United Way Coastal and Western Connecticut

Since 2018, United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut has led a transformative effort in Danbury and New Milford through Cora’s Kids Family Child Care Network. In Connecticut, 71% of children under five live in households where all parents work, yet only 35% of infant and toddler care demand is met. Cora’s Kids has addressed this gap by creating 900+ licensed early care slots, supporting 150 family child care providers, and serving 1,000+ children from low- to moderate-income households. It equips providers with tools and training, helping families access safe, enriching care. Through its Community Messenger Program, 170+ residents have been trained to educate families and advocate for licensed care. In 2024, the Seedlings to Sprouts initiative launched, bringing fresh produce and nutrition education to families via home gardens—supporting food security and healthy habits for children.

At the Food Farmacy of Greater Danbury, we are committed to addressing food and health insecurities through innovative, community-focused solutions. The Food Farmacy is a collaborative effort between United Way Coastal and Western CT (UWCWC), Nuvance Health, Connecticut Institute for Communities (CIFC), Community Action Agency of Western CT (CAAWC), and UCONN College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources. Our innovative "food as medicine" program addresses the intersection of food and health insecurity by providing participants with essential resources, tools, education, and support to manage their health.

Stamford Cradle to Career is a place-based collective impact initiative supported by United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut. Our mission is to align community resources to ensure equity and excellence in education for every child from cradle to career. Our vision is that all Stamford youth succeed in education, career, and life regardless of race, income, or circumstances. We partner across sectors around shared outcomes and goals through three Community Action Networks (CANs): 0–5 Early Childhood: Engage parents, early childhood and Kindergarten staff to ensure students are ready to learn. Early Grade Reading: Link schools and out-of-school time to help students read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade Transition to Postsecondary, College and Career: Support students’ college and career readiness. In 2023, we received U.S. Department of Education Full-Service Community Schools funding to provide academic and wraparound programs at two Stamford middle schools.

Bridgeport Prospers is a place-based partnership and collective impact initiative with backbone support from United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut. Our mission is to advance equitable systems change that promotes the well-being of Bridgeport’s children, youth, and families from cradle to career. Our core work focuses on three interconnected areas, all grounded in strong community engagement: · Early Childhood Initiatives – Ensuring children are happy, healthy, and developmentally ready for preschool and kindergarten. · Community Resilience – Raising awareness of the impact of trauma on health and life outcomes, and advancing strategies to prevent and address it. · Career Pathways and Workforce Development – Convening educators, business and civic leaders, nonprofits, youth-serving organizations, and faith-based groups to prepare youth for opportunities that lead to economic mobility.

The Danbury Collective is a place-based, cradle-to-career collective impact initiative, with backbone support from United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut. Led by the community, we work collectively to foster positive, measurable, and sustainable life outcomes for Danbury children, families, and young adults. Our vision is that all Danbury children, families, and young adults have full and equitable access to opportunities to be successful and thrive in life. We convene and facilitate the following cross-sector working groups to research root causes and implement evidence-based strategies that drive measurable, community-level impact, aligned to shared goals:

• Chronic Absenteeism and Learner Engagement-Reduce chronic absence rates in Danbury Public Schools and increase learner engagement.

• Early Childhood Education- Ensure every child in Danbury enters kindergarten ready to learn.

• Youth Mental Health- Increase well-being for Danbury youth by connecting families to supports.

The ALICE Fund provides rapid response financial assistance to low- and moderate-income households facing unexpected financial hardships. The ALICE Fund helps families cover urgent needs such as housing, child care, food, transportation, utilities, and medical expenses. With 42% of households in Fairfield and Southern Litchfield Counties struggling to afford the basics—and many unable to cover even a $400 emergency—the fund provides immediate relief and a critical pathway to long-term stability.