Leading the Way for Central Ohio’s Children
Success by third grade:
Together, we’re building a better future for families and children
Launched in May 2022, Success by Third Grade celebrated its second full school year in six participating school districts in Franklin County last year. With the goal to close the 30-point gap of the third grade English Language Arts proficiency scores between the six participating districts and the nonparticipating districts in half by 2035, Success by Third Grade celebrated progress:
- In year two, the gap narrowed from the pandemic highs, returning to a pre-pandemic gap of 29.
- Five of our six participating districts improved their third grade ELA percentages in the 2023-2024 school year.
Aligning Investments:
In 2024, your support of our Community Response Fund provided $5.3 million to 75 local nonprofits and 96 programs dedicated to supporting Success by Third Grade and eliminating nonacademic barriers to student success.
We know students must be supported inside and outside of the classroom. These nonprofit partners provide direct services in Success by Third Grade’s participating school districts and their programs address three core indicators:
- Child well-being
- Home and family stability
- Safe and supported at school
Your support of the Community Response Fund last year changed lives:
%
Individuals served
%
Meals served to families facing food insecurity
%
Nights of shelter to neighbors struggling with housing
%
Students served through education programs
22 kindergarten-readiness programs served 6,546 children
13 programs reported that 97% of kids achieved developmental milestones
8 programs reported that 95% of kids were prepared for kindergarten
Ensuring Children are Ready for Kindergarten
Five-year-old Jaxon loves math and showing how high he can count. His mom,
Nakisha, was excited for him to start kindergarten and knew he was prepared
and ready to learn, thanks to Action for Children’s SPARK program, funded by
United Way. The kindergarten readiness home-visiting program provides parents with activities to be their child’s first and best teacher, ensuring their child has the reading, math and social skills necessary to succeed in kindergarten.
Who is ALICE?
We’re leading the way in Ohio as an ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Restrained, Employed) partner. ALICE households have incomes above the Federal Poverty Level, but cannot afford basic needs with the current cost of living.
In Franklin County, 39% of households fall below the ALICE Threshold — ALICE households plus those in poverty. In Success by Third Grade school districts this number is even higher. These families can’t afford the essentials, which often impacts their children’s ability to succeed in school. Success by Third Grade uses the latest research on ALICE to inform our work, align resources and advocate for this growing population
Supporting Children through Out of School Time Programs
Genesis was in first grade when she won the annual ETSS Tewahedo Social Services’ spelling bee by spelling the word “went.” According to ETSS staff, she practiced her words every day and gained a great deal of self-confidence by participating in and winning the spelling bee. United Way partners with ETSS and other Out of School Time programs that offer a safe, nurturing environment where children like Genesis are celebrated and have fun while learning.
Innovating. Connecting. Convening.
Community Impact Center: A Hub for Collaboration
In May, Angela Williams, president and CEO of United Way Worldwide, brought her three decades of leadership experience to the Community Impact Center for the Siemer Institute’s 2024 summit, co-sponsored by United Way of Central Ohio. Williams also met with a group of Columbus corporate CEOs during her visit.
Other CIC visitors throughout 2024 included legislators hosted by United Way’s Public Policy team to tour the building and learn more about the nonprofit hub and Success by Third Grade. The CIC, established in 2022, now houses 15 nonprofits, with more in various stages of joining the innovative hub.
The Inaugural United Rivals Competition
took place in November, with United Way of Central Ohio joining forces with United Way for Southeastern Michigan to challenge football fans to fight childhood food insecurity. United Rivals raised over $145,000 in sponsorships, and individual and in-kind donations for both communities. In addition to the mobilization of generous donors, over 100 passionate volunteers came together for a tailgate party hosted by United Way’s Leaders United Steering Committee to pack 500+ snack bags that helped keep children fed over the holiday break
Our 2024 Stuff the Backpack event
brought together over 550 passionate volunteers to Lower.com Field to stuff, quality-check and box an astounding 10,000 backpacks. Filled with essential supplies, these backpacks went to students across Franklin, Licking and Union County school districts. Employees from 54 organizations rolled up their sleeves and joined the effort, and generous individuals in our community donated over $30,000 to cover the cost of school supplies.
DEAR SUPPORTERS,
As I reflect on the second full year of Success by Third Grade, I am filled with gratitude for the incredible support you have shown to this movement and to our community’s children. Your unwavering commitment has been instrumental in shaping a brighter future for all of us in central Ohio.
Our united efforts are creating a ripple effect, inspiring a sense of possibility for what lies ahead. We’ve already started to see promising results, and, as Columbus continues to grow and evolve, ensuring access to basic needs to strengthen families and promote student success has become a catalyst for collaboration among business, civic and community organizations and leaders.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to see what we can achieve together. My excitement isn’t just about numbers – it’s about hope. It’s about showing that when we work together, we can create transformative changes. Our collective effort can ensure every child starts their school day feeling supported, healthy and ready to learn.
Whether it’s through workplace campaigns that engage employees in philanthropy, community events like Stuff the Backpack or through collective impact efforts like Success by Third Grade that bring diverse partners together, we have the power to shape a stronger, more resilient central Ohio for all of us. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our mission.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Lisa S. Courtice, Ph.D
THANK YOU
to our generous partners for their support of $500,000 and over
- American Electric Power
- Crane Group
- Grange Insurance
- Huntington Bank
- Nationwide
- Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
- The Ohio State University Buckeyes for Charity
- Siemer Institute
- State of Ohio Combined Charitable Campaign