United Way Helps 534 Local Kindergarten Students Start Strong

Students received a book and other goodies as they begin the transition to school.

Photo provided.

(Brookville, Ind.) - This back-to-school season, 534 incoming kindergarten students across Franklin and Ripley counties received a book of their own through Strong Starts for Kindergarten.

The new initiative from United Way of Franklin & Ripley Counties is designed to support children and families as they begin the transition to school.

Along with the book, families received a discussion guide, coloring page, and welcome letter. These simple resources were designed to encourage conversations about emotions, connection, and the many feelings that can come with starting kindergarten.

“Starting kindergarten is such a big moment for children and their families,” said Kelly Bulmer, Executive Director of United Way of Franklin & Ripley Counties. “We wanted every child to begin this new chapter with something that was theirs, but also with a tool that could open conversations at home. A strong start isn't only about being academically ready. It's also about helping children feel supported, connected, and like they belong.”

The idea grew from United Way's broader work around belonging and youth well-being and was inspired in part by Bulmer's experience reading to local elementary students during Mental Health Month in May. That sparked a larger question: How could United Way reach children and families earlier with something practical that supports emotional well-being and fosters connection?

The answer became Strong Starts for Kindergarten.

The project was made possible through a community-wide effort, with local businesses, schools, and volunteers each playing a role. Community Impact Leaders Owens Corning, FCN Bank, and First Financial Bank, along with Community Impact Supporters Batesville Tool & Die, Napoleon State Bank, and George’s Insurance contributed financially to the project.

Volunteers from Owens Corning and the Batesville Mayor's Youth Council helped prepare materials for distribution, while local schools partnered with United Way to get them into the hands of incoming kindergarten families.

“This is exactly what community impact can look like,” Bulmer said. “Businesses invested in the project, volunteers gave their time, schools helped us reach families, and together we were able to do something meaningful for more than 500 children and families. No one organization does that alone.”

Strong Starts for Kindergarten is part of United Way of Franklin & Ripley Counties Strong Starts for Strong Futures that focuses on creating opportunities for children and families to thrive and connects to their broader work of belonging and connection.

“We want children to know from the very beginning that their feelings matter, that there are people around them who care about them, and that they belong in their school and in their community,” Bulmer said. “If this project helps even one family have a conversation they might not otherwise have had, that's meaningful. Multiply that opportunity across 534 families, and that's the kind of impact we're excited about.”