Upstate United Ways Team Up with SUBWAY® Sandwich Shops to Promote Early Learning
Seven United Ways serving 10 Upstate counties launched a new partnership with Upstate SUBWAY® Sandwich Shops today to help maximize the early learning potential of young children and expand efforts to provide quality learning activities for parents and children.
The partnership with SUBWAY® is a significant addition to Born Learning Upstate SC, a public engagement campaign that aims to help parents, caregivers and communities provide young children with quality learning opportunities. The campaign is built around research that shows children are “born learning,” with the first three years of a child’s life proven to be an especially critical time.
“This is when that brain is truly a sponge,” said Lisa Williams, board member of United Way of Oconee County and Lieutenant with the Seneca Police Department. “We as parents, grandparents, educators, police officers—all of us—must do what we can to ensure they’re soaking up the right things.”
One of the components of the campaign has been the installation of Born Learning Trails across the Upstate. These trails include fun, engaging activities designed to boost language and literacy skills, and encourage children and their families to be active physically and mentally. Trail locations can be found on the Born Learning Website, BornLearningUpstateSC.org, or by calling 2-1-1, United Way’s statewide, 24-hour resource line.
“When we started this regional partnership in 2013, we launched with 15 trails across the region,” said Paige Stephenson, CEO of the United Way of the Piedmont. “I am excited to be able to announce today that we now have 40 trails throughout our communities in the Upstate of South Carolina. These trails are an important United Way strategy to foster quality parent-child interaction and help children along the path to school readiness.”
In celebrating the 40 Born Learning Trails, the United Ways of the Upstate are launching a unique partnership with local SUBWAY® Sandwich Shops. Participating SUBWAY® locations will be offering Fresh Fit for Kids meal coupons to users of the trail. There will be a SUBWAY® sign with a QR code somewhere along each of the 40 trails. When trail users find the sign, they can simply scan the QR code, answer a very brief survey and receive a SUBWAY® coupon. This effort not only helps promote early learning and trail usage, it will also help local United Ways track the number of trail users. This will be used in planning for future trails.
“Our local owners are part of the community and see the United Way Born Learning Trails as a meaningful way to support healthy lifestyles and early learning,” said Tom Harvey, a parent of grade-school children and local owner of six SUBWAY® Sandwich Shops in the Greenville area.
Today’s announcement comes as a precursor to the 2016 Week of the Young Child (April 10– April 16), where child-friendly, educational activities are being held by United Ways and partner organizations throughout the Upstate throughout the week. A list of events can be found on the Born Learning Upstate website, BornLearningUpstateSC.org.
BornLearningUpstate.org also offers an extensive collection of resources for parents, easy games to play at home or around town, as well as a list of United Way-supported early education programs in each of the 10 Upstate counties. Parents and caregivers can go to the Website or call 2-1-1 for local contacts to receive materials, resources and program information.
“We all share a commitment to helping children grow up healthy, ready for school, and prepared for a lifetime of success,” said Carol Burdette, president of United Way of Anderson County. “Today’s commitment of support by Subway is an important example of how businesses can bring unique ideas to the table relating to the promotion of school readiness.”
Born Learning Upstate SC Partners:
• United Way of Anderson County -
864-226-3438
• United Way of Greenville County - 864-467-3333
• United Way of Greenwood &
Abbeville Counties - 864-229-4103
• United Way of Laurens County - 864-833-3623
• United Way of Oconee County - 864-882-9743
• United Way of Pickens County - 864-850-7094
• United Way of the Piedmont (serving Spartanburg, Union and Cherokee counties) 864-582-7556
• Ten at the Top has provided critical leadership by serving as the initial convener of the seven Upstate United Ways and providing expertise in how to create effective regional partnerships.
Born Learning Trails are located in the following locations in Anderson County:
- Watson Park - 2005 Brookview Drive, Anderson, SC 29621
- South Main Chapel and Mercy Center - 2408 South Main, Anderson, SC 29624
- Anderson Civic Center - 3027 MLK Jr. Blvd., Anderson, SC 29625
- Mineral Springs Park - 121 West Main Street, Williamston, SC 29697
Local participating SUBWAY® Sandwich Shops are:
- 3630 N. Hwy 81, Anderson
- 651 28 Bypass/Walmart, Anderson
- 307 Cater St., Anderson
- 2704 S. Main St., Anderson
- 1909 E Greenville St., Anderson
- 918 Mechanic St, Pendleton
- 3443 Highway 153, Piedmont
- 701 Anderson St., Belton
- 3 Greenville Dr., Williamston
- 817 W. Front St., Iva
- 180 Interstate Blvd., Anderson
- 4409 Hwy 24, Anderson SC
- 3300 N. Main St., Anderson
- 3812 Liberty Hwy., Anderson
- 325 E. Greer St., Honea Path