Creating Opportunity For Our Youth

August 9, 2022

Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. United Way of Greater Atlanta works to create opportunity for our community’s youth.

Hannah lives in zip code 30327, which has a Child-Well Being Score of 87.3 (very good!). Her household income is $226,333. During the COVID-19 pandeic, Hannah’s parents have been able to work remotely and help her with digital learning to make sure she does not fall behind in school. They have health insurance, and are able to cook Hannah nutritious meals each day. They are saving for her college education. With her basic needs met, Hannah will enter 3rd grade next year reading at grade level, and will likely graduate high school and go on to college and a successful career.

Hanna lives in zip code 30310, which has a Child-Well Being Score 32.3 (not so good). During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hanna’s parents must continue to work outside the home, and are not provided health insurance through their jobs. Hanna does not have access to digital learning, and without a free lunch at school, often misses meals. Hanna’s parents are unable to afford a $400 unexpected expense. Without her basic needs met, Hanna will struggle to read at grade level when she enters 3rd grade next year, and is four times more likely to drop out of high school than her peers.

A child’s success should not be determined by their ZIP code.

Hannah begins with a strong foundation, giving her the building blocks for success later in life, while Hanna is more likely to struggle. Our efforts are focused putting money to work where it can do the most good for children and communities across Greater Atlanta’s 13-county region.  

Read what our President and CEO, Milton J. Little, Jr. has to say about creating opportunities for our youth.