Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a bright future. But for too many children in South Carolina, barriers like poverty, food insecurity, and lack of educational resources make success an uphill battle. The numbers are stark: 20% of children in our state live in poverty, 15% experience food insecurity, and over half of K-12 students are not reading at grade level. These challenges don't just impact individual families-they shape the future of our entire community.
Meet Jabari Bodrick, Ph.D.
Jabari Bodrick, Ph.D., serves as the Senior Education & Resiliency Director at United Way of the Midlands. As a community-engaged educator, he is passionate about creating educational environments where students can learn both within and beyond traditional classroom settings. Committed to empowering historically marginalized populations, Jabari is dedicated to fostering a more equitable society through his work.
At United Way of the Midlands (UWM), he leads efforts to advance education and youth success. Specifically, he oversees three key programs: the Midlands Reading Consortium (MRC), Young Men United, and Resilient Midlands. Through these initiatives, Jabari and his team work tirelessly to ensure that children and young adults in the Midlands have the resources and support they need to succeed.
Recently, Jabari shared a powerful message in a video on LinkedIn, emphasizing the urgent need for collective action:
"I spend a lot of time talking about the great things that are happening in South Carolina and specifically in the Midlands. I also think it is important to talk about the why behind the work. Generational poverty is very present in South Carolina. Roughly 20% of children in South Carolina are living in poverty. Roughly 15% of them are experiencing food insecurity. When you look at the K-12 system, over 50% of those kids are not reading at grade level. When you focus specifically on 2024 high school graduates, the most recent data says that 30% of them are college and career ready.
School districts alone can't fix that problem. Elected officials can do a lot to help, but they can't address those issues alone. It takes a collective community effort to help address some of these societal ills. If you have the time, the expertise and/or the funds to be able to assist, please do that. If you are unable to volunteer with our Young Men United program or with our Midlands Reading Consortium, please do volunteer with some other nonprofit or other faith-based institution. If you are connected to a school in your community, please invest what you have there because if we do not help people break these cycles or reach their full potential, whether it be college, career, or life, these problems will continue to exist.
I have flexibility in my current job to volunteer during the day and I understand that everybody does not have that. You do not have to adhere to an ongoing volunteer schedule, but please do something. Our communities need you."
United Way's Role in Creating Change
At United Way of the Midlands, we believe that lasting change happens when communities come together. That's why we focus on breaking cycles of poverty through education, housing, and healthcare. Every day, we see the power of collective action: a child learns to read and gains confidence in school, a young person receives mentorship and discovers a stable career path, and a family secures safe housing and can finally focus on the future. These moments aren't just victories-they are steps toward generational change.
But this work requires all of us. Schools and government programs can only do so much. Real, sustainable change happens when individuals, businesses, and local organizations step up to invest in the next generation. When we support literacy programs, mentor young people, and provide resources for struggling families, we aren't just helping individuals-we're strengthening our entire community.
Volunteer Week 2025: Combining Giving with Action
Volunteer Week 2025 (April 21-26) is your opportunity to be part of this movement. This year, we're combining giving with action to create a ripple effect of impact. Whether you can give an hour, a day, or more, your time will make a difference.
Giving is as simple as asking 10 people for $10 or 5 people for $20-small contributions that add up to big change. Every dollar fuels programs that provide literacy support, career mentorship, and vital resources for families in need.
Here's how you can get involved:
Be a Book Bunny - Help sort and pack books for children in our Midlands Reading Consortium (MRC) literacy and STEM program. Sign up here
Vital Connections: If You Give a Child a Book - Reading to children in the community. Sign up here
Field Day at Forest Lake with MRC!- Fri Apr 25, 2025 @ 8:30am
to 11:30am Sign up here
We guarantee generational change. We guarantee good. Let's start some ripples together.
Need help finding the perfect opportunity? Reach out to lgould@uway.org or spaschal@uway.org.
