United Way and Youth As Resources

 

Paula Jarrett of United Way and Jeannie Roberts of Youth as Resources updated the Greenfield Kiwanis club membership on their programs in Hancock County.   United Way with Kiwanis’ participation helped place over 40,000 school supplies in all the schools in Hancock County through “Back Pack Attack”.  This summer United Way, Gleaners Food Bank, Hancock Regional Hospital, Greenfield Parks Department and Kiwanis helped provide meals to youth at the Riley Park each weekday.

Paula Jarrett told Kiwanis that their mission at United Way is education, basic needs, income stability, and health.  This is accomplished through community contributions which help fund numerous agencies including Mental Health America, Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Club, Meals on Wheels, and Hancock County Senior Services.

Youth As Resources (YAR) utilizes the creative minds of our community’s youth to improve our local counties. YAR gives youth a voice and creates a better community for all through volunteering.  They do this by challenging youth to channel their creative energy and skills into projects that will help the community, awarding grants to youth volunteer groups, and providing youth a voice in the programs as board members to YAR.  Jeannie Roberts said grants are made to groups of at least three students in grades K through 12 for as much as $1000. 

Jarrett also talked about the Read Up program that started 7 years ago with Indianapolis Public Schools and was introduced in Greenfield 5 years ago. Selected children in third grade are matched with trained tutors in a weekly thirty minute session.  Comprehension, vocabulary and pronunciation are emphasized.   Currently 109 tutors and 14 substitutes are tutoring students in the schools.  

To learn more about these programs contact the United Way at hancock@uwci.org or 317.467.2346.