No matter the circumstances, we believe every child deserves the strongest start in life. That’s why our early learning work goes beyond the classroom—we provide comprehensive support. Expanding access to low- and no-cost classrooms while providing vital support for individuals needing pregnancy resources, tuition assistance, parent and teacher coaching, literacy and STEM kits for at home learning, and ongoing training for educators. When children start strong, our communities are built stronger.
We do this work through intensive collaboration with government, fellow nonprofits, and most of all, the families we serve. Through our early learning hubs, we facilitate wraparound support for families seeking high-quality, affordable preschool.
Whether that's through matching them with the perfect preschool fit through our Preschool Marketplace, outfitting kids and families with tailor-made STEM tools to encourage curiosity, wonder, and growth, or ensuring access to literacy through our partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, we know that our region's best possible future relies on cared for, curious, and supported children.
Early Learning Hubs
United Way is home to two of Oregon’s 17 Early Learning Hubs established by the Oregon Department of Education. Early Learning Hubs play a critical role in connecting and coordinating services to meet the needs of early learning and care providers, young children and families. Hubs center the voices of families from communities who face historical and current inequities due to factors like race, income, zip code or language.
Our Early Learning Multnomah and Early Learning Washington County Hubs create a more inclusive education ecosystem for children and families of all backgrounds. Hubs create a network of support and resources for families and children who need it most. The partnerships we create bring organizations, parents and communities together to support families in raising strong, healthy children who are life-long learners.
Our initiatives establish a collaborative community to create a coordinated, culturally responsive, effective early learning system that incorporates health, mental well-being, family support and groundbreaking innovative learning.
We believe every child can be successful in school, and we disrupt structural barriers that impede families of color and low-income families from realizing the education and future they and their children deserve. We work hard to ensure every child age six and under gets what they need to thrive in kindergarten and beyond.
Through our Early Learning Hubs and other education initiatives, United Way:
- Connects parents and caregivers to free or low-cost preschool for their children as well as parenting workshops and classes.
- Provides STEM and STEAM programming to children and students 0 to 18 years old.
- Supports expectant mothers in gaining access to healthcare coverage, nutrition assistance and more.
- Provides ongoing education and trainings for preschool providers.
- Both leads and supports advocacy efforts centered on children who are often left behind in existing education systems.