Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- Today, the KSL Cares campaign focuses on the United Way.
United Way of Salt Lake has been at work in our neighborhoods for years. Maybe you've made a contribution or maybe you've volunteered on a Day of Caring. We'll now introduce you to a program that helps with educational building blocks.
At the beginning of the school year, 4-year-old Vera Silveira only spoke Spanish. But now her mother is proud of her daughter who now knows her A-B-C's and much more.
Most of the kids in the preschool at Woodrow Wilson Elementary are learning English and others are making their own breakthroughs.
Without this three-hour class, funded through United Way, the kids at Woodrow Wilson would not get structured learning.
"Our kids are actually entering kindergarten at or above their agemate peers who are not living in similar kinds of situations," said Dir. of Preschool Services Brenda Van Gorder.
The preschool is part of the Neighborhood Center program that United Way launched in 8 neighborhoods in Salt Lake, Davis and Summit Counties.
"When we invest where we know the needs are the greatest, we're helping in the long-term," said United Way of Salt Lake C.O.O. Rebecca Dutson.
The program is helping families ease their greatest challenges, to break the cycle of poverty for entire neighborhoods.
"We take a student at the center of success and we figure out what it is that that students needs in order to succeed in life," said Kate Rubalcava, coordinator of the Community Learning Center at Woodrow Wilson. "And we plug in those pieces so that can happen for those kids and those families."
You can follow this link to the KSL TV Facebook page and pick your favorite charity and click the "share" button. The link will then be posted on your Facebook wall. Encourage your friends to "like" your post because each "like" counts as a vote.
