Education is vital to individual and community success. It is essential to getting and keeping a job with a livable wage and health benefits, and it is fundamental to a community's economic prosperity. A well-educated workforce attracts world-class jobs.

But nearly half of Pickens County third graders are not reading on grade level, and without your help, they face a dim future.

Your support of programs such as Camp iRock, Preschool Pages, Lantern, and others ensures that:

• Children begin school ready to learn,
• Young children achieve their potential, and
• Parents and guardians are focused on their child's academic success and are engaged in their child's intellectual, emotional and social growth.

Managing family-sustaining income is a cornerstone of financial stability. It is the key to paying the rent, putting food on the table, and affording childcare and transportation. It is also the springboard to longer term asset building strategies such as saving to buy a home, sending kids to college, and saving for retirement.

But many people in our community struggle to get by, even while working multiple jobs. They lack the skills and knowledge needed to manage their finances.

You can help hardworking people in our community become financially stable and independent with your support of programs like Pathways, Free File and more.