Keeping Kids Engaged in Summer

During the summer months, students often lose academic gains and start the school year playing catch up – often widening an already concerning achievement gap.

With the help of United Way of Greater Atlanta, the Future Foundation supports underserved youth in one of the worst regions in Atlanta for child wellbeing.  Future Foundation works in low-performing schools where students come from low-wage families. The focus is on students who are at greater risk for dropping out, including those who’ve repeated grades, are performing below grade level in language arts and math scores, and have discipline issues or attendance problems.  

United Way and the Future Foundation are helping prevent summer slide with academic and enrichment support (virtual and in-person) and connecting food-insecure students to healthy meals, providing 550+ hours of academic, social and emotional support each summer to 200+ students.  

Ms. White’s 13-year-old son has been a part of the program for about a year. “(It’s) given him a routine, and helped him with his homework,” she said. “His grades have drastically changed.” Plus, Ms. White notes, the program manager at her son’s middle school made sure he could borrow a laptop and joined the literacy program. “Knowing that you have a resource – someone who really sincerely cares – is awesome!”  

Whether creating, leading or funding programs, United Way is actively engaged across the world in providing children with support to succeed in school.