the pending launch of 2-1-1, click below.

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Volunteer as a Reading Success Tutor

Do you enjoy working with elementary-age children? Do you want to make a difference in the community you live in or near? United Way of Lake County’s Reading Success Program welcomes you!

Learn about the requirements to become a tutor and more in this NEW video!

If you are interested in volunteering as a Reading Success tutor, simply fill out this online form with your basic information. Our volunteer coordinator will call or email you with more information in a few days. Volunteering begins in late September and early October and runs through the end of May.

For more information, please contact Sue at sue.baehr@uwlakeco.org or (847) 775-1032.

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Kindergarten Countdown Camp Comes to a Close

Over the course of the summer, idle, low-income students lose two to three months worth of reading skills compared to students who are non-low-income. The National Summer Learning Association describes this trend as “summer learning loss”. To address the summer learning loss, United Way developed Kindergarten Countdown Camp (KCC), an initiative, under our Success By 6 Program, designed to bridge the gap for Lake County’s youngest learners.

Just this summer, KCC served 100 students at 4 schools throughout Lake County. Now 100 kids have the basic skills they need to start school off on the right foot!

You can hear from several different people involved with KCC, such as teachers, parents and volunteers, by checking out the blog series linked below.

We also had the opportunity to film a KCC classroom participating in an interactive mud and water activity coordinated by Kohl Children’s Museum. View the Facebook LIVE video here.

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Women United Raised $12,500 at Bingo Event

On August 4, Women United’s “Booze, Bites, Beats & Bingo” fundraising event raised $12,500 to support critical early literacy programs through their Little Kids, Big Futures Fund! Since 2014, Women United has distributed over $370,000 to worthy nonprofits to ensure children living in Lake County’s most vulnerable communities are prepared for kindergarten and ready to succeed.

Thank you to all of the donors and attendees who helped make the event a success, and a special thank you to the following sponsors:

View photos of the event by clicking the button below.

Summer Intern Spotlight

United Way of Lake County relies heavily on the work of volunteers to help make an impact in local communities. This includes our interns who are ready to volunteer their time and effort to help make a difference. These interns are a valuable part of what we do and how we do it.

This summer, we had the pleasure of working with three bright, young women: Amy Juarez, Emma Paukert, and Anna Kedjidjian. Click on each of their names to learn more about them and the work they did for us.

Interested in interning with us? Click the button below to learn more.

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Connect With Us On Social Media

Want to keep in touch more often than just our once-a-month newsletter? Become a part of our social community by following us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram, where you can see what’s new, share your thoughts and be among the first to know about all the ways that United Way is creating lasting change in Lake County.

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