Local United Way Advocates for Education at Statehouse

Members of the Southeast Indiana United Way recently met with State Rep. Randy Lyness.

L-R: UW Director of Public Policy and Advocacy Kristina Scott, Advisory Board member Mike Perleburg, Executive Director Karen Snyder, Representative Randy Lyness, Advisory Board Member Ron Nicholson, United Way of Greater Cincinnati Advocate Jennifer Meininger, Intern Anna Timon. Photo provided.

INDIANAPOLIS - Members of the Southeast Indiana United Way traveled to Indianapolis on January 31 to meet with Representative Randy Lyness, to sit in on a legislative session, and to rally with other United Way groups to promote better early childhood education polices and funding. The group included Director Karen Snyder, Action Council Chair Jill Timon, Dearborn County Economic Development Director and Action Council Member Mike Perleberg, Action Council Member Ron Nicholson, United Way Public Policy and Advocacy Director Kristina Scott, United Way of Greater Cincinnati Staff Jennifer Meininger and Abby Beausir, and political science intern Anna Timon.

The group met with Representative Lyness to update him on the United Way’s recently awarded $350,000 early childhood education grant that will allow the UW to partner with local businesses, families, and Lawrenceburg Public Schools to provide more childcare and pre-school openings at affordable rates for working parents. The group also spoke to Lyness about Senate Bill 2, which, among other improvements to early childhood education in Indiana, would assist in “attracting and retaining a qualified workforce,” assist providers in helping “providers to operate at full capacity,” and would lower the age from 21 to 18 at which a caregiver can work alone with children in licensed childcare centers, thus alleviating staffing shortages. This bill would also “expand access to childcare in hard-to-serve areas” such as in Dearborn, Franklin, Ohio, and Ripley counties.

The UW representatives also encouraged Lyness to promote future legislative assistance to A.L.I.C.E. or Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed families, those who have jobs but still struggle to pay bills, feed their families, and prosper. Southeastern Indiana is home to a significant population of ALICE families.

UW Action Council Chair Jill Timon commented on the annual trek to the Statehouse, saying, “Our advocacy is just one way to stay in communication with our lawmakers and remind them we are on the same team in helping Hoosier families succeed.” Dearborn County Economic Development Director Mike Perleberg added, “It’s important for us to be familiar with how the political system works and see it in action so we can better know how to support struggling folks in our part of the state.”

The United Way of Southeastern Indiana is the largest non-government, non-profit social services agency in Indiana, providing vital funding and support for The Heart House, Safe Passage, The Clearinghouse, the YES Home, and other agencies. For more information, go to www.uwgc.org. We might want to cut this – make it more general, I do not think we are the largest and we do not fund the heart house – Maybe here we just say To learn more about The United Way of Southeast Indiana, go to www.uwgc.org or call the local office at 812 537 2009 located in Greendale at 488 Ludlow Street.