Spotlights

As part of their United Way Day of Action event in 2014, United Way of Midland County installed a Born Learning Trail on a newly paved pathway that connects two frequently visited areas at Plymouth Park. The location of the trail was chosen with the help of the local Parks and Recreation department, and regularly entertains families and youth in the community. Together with the trail sponsor, Midland Exchange Club, nearly thirty members of United Way’s Young Leaders United provided time and energy to build the trail through a variety of activities. The production of the trail was accomplished with donated tools from local companies.

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County built its first Born Learning trail in the fall of 2010. The local United Way wanted a signature project and believed the Born Learning Trails were a great opportunity to engage community volunteers and corporate partners, and aligned to their emphasis on education. For their first trail, employees from Oberlin Filter Company, a family owned and operated business, joined the United Way and the City of Waukesha’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry for the trail’s installation at Heyer Park. Oberlin Filter Company’s partnership with United Way inspired dozens more corporate partners to sponsor new trails. Companies like UPS, FedEx Smartpost, ProHealth Care, We Energies and GE Capital have helped United Way install nine additional trails, and plan to develop more in the future.

United Way of Hays County is one of the few United Ways that operates a Born Learning initiative at all levels: they began using Born Learning parent materials in 2012. Their efforts with families, pediatricians and hospitals led the organization’s board to consider deeper engagement opportunities with Born Learning - later bringing four Born Learning Trails into the community, as well as Born Learning Academies in 2016. This process was many years in the making, culminating in the most valuable part of United Way’s efforts in early childhood.