In recent years, San Diego’s Hispanic students have been closing the achievement gap and making faster progress in school, according to a recent USA Today article. United Way of San Diego County’s work in the Latino community addresses this gap and helps ensure that what happens before and after a child’s education prepares them for a successful life.
Many of the initiatives United Way of San Diego County funds support Latinos, and that is helping San Diego to a better future for all. These initiatives include:
SafeCare®: In-home visitation program that reduces the recurrence of child abuse and neglect through parent education and support. Now used by Child Welfare Service caseworkers to increase children’s health and family stability.
Better Dads, Better Kids: Low-income, Latino and military fathers improve their parenting skills by learning how to connect with their kids, deal with frustration and support other fathers. 45% of the participants are Latino and at the end of the program, most managed stress better and improved their parenting skills.
Bright Futures: This program proves it is never too late or too early to learn how to manage money and start saving, learn job-skills training including mock interviewing and resume writing.
Young Parents Program: You are young, you are scared, and you are a new mom or dad. Young parents with troubled childhoods learn to parent in ways they did not see at home including support services, counseling, financial education and job training.
Ways to Work: Offering low-interest car loans to credit-challenged working families, participants take financial education courses and improve their credit scores. A beneficiary of the program, former homeless veteran Fred Martinez, the new, proud owner of a used car, comments, “The car makes a big difference in allowing me to accomplish the goals that I want in life.”
United Way of San Diego County is working hard to improve the lives of all of us. If you would like to find out how to help or for more information, visit www.liveunitedsd.org
