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“I'm
so pleased to have been honored by
United Way of New York City,” said Lori
Silverbush. “They are such a unique
organization because they ask the
question ‘Why? Why do we even have
hunger in this country?’ They are one of
the few organizations that address the
systemic policies and root causes of
hunger.”
The Women's Leadership
Council (WLC) is a network of women who
are dedicated to making a difference in
the lives of New York City's young
people. The WLC celebrates the #PowerOfWomen
annually at the luncheon by honoring
those women who have demonstrated
outstanding leadership in business and
philanthropy. Since its inception in
2002, WLC has raised more than $4
million in support of UWNYC’s work to
create opportunities for youth and their
families.
MaryAnne Gilmartin remarked
that addressing poverty is about making
a “commitment to opportunity, a
commitment to equality and a commitment
to the recognition of what we all have
in common and it’s United Way.
Opportunity and assistance is a cause we
can embrace over and over again.”
“I am inspired by the
commitment of United Way of New York
City to help children by surrounding
them with strong families and
communities. Education is the most
significant cradle-to-career investment
we can make in our communities,” said Deanna
Mulligan. “Helping people expand
their knowledge and improve their skills
allows them to reach their full
potential.”
UWNYC helps young New
Yorkers prepare for future success and
provides support through every stage of
their education. United Way’s programs
begin in early education and continue
throughout high school, keeping students
on track to graduate, preparing them for
college and connecting them with
resources to improve their financial
ability to attend college. UWNYC’s
initiatives include:
READ NYC
This initiative supports
a comprehensive, integrated approach to
early learning, bringing families
together with schools, community
organizations, health care providers and
more, to ensure our children’s early
learning success and reading proficiency
by grade three.
GPS-NYC
Graduate, Prepare,
Succeed (GPS-NYC) helps high school
students with a history of chronic
absenteeism graduate on time and ready
for college. Sometimes you just need
help charting
a course, so our
initiative pairs schools with
community-based organizations to help
students navigate barriers to attending
school. Students receive academic
support, attendance outreach, counseling
and case management.
COLLEGE READINESS ACADEMY
With a focus on preparing
students for success in college, this
initiative also provides career
exposure, college access and exploration
and financing strategies for higher
education. Central to this pilot is the
role of professional volunteers and
corporate partnerships.
COLLEGE PATH
This initiative connects
students and their families to resources
to help prepare for college. Financial
coaching—including tax- preparation,
budget workshops and credit score
repair—can help increase a student’s
financial ability to attend college.
Furthermore, students who apply for
financial aid using the Free Application
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are
significantly more likely to attend
college than students who do not.
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