United Way Launches Campaign to Promote
Early Childhood Learning
United Way, Civitas & Ad Council Join Forces to Support Campaign for Children

Macon, GA-May 11, 2005 -United Way of Central Georgia, in conjunction with the United Way' popular nationwide early childhood learning program, SUCCESS BY 6, today kicked off an unprecedented public engagement campaign called Born Learning. The Born Learningcampaign is designed specifically to help young children prepare for school. It provides parents and other caregivers tips and advice to create quality early learning opportunities for young children. The campaign offers "doable" action steps that make it easy - and fun - to help young children learn during everyday activities such as sorting laundry or grocery shopping.

The Born Learning campaign includes some $30 million worth of nationwide television, radio, newspaper, magazine, billboard and transit ads; $7 million worth of parent and caregiver education materials; a Web site for parents (www.bornlearning.org) with action tips, information and resources; and support for community activities. The advertising, the Web site and most of the materials will also be produced in Spanish. In this community, Born LearningTV ads will provide residents with a number to call -2-1-1- to connect parents and caregivers with materials, resources and programs locally.

Born Learning is sponsored by a new partnership between United Way, the Ad Council and
Civitas, bringing together an extensive community impact network with the nation's preeminent public service advertiser and a top expert in parent outreach strategies and creative marketing around early childhood. Some 75% of all 1,350 local United Ways already support early childhood development, including 350 Success By 6 initiatives, which make early learning a primary focus.

"United Way of Central Georgia is taking part in the Born Learningcampaign because we want to do all we can to help parents and caregivers prepare young children to succeed in school," said Ron Watson,president and CEO of United Way of Central Georgia. "What if every child had five years of education before kindergarten? The reality is that children are learning constantly, right from birth. We know what happens in a child's early years matters - for success in life and for school readiness."

Born Learning research shows many parents and caregivers don't know exactly what actions to take to prepare young children for school, or feel like they don't have time to do what's needed. "We hope the Born Learning campaign will help meet parents' need in this community to get kids off to the right start," said Mardie Herndon, chairman of the United Way of Central Georgia board of trustees. Parents who need Born Learning materials or information and resources about early learning programs in can call United Way 2-1-1.

United Way of Central Georgia has invested more than $1 million in Success By 6 over the past six years, resulting in improved quality child care and early learning as well as increased preschool teacher credentials and retention.