Childhood starts long before school does. Kitchen tables, bedtime routines and the busy moments shape a child’s world long before they step foot into a classroom. Parents are their child’s first and best teacher, and families shouldn’t have to figure it all out alone.
Women United is a community of women across the Quad Cities who care about helping kids get a strong start.
Women United focuses on kindergarten readiness because it lays the foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing. We want to see every child enter kindergarten prepared and ready to thrive, putting them on the path to read by 3rd grade.
Since 2011, Women United has raised and invested almost $5.5 million in research-based strategies that strengthen child care and early learning in the Quad Cities, supporting families and child care providers our community relies on.
Together, we help make early learning possible through:
Your support of any kind can make a lifetime of a difference. When you become a Women United member, you’re helping create top-notch learning programs while ensuring families receive services that improve health, well-being, and development.
When kids enter kindergarten prepared, they start on a path of success. Here is what the data tells us:
of Quad Cities students are reading proficiently by the end of third grade, a key factor in determining if they will graduate.
Quad Cities Education Data Exchange, 2021
Children from families with low income are almost 2X as likely to fall and stay behind in school as children from families with more income.
The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
kids in the Quad Cities start kindergarten without the skills needed to succeed.
Quad Cities Education Data Exchange, 2021
The Ready by 5 program empowers parents and caregivers to support their child’s development and feel confident as they prepare for kindergarten. Through our Ready by 5 Engagement Workshops, we invest in families with the support of trained facilitators, generous donors, and dedicated volunteers. Because a child’s first five years lay the foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing, helping children be “ready by 5” is one of the most important investments we can make.
“The work we do as Women United is so important to ensuring the youngest members of our community have the resources necessary to be best prepared for Kindergarten, making those later milestones easier to achieve. At the same time, providing parents with the knowledge to teach their children at home prior to starting school.”
Annette Parejko
Chair
Incoming Co-Chair
Incoming Co-Chair
The work we do as Women United is so important to ensuring the youngest members of our community have the resources necessary to be best prepared for Kindergarten, making those later milestones easier to achieve. At the same time, providing parents with the knowledge to teach their children at home prior to starting school.
Annette Parejko
Women United Chair
The work we do as Women United is so important to ensuring the youngest members of our community have the resources necessary to be best prepared for Kindergarten, making those later milestones easier to achieve. At the same time, providing parents with the knowledge to teach their children at home prior to starting school.
Women United is a community of caring women dedicated to improving the lives of our youngest Quad Citians. Our Founding Members were the visionaries who launched this movement—uniting around a shared belief that every child deserves access to quality early learning. Their leadership laid the foundation for lasting change, and their legacy continues to shape a stronger future for children across our region.
To learn more or partner with Women United, email Angela Snyder at asnyder@unitedwayqc.org or call 563.344.0340.
You can also sign up for our Women United newsletter for the latest up-to-date information!
1 in 5 kids in the Quad Cities lack kindergarten readiness, leading to potential struggles in third-grade reading and increased high school dropout rates. Sign up for our newsletter to stay connected, get updates and play a role in shaping brighter futures for our QC kids.
