Learn Well
Community Rallies During Education “Day of Action”
United Way invited area residents to take advantage of the longest day of the year—June 21—to make a difference in area schools through a "Day of Action” for education. Partnering with United Way as Day of Action sponsors were Blue Mesa Grill, Target and The Mulholland Companies.
Stuff The Bus
School buses provided by the Fort Worth ISD, Arlington ISD and Birdville ISD were stationed in Fort Worth, Arlington and North Richland Hills as drop-off sites where people could "Stuff The Bus" with school supplies. The pencils, construction paper and other supplies donated that day were given to those school districts to give kids a good start in school this fall. "Stuff The Bus" was part of United Way's Learn Well education initiative involving the Fort Worth, Arlington and Birdville school districts.
Staff from The Gap on University Drive in Fort Worth, Blue Mesa Grill in Southlake and Representative Kelly Hancock’s office volunteered to staff the buses. Target donated a $200 gift certificate for each of the three districts to buy more supplies. The Tarrant County Central Labor Council AFL-CIO donated more than $1,500 for supplies. According to United Way's 2-1-1 information and referral service, free school supplies are one of the top 10 unmet needs in Tarrant County.
Education Volunteers
People also were invited to sign up during Day of Action to become a volunteer reader, tutor or mentor at Tarrant County schools during the 2011-2012 school year. (Training will be provided.) United Way has enlisted more than a dozen organizations to assist in recruiting 3,000 volunteers over the next three years to help local children succeed in school and in life.
Extreme School Makeover
As part of the United Way Day of Action for education June 21, more than 40 employees of Pier 1 Imports conducted an “extreme school makeover” at Glencrest Sixth Grade Center in Fort Worth. (See photo slideshow below.) They transformed the faculty lounge by donating furnishings and adding a fresh coat of paint and appliqued decorations. They also provided new furnishings for the school office reception area. The Pier 1 crew turned the cafeteria into the Cobra College Cafe. They thoroughly cleaned the auditorium and plan to replace the auditorium window curtains. They also stenciled inspirational quotes on the hallway walls and painted about 40 pictures related to different areas of the world and hung them in the halls. Thank you, Pier 1!
The Day of Action was preceded by a Star-Telegram op-ed article written by United Way President and CEO Tim McKinney on the importance of the entire community supporting public education for the good of our children’s future and the future of the local economy.
