Learn Well, Earn Well, Live Well Initiatives
Education, Income & Health “Report Card” Shows First Year Progress
Think of it as a report card on the first year progress of United Way’s multi-year education, income and health initiatives. Independent evaluators from the University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work and University of Texas Health Science Center have assessed the Learn Well, Earn Well and Live Well initiatives after 12 months and assigned letter grades to their 10 strategies.
Each strategy received one grade related to the number of people reached and another grade rating the extent to which people’s lives had improved. The results were 7 A’s, 9 B’s, 3 C’s and 1 “Incomplete.” (Links to the evaluation report summaries and complete reports are below.)
“It’s a good start, and we have more to do,” said Ann Rice, United Way Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “For the large majority of the 10 strategies, we are extremely pleased with the results in terms of changes that are already being made in the lives that we are touching. We did not reach as many people as we had hoped, given the time it took for most agencies to get the programs rolling. We may need to do some course corrections in our strategies.”
Dr. Sam Deitz, Dean Emeritus of the TCU College of Education and a United Way Education Council volunteer, agrees. “The United Way education initiatives are focused on very important goals,” he said. “We continue to stress outcomes and carefully measure success toward those outcomes. Over the next several years we should work to improve the successful projects and eliminate those which are unsuccessful.”
10-Year Learn Well Education Initiative:
Evaluation Executive Summary (3-page .pdf)
Learn Well Evaluation Report (41-page .pdf)
Sample Successes:
- Arlington ISD PreK4 children who participated in the United Way-funded early learning strategy made greater gains in letter sounds, words and overall literacy than those who did not participate.
- Of the 68 children who participated in the elementary grade reading strategy, 71 percent showed an average increase of three reading levels.
“The parent educator has been visiting our house on a bi-weekly basis and the improvement in our child’s social-emotional development is unbelievable.”
--Parents As Teachers Program Participant
3-Year Earn Well Financial Stability Initiative:
Evaluation Executive Summary (4-page .pdf)
Earn Well Evaluation Report (26-page .pdf)
Sample Successes:
- 440 more families received Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) refunds through United Way-supported income tax preparation sites and increased their annual income by an average of 10 percent.
- 1,182 families are on the road to financial stability through increases in income, education and improved financial management.
“The financial classes…had a lot of really good information. I learned quite a few new things and they went over things I knew in the past that maybe I haven’t been as diligent about as I need to be.”
--Financial Education Student
3-Year Live Well Healthy Aging and Independent Living Initiative:
Evaluation Executive Summary (6-page .pdf)
Live Well Evaluation Report (25-page .pdf)
Sample Successes:
- 6,632 older adults and their caregivers were touched through Live Well health screening, counseling, education and respite care.
- 80 percent of the people with Alzheimer’s at risk for nursing home placement were able to remain in the community for 6 months. It is estimated that this resulted in $2.72 million not being spent for institutional services.
“When my husband was diagnosed, the doctor sent us home and I was in shock. I would not have survived without the REACH [Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health] counselor’s help.”
--Alzheimer’s Caregiver
Our Vision
Tarrant County will be a place where children, individuals and families thrive, where neighbors care for each other and where people willingly share the responsibility of ensuring a safe and healthy community for all.
Our Mission
To improve lives across our diverse communities by:
- Prioritizing needs in education, income and health
- Forming innovative and effective partnerships with other organizations
- Strategically raising and investing resources to make lasting change
Our Diversity Statement
United Way of Tarrant County values and seeks diversity by respecting the knowledge, abilities and experience of all individuals. Our commitment is to support an inclusive environment reflecting our United Way communities and accomplishing our mission.
