May 22, 2025 • 24 mins
The sudden termination of AmeriCorps funding has sent ripples through communities nationwide, leaving successful educational programs scrambling and vulnerable students without critical support. In this candid conversation with Renee Moe, President and CEO of United Way of Dane County, we explore the real-world impact of this abrupt policy decision and the community response taking shape.
For 27 years, United Way's Schools of Hope and Achievement Connections programs provided essential tutoring services to students across Dane County. These weren't just academic interventions—they were relationship-building opportunities that improved attendance, boosted confidence, and created meaningful connections between students and caring adults. When the funding was cut without warning, these relationships were severed just weeks before final exams, leaving tutors and students in limbo.
The conversation delves into powerful personal experiences, including host Dee Star's childhood relationship with a tutor who became a significant figure. These stories highlight what policy decisions often overlook: the human connections that make educational interventions effective. Renee explains, "One of the benefits of these programs was having consistent, caring adults who showed up every week for kids."
While Wisconsin has joined 25 other states in legal action against this funding decision, United Way isn't waiting for court resolutions. They're mobilizing community resources—seeking donations, partnerships with businesses and foundations, and volunteer power—to rebuild these critical programs without federal support. The goal remains unchanged: ensuring every child has what they need to succeed academically while nurturing their confidence and sense of belonging.
Want to be part of the solution? Visit UnitedWayDaneCo.org to learn how to support these vital educational programs through donations or volunteering. Renee reminds us that we must be "lovers and fighters"—nurturing our community's children while advocating for the resources they need to thrive.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's up everybody.
This is your host, Dee Star,here with Renee Mo.
Renee Mo, Hello, how you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
I'm great, dee, thanks for having me here.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Absolutely so.
For the people that don't knowyou, can you tell us a little
bit about yourself?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Sure, I am a Dane County resident mom of two and
president and CEO of United Wayof Dane County.
And an awesome person.
Aww, I learned it from you-Star.
You're pretty awesome yourself.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Well, thank you, I appreciate it.
I do my best.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yes, you do every day .
Speaker 1 (00:28):
So AmeriCorps has lost their funding?
The official position of thegovernment is they have failed
eight consecutive audits andidentified over $45 million in
improper payments in 2024 alone,and for those reasons stated,
(00:49):
this administration has opted topull the funding from
AmeriCorps.
Correct?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
That is what has been reported.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
That's what's been reported, right?
People have their own thoughtsand reasons of why things have
happened, but that's theirposition.
Before I get into it, because Ilove to hear both sides of the
story, if the United Way failedeight consecutive audits and
(01:18):
lost $48 million in money that'sunaccounted for, what do you
think would be the future of theUnited Way?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, let me just state that it's never happened
and that would not happen.
But any organization that failsaudits and doesn't deliver
results should have consequences, including coaching to make
sure that results can beachieved, and if they still
aren't, then that funding shouldbe pulled, because
accountability for change in thecommunity fiduciary
responsibility for tax dollarsor philanthropic dollars does
(01:48):
require administration to havegreat outcomes.
That is the point.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
I try to look at things from you know both sides
of the spectrum.
It's like you know what's goodis what's good for the goose is
good for the gander also.
But with that said is, like yousaid, consequences and the
consequences behind thatsituation.
We have a lot of strugglingpeople, and not only just in our
community but around thecountry.
(02:14):
So the first thing I wanted toask you was what is the United
Way's purpose in this community?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
I'd love to explain that.
Let me back up, though.
First because I think that Ihave not seen the federal audits
of AmeriCorps as the wholeservice program.
I do know that our AmeriCorpsprograms delivered high fidelity
, great results for 27 yearsplus.
So I just want to say also Ilove that you're talking about
(02:41):
balanced information, because weabsolutely need that, and those
big numbers and those figuresabout failing audits and wasted
dollars.
I think that that also needs alittle bit more transparency in
terms of what that looks likeand where those numbers came
from.
So, I just want to say thatfirst.
I also want to say that UnitedWay's role in the community is
really about mobilizing people'scaring power to create
(03:03):
measurable results.
So we're trying to make livesbetter for people.
And when you're thinking aboutwhat does United Way do, we're
trying to help the communityunderstand what are the issues
that need to get solved, and wedo that by talking to people who
are experiencing less thanideal quality of life.
We're looking at data andresearch and we're really
staying close to all the keystakeholders who are working on
(03:26):
really hard issues like makingsure that more kids are
successful, making sure familiesare healthy and, overall,
making sure there's a greatquality of life.
And then we're helping to makesure that, if people understand
the real issues that arehappening in our community, what
can we do about them?
How do we work together toco-create solutions to actually
respond?
And then how do we make surebecause we are philanthropic,
(03:50):
that every dollar is used to beable to get to, hopefully,
whatever that ideal outcome iseither testing new ideas, new
collaborations or investing inthings that are working really
well for people.
So the role of United Way isreally about helping to bring to
light what are issues thatpeople are experiencing and
mobilizing more people to helpsolve those issues.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
United Way's Achievement Connection Program
uses AmeriCorps members astutors in local schools.
How did this partnership beginand what impact have you seen?
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Yeah.
So AmeriCorps was a federalprogram which was really trying
to build service, helpingusually young people, sometimes
mid-careers, sometimes retirees,get involved in service to the
country.
There was a conservation corps,a volunteer corps, and for us
we were in the program aroundgrants that helped with
(04:45):
community projects andspecifically around poverty
eradication is kind of how theywere, you know, bucketed, and so
United Way only received 4%federal funding.
Most of that was AmeriCorps.
Most of our money is privatedollars.
And how these programs cameabout was almost three decades
ago.
We saw, and it was thenewspaper, actually the
(05:06):
Wisconsin State Journal andChannel 3000, who were reporting
and they were saying, hey, ourthird graders aren't reading.
We know kids learn to readuntil third grade.
After third grade they read tolearn.
How do we as a community cometogether to support our students
?
And so United Way was asked toconvene that group and we worked
with the School of Education atUW-Madison to look at the data.
We ran a number of parent andteacher engagement groups and a
(05:30):
lot of parents were saying, hey,if our schools were more
welcoming to our children anddoing a more direct, culturally
competent job teaching our kids,they'd be doing better.
And you had a lot of folks inthe community saying, well, if
parents and if households werestronger, kids would start
school stronger.
And so there was a lot ofdiscord, like there is today,
but everybody agreed we want ourkids to be doing better.
(05:51):
And specifically around reading,we found that the school
district had been spendingmillions of dollars on different
programs, but what actuallywould help with reading
specifically was readingone-on-one or one-on-two with
tutoring, and we would do thatin concert with the teacher in
the school.
And a lot of that research camefrom UW, as I said.
So the program came aboutbecause we said, okay, we looked
(06:13):
at all this research, welistened to all the stakeholders
who are most directly impactedand we're going to design a
strategy to put tutorcoordinators in our schools with
the highest ability to grow inacademic success and then those
tutor coordinators would be abridge between the school and
the community.
And those tutor coordinatorswould allow us to recruit
volunteer tutors, would trainthem, background check and make
(06:36):
sure that they had the resourcesthey needed to be successful
supporting students and teachersin the school building in the
school day.
So that's how the partnershipbegan.
United Way wrote the AmeriCorpsgrant because we thought that
would be a very cost-effectiveway to actually deliver that
strategy across the schoolsacross Dane County where we were
partnering.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
How has the sudden loss of AmeriCorps funding
affected the Schools of Hope andAchievement Connections program
in Dane County?
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Well, it was a very abrupt loss, right?
So you know, one of yourquestions previously was about
accountability, and we know thatmeasuring and doing assessments
of the literacy program, whichwas Schools of Hope, and then
the program that was built about15 years later, achievement
Connections, which was abouttutoring math in schools, which
again is more around criticalthinking and graduation rates.
(07:26):
You know, to have that abruptlyended meant that the you know,
two dozen or so AmeriCorpsmembers we had 14 in America in
Schools of Hope, 13 inAmeriCorps, 27 AmeriCorps
members just had to stop theirservice and so we were able to,
at United Way, continue on theirwork another week or so,
(07:48):
because we wanted them to have achance to close out with their
schools as well as to have someclosure for themselves.
Right, it was a very abruptending.
It came through an email and soall of a sudden, these programs
just stopped.
We're able to work with theschools and some of the schools
were able to allow some of theAmeriCorps workers to continue
to volunteer as tutors and tutorcoordinators throughout the end
of the school year.
Some schools did that, someschools weren't able to do that,
(08:10):
but it just is a very jarringsort of an end to a very
effective tutoring program.
I mean, that's what we had todo was just kind of close that
up really quickly.
And now what we're doing is thegrant that was cut was $650,000
.
And so we've asked the communityto fundraise and help us
support whatever the nextiteration of Schools of Hope and
(08:30):
AmeriCorps AchievementConnections tutoring will be.
It obviously won't be anAmeriCorps program but, working
in partnership with the schooldistricts, who are a really
critical partner, we're going totry to figure out what can the
community continue to do tosupport our students and
teachers going forward.
At United Way we're reallyfocused on academic success and
family well-being and we knowthat for kids to be successful
we need their caregivers to besuccessful.
So on one part of our workwe're working on things like
(08:53):
housing and increasing incomesand providing health care and
support and for the kids we'remaking sure that they're having
health, well-being, academicsuccess.
So those things all go together.
So in these programs we'regoing to continue to figure out
what are the best ways that wecan continue to support youth
while we continue to do the restof the work to lift up whole
families.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
So are there alternative funding sources or
partnerships?
United Way is exploring tocontinue these tutoring programs
.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Yes, so we can look to individual donors, like we're
doing through a mini campaignhelping to build awareness and
allowing people to go to ourwebsite to give.
We can also partner withprivate foundations or our
business partners who areinterested in education and who
might be investing.
One of the things that we'restill in the middle of is
(09:43):
figuring out with the schooldistricts what programs will
look like going forward.
So when we started 27 years ago, school districts obviously
were very different.
They had different resourcesand different school day
structures, and so we want tomake sure we're doing that in
concert with our school districtpartners, most of all,
centering what our kids need andwhat our families need.
But AmeriCorps was really astrategy to support the goal of
(10:06):
advancing academic success, sowe still have the same goals of
advancing academic success, buthow we do that is going to look
different.
So that's what we're buildingright now and what we're raising
funds for, and when we get alittle bit more clarity from the
district partners in terms ofhow we can best support, then
we'll have even more ability tobe much more precise around
saying, okay, this is thestrategy we want to advance and
(10:29):
find the individuals and donorswho might be interested in
investing in that and movingthat forward.
But there are a lot of peoplewho care about education, a lot
of people who care about youthand many people who understand
how effective tutoring is, andfor us it was a very low-cost,
high-outcome program because wewere able to use AmeriCorps
tutors.
So I think that there are somecreative ways we can figure out
how to continue to supporttutoring in our community.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
How can the community members and local organizations
assist in sustaining theseeducational initiatives during
this transitional period?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Yes, Well, the most direct invitation is to give
financially to support reallyeffective programs, and so,
whether that is United Way orother amazing organizations
serving youth, I think dollarshelp organizations who have
expertise and how to delivergreat services to do that most
effectively.
I think the second thing is tocontinue to stay engaged and
(11:21):
aware about what is going on andbe a mentor or be a tutor
yourself.
So, again, there are lots oforganizations who are working
with mentorship and youthsupport and by giving and
volunteering and being aware ofwhat the issues are, we need the
community to activate, tocontinue to support our students
.
One of the benefits of theSchools of Hope and Achievement
(11:44):
Connections programs was havingconsistent, caring adults who
showed up every week for kids.
We saw attendance improve onthe days that tutors were there.
We saw reported feelings ofself-confidence improve, in
addition to math and readingsuccesses.
So you know, we know theprogram was very effective and
it was that adult connectivitywhich was also very, very
(12:06):
motivating and supportive forstudents.
And so those would be the threeways I would say that people
could most help Give financiallyshow up for kids in ways that
you can tutor and mentor andalso advocate on behalf of youth
in all the places where we cancontinue to make change, whether
that's in policy, in federal,state or local funding, or
(12:26):
giving philanthropically, tomake sure that great services
that are there for kids continueto be robust.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
So 26 states have put in a lawsuit for this abrupt
ending of this funding.
I was trying to find a list ofthose states and I think I did,
but I'm not 100% sure.
But I did not see Wisconsin onthat list.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Wisconsin is on that list.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Okay, so it is on the list.
I've seen it's like a couple ofdifferent lists and it's on the
list.
I've seen it's like a couple ofdifferent lists and it's not
really like.
You know, clear, you know.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
I think some states were joining on also.
So I do know that Governor TonyEvers sent out a press release
saying that Wisconsin had joinedon.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
What do you think about that?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
I think that there are a lot of lawsuits right now.
I think there are a lot ofchanges that are going on.
It's not just education andAmeriCorps programs, it is also
food programs, healthcare, headStart you know, just across the
gamut of social serviceprovision that the government
has provided.
I think a lot of those thingsare being unwound and I think
(13:33):
there are a lot of suits goingon.
So I'm not holding my breaththat AmeriCorps is going to come
back.
You know, if it does, that wouldbe amazing and we still, I
think, have the opportunity tobe innovative in how we support
youth.
So these discussions, I think,are very worthwhile because the
environment has changed, theeconomy is changing, youth do
need different things and we candeliver them, hopefully even
(13:54):
more effectively, as we alwaysdo.
That said, I think that thecourt cases are going to take a
while to get figured out, and soI think, with all of the length
of time it takes to do a goodjob in the justice system and
all of the you know again justupheaval that people are working
through, we're going to stayfocused on kids today and what
(14:17):
they need today in our communityand continue to do that work,
and we'll pay attention towhat's going on in the federal
environment and in the justicesystem, but meanwhile we can't
wait for that, because our kidsneed us today.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Yeah, I always say that, yeah, you should trust
your government to a certainextent and you should rely on
your government to a certainextent.
If you think that one presidentor another or one governor or
another is going to change yourlife for the good or the better,
(14:50):
you're looking at it all wrong.
You should look to yourself and, yeah, there's changes in the
community, but we are thecommunity.
So if we want to see changes inthe community, but we are the
community.
So if we want to see changes inthe community, we have to be
the change that we want to seein the community first.
So, no matter what you knowthis administration does or the
next one does, it shouldn'tmatter and it shouldn't affect
(15:13):
our morals and our values movingforward.
A lot of the times we feel likeit's hard for me to speak about
it because, like I said, I wentthrough childhood homelessness
and programs like this reallyactually did help me and help my
family.
And I did have a tutor when Iwas in school.
I can't just imagine like Ibuilt a bond with that tutor.
(15:35):
You know we had, I had thetutor for like two years and so
we became very close and I can'tI just can't imagine one day.
Just this tutor is just tellingme my tutor, mr Scott, shout
out to Mr Scott hey, I can't bea tutor no more.
You know, and that's it.
You know what I mean?
Because it was like they didn'teven want him to go back to
(15:56):
work that day.
Right, right.
So, all of the things that theywere working on, all of the
conversations, the bonds thatthey built, the trust, you know,
helping these kids get throughwhat they need to get through.
just cut short like that, Idon't think that that was the
(16:18):
right approach, be honest, and Idon't like even putting my
personal opinions on there, butit hits home to me because, like
I said, I had that tutor fortwo years and it's like man,
that's, that's hard.
You know, that'd be a hard thingfor me to wrap my head around.
And now I'm thinking aboutsecond and third and fourth
grade kids losing their tutor,because a lot of the times when
(16:43):
people don't understand, noteverybody has a strong male
figure at home or a strongmotherly figure at home.
So a lot of the times thesetutors are more than just a
tutor.
They're trusted adults in theirlife that they look forward to
seeing you know and to have themsnatch that away from them.
(17:04):
And then you know some, likeyou said, some of the schools
didn't let them come back forwhatever reason.
You know, maybe their hands wastied and they couldn't come
back.
So that hurts because then it'snot like the tutor can reach
out to that child like outsideof the school premise and stuff
like that.
It can't connect with the childanymore.
So it's like that's tough.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
You just said so much in there and I think your
personal experience does matter,because that is exactly what
this means in our communities.
Right, those personalindividual experiences, and I'm
with you.
Right, those personalindividual experiences, and I'm
with you.
I do think that building thatsense of independence and
autonomy and taking care ofourselves and taking care of our
families is really important,and there are a lot of services
(17:47):
that help make that a ladder upfor so many families.
And it's when those ladders arekicked out without you know
another slope or an on-rampsomewhere else, that the
disruption creates a lot more.
You know a steeper hill toclimb, and so you know.
I think what you just said wasreally, really powerful, and
(18:08):
that's precisely what we'retrying to help smooth out some
of those bumps and continue tokeep community connected with
our kids, because we do know itmatters, it matters a lot and it
shows up in the results tookids, because we do know it
matters.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
It matters a lot and it shows up in the results too.
So how did you feel when youreceived that email saying that
the funding was terminated?
How did you feel?
Because?
Did you feel scared?
Did it put you in like war mode?
Like, okay, I got to figurethis out.
I know how you are.
You're like you got a millionsolutions.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
You know you go into okay, that's a problem, let's
fix it.
Yeah, I mean it's, it's.
It's still a kick in the gut.
Right, it still is, because midApril we saw the news that
about 75% of the staff in DC hadbeen dismissed, and so I kind
of had my antenna up thatsomething was coming, and so
(18:56):
it's a kick in the gut becausethe reality is there.
But you're right, right, kindof thinking through the problem
solving.
So who do we need to talk to?
What does this mean?
I do kind of go into problemsolving mode.
You know, I've got a t-shirtfrom my martial arts school that
says I'm a lover and a fighter,and so I think that's a good
description because you knowyour immediate mind goes to.
Let's love on the people who aregoing to be most affected right
(19:18):
, and figure out how do we makesure that they know that you
know we're not giving up.
This isn't just going away.
We're going to figure outwhat's next but also the fight.
Part of you know what are wedoing to make sure that people
understand the impact andgravity of what happens with the
losses and then to helpactivate people to help, step in
to help.
So that's where we are rightnow is just figuring out those
(19:42):
next steps.
The school year is ending inMMSD.
Specifically, their last day ofschool is June 11th.
A lot of these tutors went outright before finals.
You know when kids are stressed.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
They need it the most , yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
And they're trying to , you know, finish their
assignments if they're a littlebit behind and, like you said,
that trusted adult to say, hey,you got this, breathe, let's do
this.
You know, let's finish thiswork to get those grades up.
You know all of those things.
So it was great that someschools were able to continue
tutoring and the school also hastutors and other programs too
that are going on.
It's not just these but, youknow, still figuring out how do
(20:09):
you smooth that out.
But then to really come aroundthe table and to say, okay,
let's be ready for summer school, for the new fall school year,
and what are we doing without-of-school time?
You know there are a lot ofcommunity centers, neighborhood
centers.
I know that we were in somediscussions with OneCity and
Goodman trying to figure outsome new creative ways to help
provide tutoring.
So those conversations arecontinuing and that work will
(20:31):
continue.
But yeah, that's never a goodfeeling, but it was.
Also, you know you could seethe dominoes falling around on
other programs and you knowwe're going to see what's real
right, what sticks, what comesback, what gets changed.
But meanwhile we know what'smost important and we know what
works and what doesn't, and sowe're going to continue to
innovate and figure out whatthose are and make sure our kids
(20:53):
have what they need.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
What is the United Way's long-term strategy to
ensure the community ofeducational support programs
like Schools of Hope andAchievement Connections?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Yes, so we have a youth opportunity strategy and
it is one of the pillars of whatwe call our plan for community
well-being community well-beingso part of United Way's
coordinated approach and how tohelp people know what the
problems are and how to helprespond in solving them is to
make sure that we have, like Isaid earlier, listening to the
(21:27):
community smart strategies andthen we're investing in those
strategies through dollars thatwe're able to raise from the
community, as well as volunteerpower and advocacy.
And so, within our academicsuccess portfolio, we want to
make sure that children havesupport with academic success,
like programs like tutoring,that parents are able to feel
engaged in their kids' learningand have connections to schools.
(21:48):
And we also have a number ofother strategies that help to
build in social-emotionalsupport.
So, especially with, you know,so much mental health stress
going on in the world, sohelping kids get the support
they need there so that theiracademics can be even more
successful.
So we have a number ofstrategies.
They're on the website.
You can look up United Way ofDane County, youth Opportunity
and see what we're trying toaddress and how we're trying to
(22:11):
address it.
So we'll keep going on thosestrategies.
Like I said earlier, schools ofHope and Achievement Connections
were a strategy to support howwe were going to continue to
advance academic success.
So we will continue in thoseother strategies to make sure
that every child has what theyneed to be successful and we
won't stop until that happens.
We know that's a very big,lofty goal.
(22:32):
We're trying to get more kidsreading by third grade,
graduating from high school.
We know that there's a betterchance for higher incomes and
better work-life success beyondthat, all while we nurture and
love and meet kids where theyare and help build that sense of
confidence and belonging andsupport.
So we'll keep doing thosethings.
The programs might lookdifferent but we'll keep showing
(22:53):
up for our kids and theirparents and their caregivers, to
help our whole community rise.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
The United Way has been around for over a hundred
years.
They've been trusted for over ahundred years.
They have an impeccablereputation and an absolute
genius.
Ceo.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
I learned from our community.
I have lots of great mentors.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Support, support, support.
Let's be lovers and fighters.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
Always, every day.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Renee, thank you so much for coming by the program.
We really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Oh, dee, thanks so much, and thanks to everybody
who listened.
Thank you for being one of theones who cares and who makes
life better for our community.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Absolutely.
I'm Dee Star Until next time,guys.
What's up everybody.
This is your host, Dee Star,here with Renee Mo.
Renee Mo, Hello, how you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
I'm great, dee, thanks for having me here.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Absolutely so.
For the people that don't knowyou, can you tell us a little
bit about yourself?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Sure, I am a Dane County resident mom of two and
president and CEO of United Wayof Dane County.
And an awesome person.
Aww, I learned it from you-Star.
You're pretty awesome yourself.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Well, thank you, I appreciate it.
I do my best.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yes, you do every day .
Speaker 1 (00:28):
So AmeriCorps has lost their funding?
The official position of thegovernment is they have failed
eight consecutive audits andidentified over $45 million in
improper payments in 2024 alone,and for those reasons stated,
(00:49):
this administration has opted topull the funding from
AmeriCorps.
Correct?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
That is what has been reported.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
That's what's been reported, right?
People have their own thoughtsand reasons of why things have
happened, but that's theirposition.
Before I get into it, because Ilove to hear both sides of the
story, if the United Way failedeight consecutive audits and
(01:18):
lost $48 million in money that'sunaccounted for, what do you
think would be the future of theUnited Way?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, let me just state that it's never happened
and that would not happen.
But any organization that failsaudits and doesn't deliver
results should have consequences, including coaching to make
sure that results can beachieved, and if they still
aren't, then that funding shouldbe pulled, because
accountability for change in thecommunity fiduciary
responsibility for tax dollarsor philanthropic dollars does
(01:48):
require administration to havegreat outcomes.
That is the point.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
I try to look at things from you know both sides
of the spectrum.
It's like you know what's goodis what's good for the goose is
good for the gander also.
But with that said is, like yousaid, consequences and the
consequences behind thatsituation.
We have a lot of strugglingpeople, and not only just in our
community but around thecountry.
(02:14):
So the first thing I wanted toask you was what is the United
Way's purpose in this community?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
I'd love to explain that.
Let me back up, though.
First because I think that Ihave not seen the federal audits
of AmeriCorps as the wholeservice program.
I do know that our AmeriCorpsprograms delivered high fidelity
, great results for 27 yearsplus.
So I just want to say also Ilove that you're talking about
(02:41):
balanced information, because weabsolutely need that, and those
big numbers and those figuresabout failing audits and wasted
dollars.
I think that that also needs alittle bit more transparency in
terms of what that looks likeand where those numbers came
from.
So, I just want to say thatfirst.
I also want to say that UnitedWay's role in the community is
really about mobilizing people'scaring power to create
(03:03):
measurable results.
So we're trying to make livesbetter for people.
And when you're thinking aboutwhat does United Way do, we're
trying to help the communityunderstand what are the issues
that need to get solved, and wedo that by talking to people who
are experiencing less thanideal quality of life.
We're looking at data andresearch and we're really
staying close to all the keystakeholders who are working on
(03:26):
really hard issues like makingsure that more kids are
successful, making sure familiesare healthy and, overall,
making sure there's a greatquality of life.
And then we're helping to makesure that, if people understand
the real issues that arehappening in our community, what
can we do about them?
How do we work together toco-create solutions to actually
respond?
And then how do we make surebecause we are philanthropic,
(03:50):
that every dollar is used to beable to get to, hopefully,
whatever that ideal outcome iseither testing new ideas, new
collaborations or investing inthings that are working really
well for people.
So the role of United Way isreally about helping to bring to
light what are issues thatpeople are experiencing and
mobilizing more people to helpsolve those issues.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
United Way's Achievement Connection Program
uses AmeriCorps members astutors in local schools.
How did this partnership beginand what impact have you seen?
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Yeah.
So AmeriCorps was a federalprogram which was really trying
to build service, helpingusually young people, sometimes
mid-careers, sometimes retirees,get involved in service to the
country.
There was a conservation corps,a volunteer corps, and for us
we were in the program aroundgrants that helped with
(04:45):
community projects andspecifically around poverty
eradication is kind of how theywere, you know, bucketed, and so
United Way only received 4%federal funding.
Most of that was AmeriCorps.
Most of our money is privatedollars.
And how these programs cameabout was almost three decades
ago.
We saw, and it was thenewspaper, actually the
(05:06):
Wisconsin State Journal andChannel 3000, who were reporting
and they were saying, hey, ourthird graders aren't reading.
We know kids learn to readuntil third grade.
After third grade they read tolearn.
How do we as a community cometogether to support our students
?
And so United Way was asked toconvene that group and we worked
with the School of Education atUW-Madison to look at the data.
We ran a number of parent andteacher engagement groups and a
(05:30):
lot of parents were saying, hey,if our schools were more
welcoming to our children anddoing a more direct, culturally
competent job teaching our kids,they'd be doing better.
And you had a lot of folks inthe community saying, well, if
parents and if households werestronger, kids would start
school stronger.
And so there was a lot ofdiscord, like there is today,
but everybody agreed we want ourkids to be doing better.
(05:51):
And specifically around reading,we found that the school
district had been spendingmillions of dollars on different
programs, but what actuallywould help with reading
specifically was readingone-on-one or one-on-two with
tutoring, and we would do thatin concert with the teacher in
the school.
And a lot of that research camefrom UW, as I said.
So the program came aboutbecause we said, okay, we looked
(06:13):
at all this research, welistened to all the stakeholders
who are most directly impactedand we're going to design a
strategy to put tutorcoordinators in our schools with
the highest ability to grow inacademic success and then those
tutor coordinators would be abridge between the school and
the community.
And those tutor coordinatorswould allow us to recruit
volunteer tutors, would trainthem, background check and make
(06:36):
sure that they had the resourcesthey needed to be successful
supporting students and teachersin the school building in the
school day.
So that's how the partnershipbegan.
United Way wrote the AmeriCorpsgrant because we thought that
would be a very cost-effectiveway to actually deliver that
strategy across the schoolsacross Dane County where we were
partnering.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
How has the sudden loss of AmeriCorps funding
affected the Schools of Hope andAchievement Connections program
in Dane County?
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Well, it was a very abrupt loss, right?
So you know, one of yourquestions previously was about
accountability, and we know thatmeasuring and doing assessments
of the literacy program, whichwas Schools of Hope, and then
the program that was built about15 years later, achievement
Connections, which was abouttutoring math in schools, which
again is more around criticalthinking and graduation rates.
(07:26):
You know, to have that abruptlyended meant that the you know,
two dozen or so AmeriCorpsmembers we had 14 in America in
Schools of Hope, 13 inAmeriCorps, 27 AmeriCorps
members just had to stop theirservice and so we were able to,
at United Way, continue on theirwork another week or so,
(07:48):
because we wanted them to have achance to close out with their
schools as well as to have someclosure for themselves.
Right, it was a very abruptending.
It came through an email and soall of a sudden, these programs
just stopped.
We're able to work with theschools and some of the schools
were able to allow some of theAmeriCorps workers to continue
to volunteer as tutors and tutorcoordinators throughout the end
of the school year.
Some schools did that, someschools weren't able to do that,
(08:10):
but it just is a very jarringsort of an end to a very
effective tutoring program.
I mean, that's what we had todo was just kind of close that
up really quickly.
And now what we're doing is thegrant that was cut was $650,000
.
And so we've asked the communityto fundraise and help us
support whatever the nextiteration of Schools of Hope and
(08:30):
AmeriCorps AchievementConnections tutoring will be.
It obviously won't be anAmeriCorps program but, working
in partnership with the schooldistricts, who are a really
critical partner, we're going totry to figure out what can the
community continue to do tosupport our students and
teachers going forward.
At United Way we're reallyfocused on academic success and
family well-being and we knowthat for kids to be successful
we need their caregivers to besuccessful.
So on one part of our workwe're working on things like
(08:53):
housing and increasing incomesand providing health care and
support and for the kids we'remaking sure that they're having
health, well-being, academicsuccess.
So those things all go together.
So in these programs we'regoing to continue to figure out
what are the best ways that wecan continue to support youth
while we continue to do the restof the work to lift up whole
families.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
So are there alternative funding sources or
partnerships?
United Way is exploring tocontinue these tutoring programs
.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Yes, so we can look to individual donors, like we're
doing through a mini campaignhelping to build awareness and
allowing people to go to ourwebsite to give.
We can also partner withprivate foundations or our
business partners who areinterested in education and who
might be investing.
One of the things that we'restill in the middle of is
(09:43):
figuring out with the schooldistricts what programs will
look like going forward.
So when we started 27 years ago, school districts obviously
were very different.
They had different resourcesand different school day
structures, and so we want tomake sure we're doing that in
concert with our school districtpartners, most of all,
centering what our kids need andwhat our families need.
But AmeriCorps was really astrategy to support the goal of
(10:06):
advancing academic success, sowe still have the same goals of
advancing academic success, buthow we do that is going to look
different.
So that's what we're buildingright now and what we're raising
funds for, and when we get alittle bit more clarity from the
district partners in terms ofhow we can best support, then
we'll have even more ability tobe much more precise around
saying, okay, this is thestrategy we want to advance and
(10:29):
find the individuals and donorswho might be interested in
investing in that and movingthat forward.
But there are a lot of peoplewho care about education, a lot
of people who care about youthand many people who understand
how effective tutoring is, andfor us it was a very low-cost,
high-outcome program because wewere able to use AmeriCorps
tutors.
So I think that there are somecreative ways we can figure out
how to continue to supporttutoring in our community.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
How can the community members and local organizations
assist in sustaining theseeducational initiatives during
this transitional period?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Yes, Well, the most direct invitation is to give
financially to support reallyeffective programs, and so,
whether that is United Way orother amazing organizations
serving youth, I think dollarshelp organizations who have
expertise and how to delivergreat services to do that most
effectively.
I think the second thing is tocontinue to stay engaged and
(11:21):
aware about what is going on andbe a mentor or be a tutor
yourself.
So, again, there are lots oforganizations who are working
with mentorship and youthsupport and by giving and
volunteering and being aware ofwhat the issues are, we need the
community to activate, tocontinue to support our students
.
One of the benefits of theSchools of Hope and Achievement
(11:44):
Connections programs was havingconsistent, caring adults who
showed up every week for kids.
We saw attendance improve onthe days that tutors were there.
We saw reported feelings ofself-confidence improve, in
addition to math and readingsuccesses.
So you know, we know theprogram was very effective and
it was that adult connectivitywhich was also very, very
(12:06):
motivating and supportive forstudents.
And so those would be the threeways I would say that people
could most help Give financiallyshow up for kids in ways that
you can tutor and mentor andalso advocate on behalf of youth
in all the places where we cancontinue to make change, whether
that's in policy, in federal,state or local funding, or
(12:26):
giving philanthropically, tomake sure that great services
that are there for kids continueto be robust.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
So 26 states have put in a lawsuit for this abrupt
ending of this funding.
I was trying to find a list ofthose states and I think I did,
but I'm not 100% sure.
But I did not see Wisconsin onthat list.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Wisconsin is on that list.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Okay, so it is on the list.
I've seen it's like a couple ofdifferent lists and it's on the
list.
I've seen it's like a couple ofdifferent lists and it's not
really like.
You know, clear, you know.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
I think some states were joining on also.
So I do know that Governor TonyEvers sent out a press release
saying that Wisconsin had joinedon.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
What do you think about that?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
I think that there are a lot of lawsuits right now.
I think there are a lot ofchanges that are going on.
It's not just education andAmeriCorps programs, it is also
food programs, healthcare, headStart you know, just across the
gamut of social serviceprovision that the government
has provided.
I think a lot of those thingsare being unwound and I think
(13:33):
there are a lot of suits goingon.
So I'm not holding my breaththat AmeriCorps is going to come
back.
You know, if it does, that wouldbe amazing and we still, I
think, have the opportunity tobe innovative in how we support
youth.
So these discussions, I think,are very worthwhile because the
environment has changed, theeconomy is changing, youth do
need different things and we candeliver them, hopefully even
(13:54):
more effectively, as we alwaysdo.
That said, I think that thecourt cases are going to take a
while to get figured out, and soI think, with all of the length
of time it takes to do a goodjob in the justice system and
all of the you know again justupheaval that people are working
through, we're going to stayfocused on kids today and what
(14:17):
they need today in our communityand continue to do that work,
and we'll pay attention towhat's going on in the federal
environment and in the justicesystem, but meanwhile we can't
wait for that, because our kidsneed us today.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Yeah, I always say that, yeah, you should trust
your government to a certainextent and you should rely on
your government to a certainextent.
If you think that one presidentor another or one governor or
another is going to change yourlife for the good or the better,
(14:50):
you're looking at it all wrong.
You should look to yourself and, yeah, there's changes in the
community, but we are thecommunity.
So if we want to see changes inthe community, but we are the
community.
So if we want to see changes inthe community, we have to be
the change that we want to seein the community first.
So, no matter what you knowthis administration does or the
next one does, it shouldn'tmatter and it shouldn't affect
(15:13):
our morals and our values movingforward.
A lot of the times we feel likeit's hard for me to speak about
it because, like I said, I wentthrough childhood homelessness
and programs like this reallyactually did help me and help my
family.
And I did have a tutor when Iwas in school.
I can't just imagine like Ibuilt a bond with that tutor.
(15:35):
You know we had, I had thetutor for like two years and so
we became very close and I can'tI just can't imagine one day.
Just this tutor is just tellingme my tutor, mr Scott, shout
out to Mr Scott hey, I can't bea tutor no more.
You know, and that's it.
You know what I mean?
Because it was like they didn'teven want him to go back to
(15:56):
work that day.
Right, right.
So, all of the things that theywere working on, all of the
conversations, the bonds thatthey built, the trust, you know,
helping these kids get throughwhat they need to get through.
just cut short like that, Idon't think that that was the
(16:18):
right approach, be honest, and Idon't like even putting my
personal opinions on there, butit hits home to me because, like
I said, I had that tutor fortwo years and it's like man,
that's, that's hard.
You know, that'd be a hard thingfor me to wrap my head around.
And now I'm thinking aboutsecond and third and fourth
grade kids losing their tutor,because a lot of the times when
(16:43):
people don't understand, noteverybody has a strong male
figure at home or a strongmotherly figure at home.
So a lot of the times thesetutors are more than just a
tutor.
They're trusted adults in theirlife that they look forward to
seeing you know and to have themsnatch that away from them.
(17:04):
And then you know some, likeyou said, some of the schools
didn't let them come back forwhatever reason.
You know, maybe their hands wastied and they couldn't come
back.
So that hurts because then it'snot like the tutor can reach
out to that child like outsideof the school premise and stuff
like that.
It can't connect with the childanymore.
So it's like that's tough.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
You just said so much in there and I think your
personal experience does matter,because that is exactly what
this means in our communities.
Right, those personalindividual experiences, and I'm
with you.
Right, those personalindividual experiences, and I'm
with you.
I do think that building thatsense of independence and
autonomy and taking care ofourselves and taking care of our
families is really important,and there are a lot of services
(17:47):
that help make that a ladder upfor so many families.
And it's when those ladders arekicked out without you know
another slope or an on-rampsomewhere else, that the
disruption creates a lot more.
You know a steeper hill toclimb, and so you know.
I think what you just said wasreally, really powerful, and
(18:08):
that's precisely what we'retrying to help smooth out some
of those bumps and continue tokeep community connected with
our kids, because we do know itmatters, it matters a lot and it
shows up in the results tookids, because we do know it
matters.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
It matters a lot and it shows up in the results too.
So how did you feel when youreceived that email saying that
the funding was terminated?
How did you feel?
Because?
Did you feel scared?
Did it put you in like war mode?
Like, okay, I got to figurethis out.
I know how you are.
You're like you got a millionsolutions.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
You know you go into okay, that's a problem, let's
fix it.
Yeah, I mean it's, it's.
It's still a kick in the gut.
Right, it still is, because midApril we saw the news that
about 75% of the staff in DC hadbeen dismissed, and so I kind
of had my antenna up thatsomething was coming, and so
(18:56):
it's a kick in the gut becausethe reality is there.
But you're right, right, kindof thinking through the problem
solving.
So who do we need to talk to?
What does this mean?
I do kind of go into problemsolving mode.
You know, I've got a t-shirtfrom my martial arts school that
says I'm a lover and a fighter,and so I think that's a good
description because you knowyour immediate mind goes to.
Let's love on the people who aregoing to be most affected right
(19:18):
, and figure out how do we makesure that they know that you
know we're not giving up.
This isn't just going away.
We're going to figure outwhat's next but also the fight.
Part of you know what are wedoing to make sure that people
understand the impact andgravity of what happens with the
losses and then to helpactivate people to help, step in
to help.
So that's where we are rightnow is just figuring out those
(19:42):
next steps.
The school year is ending inMMSD.
Specifically, their last day ofschool is June 11th.
A lot of these tutors went outright before finals.
You know when kids are stressed.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
They need it the most , yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
And they're trying to , you know, finish their
assignments if they're a littlebit behind and, like you said,
that trusted adult to say, hey,you got this, breathe, let's do
this.
You know, let's finish thiswork to get those grades up.
You know all of those things.
So it was great that someschools were able to continue
tutoring and the school also hastutors and other programs too
that are going on.
It's not just these but, youknow, still figuring out how do
(20:09):
you smooth that out.
But then to really come aroundthe table and to say, okay,
let's be ready for summer school, for the new fall school year,
and what are we doing without-of-school time?
You know there are a lot ofcommunity centers, neighborhood
centers.
I know that we were in somediscussions with OneCity and
Goodman trying to figure outsome new creative ways to help
provide tutoring.
So those conversations arecontinuing and that work will
(20:31):
continue.
But yeah, that's never a goodfeeling, but it was.
Also, you know you could seethe dominoes falling around on
other programs and you knowwe're going to see what's real
right, what sticks, what comesback, what gets changed.
But meanwhile we know what'smost important and we know what
works and what doesn't, and sowe're going to continue to
innovate and figure out whatthose are and make sure our kids
(20:53):
have what they need.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
What is the United Way's long-term strategy to
ensure the community ofeducational support programs
like Schools of Hope andAchievement Connections?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Yes, so we have a youth opportunity strategy and
it is one of the pillars of whatwe call our plan for community
well-being community well-beingso part of United Way's
coordinated approach and how tohelp people know what the
problems are and how to helprespond in solving them is to
make sure that we have, like Isaid earlier, listening to the
(21:27):
community smart strategies andthen we're investing in those
strategies through dollars thatwe're able to raise from the
community, as well as volunteerpower and advocacy.
And so, within our academicsuccess portfolio, we want to
make sure that children havesupport with academic success,
like programs like tutoring,that parents are able to feel
engaged in their kids' learningand have connections to schools.
(21:48):
And we also have a number ofother strategies that help to
build in social-emotionalsupport.
So, especially with, you know,so much mental health stress
going on in the world, sohelping kids get the support
they need there so that theiracademics can be even more
successful.
So we have a number ofstrategies.
They're on the website.
You can look up United Way ofDane County, youth Opportunity
and see what we're trying toaddress and how we're trying to
(22:11):
address it.
So we'll keep going on thosestrategies.
Like I said earlier, schools ofHope and Achievement Connections
were a strategy to support howwe were going to continue to
advance academic success.
So we will continue in thoseother strategies to make sure
that every child has what theyneed to be successful and we
won't stop until that happens.
We know that's a very big,lofty goal.
(22:32):
We're trying to get more kidsreading by third grade,
graduating from high school.
We know that there's a betterchance for higher incomes and
better work-life success beyondthat, all while we nurture and
love and meet kids where theyare and help build that sense of
confidence and belonging andsupport.
So we'll keep doing thosethings.
The programs might lookdifferent but we'll keep showing
(22:53):
up for our kids and theirparents and their caregivers, to
help our whole community rise.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
The United Way has been around for over a hundred
years.
They've been trusted for over ahundred years.
They have an impeccablereputation and an absolute
genius.
Ceo.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
I learned from our community.
I have lots of great mentors.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Support, support, support.
Let's be lovers and fighters.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
Always, every day.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Renee, thank you so much for coming by the program.
We really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Oh, dee, thanks so much, and thanks to everybody
who listened.
Thank you for being one of theones who cares and who makes
life better for our community.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Absolutely.
I'm Dee Star Until next time,guys.
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