In childcare centers, home-based programs, and ministries across the Wabash Valley, early childhood educators are doing some of the region’s most important work.
They’re helping children learn to build confidence, solve problems, and discover the world around them, all during the years that shape lifelong success.
At United Way of the Wabash Valley (UWWV), supporting those educators is a key part of building a stronger future for children, families, and communities throughout the region.
Each year, that work is reflected through the organization’s Childcare Provider Resource and Professional Development Event. Hosted by UWWV’s Success By 6 Coalition, the free event brings together early childhood professionals from across the Wabash Valley for a day centered on connection, learning, and support.
This year’s event, cosponsored by Ivy Tech and Indiana State University, featured professional development sessions, community resource tables, and opportunities for educators to connect with one another and share ideas. While the event lasts just one day, its impact stretches far beyond the conference room, reaching classrooms, childcare centers, and families across UWWV’s six-county service area.
For childcare providers, opportunities to step away from the classroom and invest in their own growth can be difficult to find, especially while balancing staffing shortages, rising costs, and the everyday demands of caring for young children. Events like this create space for educators to recharge, collaborate, and gain new tools they can bring back to the children and families they serve every day.
“In addition to supporting children, we’re building a stronger, more vibrant region for generations to come,” Executive Director Dorothy Chambers said. “By equipping childcare professionals with resources, training, and connections, we’re strengthening the systems that help every child and family thrive.”
That investment is making a measurable difference across the region. Over the past five years, UWWV has helped fund more than 550 new high-quality childcare seats, expanding access for families while helping strengthen workforce stability for employers and communities alike.
At the same time, UWWV supports literacy initiatives that are helping children build a strong foundation in the first five years of life. Through programs like Real Men Read and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, each year more than 6,300 children are supported in learning to read, while over 59,000 books are being distributed to classrooms and homes throughout the Wabash Valley.
By investing in educators, literacy, and childcare access, United Way helps create stronger opportunities for children and families in our region.
One in three children in the region is touched by United Way-supported programs each year, from early literacy and childcare access to broader youth opportunity initiatives that help children succeed both in and out of school.
Every child deserves the chance to explore, learn, and thrive. By investing in educators and expanding access to high-quality early learning opportunities, UWWV is helping create a Wabash Valley where children — and the communities around them — can grow stronger together.
