Letter from Our President & CEO and Board Chair

from United Way of San Diego County 2021-2022 Annual Report

Philanthropic Community

Dear Friends,

Kids start out with big dreams for when they grow up. Reading is crucial for children to reach their goals of becoming future astronauts, lawyers, veterinarians, doctors, firefighters, politicians, public servants, video game developers, and pilots. For many kids, those dreams slip away. Not just because they become more practical or “grow up”, but because of disparities in education and lack of family stability that hold them back.

Access to books and not reading at grade level are big reasons why dreams slip away for children. We know that kids who are not reading at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 45% of San Diego County’s third graders were not reading at grade level — and that was before school closures and virtual learning exacerbated inequitable access to high-quality learning opportunities.

FY 2021–2022 brought a radical sense of purpose and commitment among the staff and board of United Way of San Diego County (UWSD) as we continued to focus on helping the community recover and rebuild from the pandemic. We doubled down on our strategic plan, “EDICT 2030: Mind the Gap”, to reimagine how we can ensure that children, young adults, and families have equitable resources and opportunities to thrive. In the midst of pervasive economic and social challenges across the nation, UWSD has been steadfast in uniting our community to bridge the racial and economic inequities that continue to persist and widen gaps across San Diego County.

This Annual Report highlights the innovative and impactful ways in which UWSD is bridging gaps to ensure that we meet our 2030 goal, such as piloting a Community Learning Model, promoting economic mobility by leading the San Diego County Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition, and launching The Gap Minders podcast. We hope you enjoy reading it.

We know that we cannot do this work alone. UNITED WE CAN ensure that all children, young adults, and families, especially those most impacted, have the opportunity to succeed and thrive.

Thank you for your ongoing support of United Way of San Diego County.

Regards,

Nancy L. Sasaki President & CEO