Education

There’s an ever growing number of young individuals who are not getting the most basic education, a high school equivalency diploma, meaningful employment, and are struggling with other barriers to success.

Camps can play a vital role to parents and children through nutritional support, educational programs, and leadership that promote good health and physical activity. Children (and adults) need nutritious food, but they also need education to learn how to adapt and adopt a healthy eating style.

United Way of Long Island Awarded $385,000 JumpSMART Grant

Suffolk County awarded United Way of Long Island a $385,000 JumpSMART Small Business Downtown Investment Program grant to provide hands-on training in clean energy and renewables for veterans and young adults.

Students at Brentwood High School are hard at work building and programming a robot for their next competition in December. They are learning exciting new skills such as programming the controller, creating a 3D design, and building and coding the robot itself.

The competition is a significant opportunity for them to apply these new skills. While fine-tuning strategies to maximize their success, students are also using STEM/Robotics lessons to engage their peers in life skills and special needs programs.

$500,000 BofA grant supports United Way of Long Island’s workforce development program for careers in offshore wind, smart grid and green construction industries

Man Nga’s job was in the public health and safety sector until she had to leave to care for her elderly parents. 

Returning to work was a challenge. Man Nga wanted to change jobs in a new career field. While looking into possibilities, Man Nga jumped onto a different path in renewable energy. She enrolled in United Way of Long Island’s Power Up! workforce development training program.   

Matt served 4.5 years in the U.S. Air Force as an Airman First Class and worked as an Airfield Operations Technician. He found it very difficult to find a career post-military like the one he had in uniform. After 4 years of odd jobs to keep afloat, Matt found a job in the hospitality industry.

Training is addressing Long Island’s 27% underemployment rate among veterans

School Supply Drive Sets Students Up for Success this School Year

United Way of Long Island, in partnership with Suffolk Transportation Service, Inc. launched its 14th annual Stuff-A-Bus program. The program prepares young students for success by providing essential school supplies.

United Way of Long Island was awarded a $75,000 grant from Bank of America for its Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). This program provides high school and college students from diverse Long Island communities with paid internships and hands-on career training. There were 33 students employed with 21 nonprofit host agencies in communities throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties this summer.