United Way of Salt Lake honored for early literacy work
Deseret News
Published: April 7, 2017 8:30 p.m.

SALT LAKE CITY — United Way of Salt Lake has been honored by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading for exemplary work in eliminating barriers faced by children from low-income families on the path to becoming proficient readers.

“We are very proud of United Way of Salt Lake and the numerous organizations and individuals behind the community for joining forces and working tirelessly to uplift children and families,” Ralph Smith, the campaign’s managing director, said in a statement.

“The Pacesetter award is an honor and a privilege,” Bill Crim, president and CEO of United Way of Salt Lake, said in the statement. “But it is critical to remember this is an award for our partnerships, not just United Way. This is a result of after-school providers, districts, state agencies, businesses, teachers, principals and others coming together to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. We cannot say thank you enough to everyone involved.”

United Way of Salt Lake selected eight community-level outcomes for improvement and developed core indicators to measure results for each, along with tools for collecting and analyzing data for continuous improvement.

It is also making efforts to give priority to children and families who are especially vulnerable, by adapting a full-service school model for implementation in two housing complexes. Additionally, the organization focuses on the needs of immigrant and refugee students and their families. Family liaisons conduct home visits to help families access needed resources, learn to navigate the educational system and become involved in their children’s educational success.