Women United.
Since 2008, United Way of San Diego County’s Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) has mobilized its membership to improve lives in San Diego. In June, this diverse group of powerful women – representing 51 companies and 14 industries – will celebrate a decade of accomplishments, including $2M invested in support of local women and children.
Champion Sponsor Solar Turbines, United Way’s #1 corporate contributor and a partner for 50 years, shares WLC’s commitment to female leadership, encouraging women leaders to connect with each other and develop business and community networks to embolden their own careers. As they have for nearly a century, Solar Turbines and United Way continue to power the future by supporting the San Diego Community, including those women who bring their personal passions, best ideas and unique strengths to the mission of building a stronger San Diego. “Solar Turbines and United Way have a shared value of supporting sustainability for future generations,” said Matt Sager, Vice President of Solar’s Global Human Resources.
By focusing on early education, every day attendance and family stability, United Way CHANGES THE ODDS for San Diego’s children and their families. Whether it is ensuring students are reading by third grade, getting them to school on time every day, or providing emergency food or funding to maintain a household, the nonprofit supports children outside the classroom, so they can succeed inside the classroom.
Last fall, WLC voted to allocate nearly half of its Women United Fund towards Third Grade Literacy. This summer, members will volunteer through UWSD’s Readers in the Heights initiative, where over 350 City Heights children will attend a literacy camp to help maintain and improve their reading skills, which often falter over the summer. WLC members will work closely with families participating in the initiative to foster a love of literacy in the home. Pamela King, of San Diego Unified School District’s Family and Community Engagement Team, will train volunteers the way she teaches parents: “to learn the language and tools teachers use in the classroom so they can reinforce the same learning in the home.”
Lisa Kalal, United Way’s VP of Philanthropy shared with Giving Back Magazine, “Our partners, like Solar Turbines, help us make a bigger impact – an impact that changes lives and sets a young person on a path to educational and career success. We look forward to 50 more years of a partnership that helps sustain the community we serve!”
To learn more about the WLC or United Way’s work, visit www.uwsd.org.
