United Way of Greater Baytown Area and Chambers County works to increase access and engagement in education for under-served, at-risk children, teens, and young adults.
Education is a cornerstone for success in school, work and life. It also benefits the whole community: high school graduates have higher earning potential, contribute more to their local economies, are more engaged in their communities, and are more likely to raise kids who also graduate on time. United Way of Greater Baytown Area and Chambers County focuses on long-term solutions and addressing opportunity gaps throughout the cradle-to-career pipeline in order to keep kids on track to graduate high school, be prepared for college, and develop a career. The greatest single ticket out of poverty for a child is a high school diploma and, when possible, higher education.
Funding Objective: Children in our community will be Kindergarten-Ready. Teens and young adults will have enhanced employability and lifelong earning potential to improve economic security.
Funded Partners in Education:
Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council
Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends.
In Quarter 4 (April - June, 2022), Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council (GSSJC) worked diligently to expand our presence in Chambers County and community partnerships with other agencies. Throughout this past quarter GSSJC met with other local agencies to understand their needs and see if we could provide any sort of support to their work in Baytown and Chambers County. In Chambers County, GSSJC has been part of conversations with local community leaders to bring more Girl Scouting opportunities to rural communities.
"Brightest part of our day today? That’s easy: When these young rays of sunshine from Girl Scout Troop 132051 showed up at Mont Belvieu PD loaded with “Cookies for Heroes.”
Communities in Schools of Baytown
CIS is dedicated to drop-out prevention and student success; consisting of trained professionals who work directly in schools to empower students to succeed inside and outside the classroom.
In the spring of 2022, Communities in Schools was able to bolster their Maslow's Closets program.
"We were able to purchase enough personal hygiene supplies and basic clothing items to start all 13 campuses with a Maslow's Closet starter supply kit. One of the students we purchased clothes for this quarter was so grateful and in awe of what he received. He told his Site Coordinator that he hadn't had new school clothes in a long time. He stated this would be the first school year he would be able to show up the first week of school with brand new clothes. Student's quote: "I won't have to wear the same red hoodie all year long. Thank you.""
Tejano Center for Community Concerns, GradCafé by Project Grad
Tejano Center for Community Concerns is a family of 12 programs and services dedicated to the underrepresented, underserved, and under resourced. Through their partnership with United Way GBACC, Tejano center is able to support the GradCafé by ProjectGrad program. GradCafé offers free services to those looking for help to decide on a career, apply to college, and find needed financial aid.
Bay Area Rehabilitation Center
The Opportunity Center at Bay Area Rehab Center provides adults with disabilities vocational rehabilitation and other site-based services. These services provide participants with social, life, and vocational skills. The programs combine to help participants to obtain a sense of empowerment as well as help them succeed socially in the community.
The following is a story provided by the agency of an example of one of their clients stories:
"Participant was a referral for another local agency to our program. Participant has a severe disability via auto accident and requires total care. Participant was in need of various services and his family was unsure of how to obtain the services needed. Staff was able to contact local area apartment/housing to assist with housing for family, we were able to get him set up for rides to various doctor appointments and he has been awarded state funding and our program was his first choice on choosing a provider because of our assistance to him and his family. Participant is currently residing with family in a safe environment and his family is able to be compensated for any assistance they provide for participant. Our program works to support our mission providing support services for personal with disabilities and/or injuries and their families."