Your United Way

Women United For Early Childhood

Mark your calendar for the 5th annual POWER OF THE PURSE to be held on Tuesday, May 2, 2012 - beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Marshall Golf Club

Women United for Early Childhood is a women's leadership initiative established to recognize the power of women's leadership in effectively preparing children for school.

Women United for Early Childhood plans to make a difference by helping to equip families and caregivers with the tools needed so all of the children in our area can be prepared to succeed when they start school.

United We Can

Increase public awareness
Increase literacy and school readiness in young children
Increase parenting education and family engagement
Provide coordination for early childhood initiatives

Community Support

Women United for Early Childhood is working to create strategies that strengthen public and private partnerships to change the current status of early learning in southwest Minnesota.

2011 Power of the Purse

Progressive Dinners were held Saturday, February 26, 2011

The progressive dinner fund-raiser was sponsored by Women United for Early Childhood Education to raise money for Imagination Library and Success By 6. The progressive dinners included a social hour with appetizers, a soup/salad course, an entrée course, and ended with a coffee/dessert buffet. All diners were able to visit three homes. Watch for this event to be held again next year!

What is Success By 6 and Imagination Library?

Success By 6 works to build community support for children during the formative years that influence their entire lives. Parents with children, ages birth to age five, who are living in the United Way of Southwest Minnesota service area, are eligible to sign up for Imagination Library. Each month children enrolled in the program receive a quality, free, age appropriate book in the mail. United Way of Southwest Minnesota has a partnership with the Dolly Parton Foundation to get these books into the hands of as many young children as possible. United Way is responsible to enroll the children, maintain the data base of locally enrolled children and to pay for the cost of each book, including the mailing cost. This is funded by individual donations from parents, community members, organizations, and special grants. Currently, approximately 2400 children from this area are enrolled in Imagination Library. A child can be sponsored for $30 per year.

Why are Success By 6 and Imagination Library important?

Minnesota Department of Education studies have found that only about half of young children in our state come to kindergarten with proficient school readiness skills. Research clearly shows that when children start school behind it is very difficult for them to catch up. The simple act of reading every day to a young child can make a profound difference in their vocabulary and literacy rates. These are key to school readiness.

2010 Power of the Purse

Women United for Early Childhood's

3rd annual

power of the purse

was held wednesday, may 5, 2010

It was a great evening of stylish purses, great food and fellowship - all in support of early literacy. Click here to see photos from the event.

Proceeds benefit Imagination Library, an early literacy program that delivers free books to children in this area.

On Thursday, May 6, there was an extra opportunity to learn more about Chef Robin's work, her recipes and to watch her prepare two recipes while you eat a lunch prepared using recipes from her cookbooks.

Our speaker was Robin Asbell. She is author of two cookbooks and is a culinary instructor. She is an advocate for whole grains, whole foods and eating well.

2009 Power of the Purse Event

The second annual Power of the Purse event was held on Thursday, April 16, 2009, at the Marshall Golf Club. CLICK HERE to see a recap of the event. The guest speaker was Nancy Carlson, who is an accomplished children's book author and illustrator who has published more than 50 books. The evening included a silent auction of a wide variety of purses, totes, beach bags, etc., a presentation by Ms. Carlson, and a delicious meal!

A portion of the proceeds from the ticket sales for this event made it possible for Nancy Carlson to present a special Literacy Activity for students in 3rd and 4th grades at the Marshall Public Schools.

All funds raised at this event will go to support the work of "Women United for Early Childhood Education," a group that works with early childhood initiatives through the United Way of Southwest Minnesota.

2008 Power of the Purse Event

Caring women in the Marshall area joined together for the inaugural Power of the Purse event. The event included a silent auction of interesting purses, featured speaker First Lady Mary Pawlenty, and a delicious meal. CLICK HERE for additional information on this fun event.

Women United for Early Childhood is an opportunity for women in our community to direct their time, talents and financial resources towards bringing about real change in the lives of families and young children.

When women gather together with determination to help others, powerful things happen!

The Work of Women United

Born Learning - This campaign educates caregivers and provides materials that utilize everyday moments as learning moments.

Community Initiatives - Support the engagement of the community to build partnerships and strategies that change community conditions.

Public Awareness - Strengthen community support of early learning. Community efforts to support school readiness is good sense.

Programs Supported by Women United

Imagination Library - Around 2,400 children in this area receive an age and developmentally appropriate book at home each month at no cost to their family. Young children gain school readiness skills when a parent reads to them each day.

Wild About Kindergarten Bags - Children attending a kindergarten round-up in area schools receive a special tote bag containing tools to help prepare them for school. Over 750 children receive a bag each spring.

Parent Education - An annual workshop will be held to help people learn important tools for their role as a parent and to help them feel more confident and to build skills. Click here for information on the 2008 presentation on Sleep. Click here for information on the 2009 presentation by Dr. David Walsh based on his book "Say Yes to No." The 2010 presentation was by Barbara Coloroso. She presented on her books "Kids Are Worth It!" and "The Bully, The Bullied and The Bystander." In 2011, Ada Alden presented regarding her book "Red, Yellow, Green: Framework for Respectful Discipline. Click here for information on the 2012 Event

Wild About Reading - Music, reading, activities and animal crackers were featured at these events which were held throughout our service area for the first time in the summer of 2008. Over 400 area children attended these events along with parents or caregiviers.

Read to Me Newsletters - Parenting education information and links to additional resources are included in a newsletter published three times a year for families with children enrolled in Imagination Library.