April 24, 2017
April 22, 2017, is a landmark day in the history of United Way of Central Indiana.
Many years ago, we took the bold step of making quality early childhood education and pre-k advocacy a top priority for our community. Today, on behalf of a coalition of educators, corporate partners, civic organizations, donors, volunteers, and hundreds of pre-k champions across all 92 counties, I’m pleased to report that the General Assembly voted to expand Indiana’s pre-k for low-income children with the passage of a pre-k expansion bill and approved a budget which includes an investment of $22 million per year in the next biennium budget.
We are grateful to the Indiana General Assembly and Gov. Eric Holcomb for their commitment to growing the number of low-income children served by Indiana’s quality pre-k programs. Still, we all know there is more work to do to ensure Indiana’s more than 27,000 low-income 4-year-olds receive the education they need to start — and stay — on track.
This moment is about progress – for our children, for our families and for our state’s economic future.
This effort was a perfect example of what United Way does best as it fights for the education, financial stability, health and basic needs of all in our community. The education of our most economically challenged youngsters is a complex issue – one that requires the active participation of partners from all sectors and individuals from all walks of life to solve. Putting those unlikely partnerships together to reach our goals is how we LIVE UNITED.
Please join me in thanking the many individuals and partners who have worked tirelessly for years, months, weeks, days and hours to support our effort to expand quality Pre-K. They are:
Today we celebrate being #AllIN4Prek!
Ann D. Murtlow
President & CEO
United Way of Central Indiana