SUMMER CARE

High-quality summer camps and educational supports for children.
Financial education for caregivers.

Summer Care began in 2005 to assist low-income, working families with childcare. The program has evolved to its current form, impacting youth education goals and adult financial stability. Children attend one of our carefully selected summer camps in Hillsborough or Pinellas counties. Summer Care’s objectives are:

  • To address summer learning loss disparities of ALICE children
  • To provide accessible, no-cost, enriching summer camps/childcare during the summer for ALICE families
  • To provide reading support during the summer camps/childcare
  • To provide financial resources to the parents/caregivers
Every child at participating summer camps receives a Summer Bridge Activity book. This award-winning curriculum reinforces basic skills and prepares children for the next school year.
 
This past summer, UWS partnered with 13 partners at 27 sites across Hillsborough and Pinellas counties and invested $450,000 in youth scholarships.
 
1,882 children received daily academic activities with the Summer Bridge Book curriculum. Pre- and post-test scores across all grades and sites showed that 87% of students maintained or grew their academic skills.
 
634 children received scholarships to high-quality summer programs.
 
402 caregivers whose children attended Summer Care received financial education resources.
 
Students spent a collective 24,180 hours working in Bridge Books, and an additional 6,336 hours working with tutors.
 
264 children received the support of a tutor during the summer with 91% of students with a pre/post assessment increasing their literacy skills and 97% maintaining or growing over the summer.

Young boy writing in a study book at a recent Summer Care program.

Education

United Way Suncoast brings together people and resources to tackle complex issues and drive sustainable positive change to help our community thrive.

Improve the lives of children, families and
communities today.

Smiling young girl proudly holds a book in a classroom.

Funding Opportunity

United Way Suncoast has an open funding opportunity for the Summer Care Program.

For the first time ever, United Way Suncoast has opened the Summer Care program to nonprofit partners in our entire five-county footprint: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto. The application window will remain open until noon on Dec. 16, 2024. Here’s the Guidance on how to apply. Click below to enter the EC Impact portal and complete the process.