United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ) recently announced that it would award Better Tomorrows a $60,000 grant for fiscal years 2018-2020 in support of helping children remain connected to school. Better Tomorrows was one of more than 120 nonprofit organizations selected to receive funding for tackling three specific goals by the year 2030: more children reading on grade level by the end of third grade; more youth ages 15-25 reconnected to school or work; and more individuals and families living above 200 percent of the federal poverty line.

“Poverty is the most pressing issue of our time in this region. By aligning our investments around a central cause to end intergenerational poverty, we will drive deeper impact into the evidence-based solutions and interventions where our United Way can make the biggest difference: early learning, career pathways and pipelines, and economic self-sufficiency,” said Bill Golderer, president and CEO of UWGPSNJ. “The partners we have selected will play a pivotal role in helping individuals and families break the cycle of poverty.”

UWGPNSJ’s Regional Board of Directors, specifically the Impact Strategy Committee, drove the process to create this new investment framework, as well as the decision-making guidelines that were followed by approximately 100 community volunteers during the review of applications from 261 organizations from March 19 to April 13.

After a competitive application and review process, Better Tomorrows was selected due to its high performance and ability to demonstrate how the organization will deliver measurable results in support of helping children remain connected to school.

“We’re proud to receive support from United Way’s Impact Fund,” says Rebecca Tone, CEO of Better Tomorrows. “Thanks to United Way’s generosity, we will be able to expand our efforts in Philadelphia and South Jersey to help the people in our communities who need it most.”

For more information about Better Tomorrows, please visit www.bettertomorrows.org. To learn more about UWGPSNJ’s Impact Fund investment framework, visit www.unitedforimpact.org/our-cause/impact-fund/.

About Better Tomorrows

Better Tomorrows serves residents of affordable housing sites across the nation. The organization partners with property management companies to gain direct access to low-income residents and the surrounding community. Its mission is to empower individuals, families, and neighborhoods to thrive. The Better Tomorrows impact-driven social service model is aimed at fostering economic stability, educational success, healthy lifestyles and strong communities. By providing a continuum of direct support to affordable housing residents and the neighboring communities, Better Tomorrows’ place-based programming and case management build safe and nurturing environments and uplift over 40,000 youth, adults, families, seniors, and individuals with special needs across 121 sites nationally.

About United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey

United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, serving communities in Pennsylvania’s Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, and New Jersey’s Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May and Cumberland counties, is part of a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and in people’s lives. United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. In Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, United Way fights for youth success and family stability because we LIVE UNITED against intergenerational poverty. For more information about United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey visit www.UnitedForImpact.org.