Ensuring the Success of the Child, Empowering the Family, and Strengthening the Community
About Us
History
1970
In 1970, a group of concerned parents, town officials and community volunteers formed Communities United, Inc., then a pilot program supported solely by Head Start funding with the purpose of providing comprehensive services in education, social services, health and parenting. At that time, CUI served a preschool population of 3-5 year olds for half-days in five communities.
1980
By 1980, the staff had grown to 50 and the program served 180 children.
1990
Over the next ten years, the number of staff and children served doubled. The need for full-day childcare became a growing issue, and by 1995 CUI becomes a lead agency for state-funded Community Partnership Grants (CPG). CPG provided tuition subsidies enabling families to afford full day care for their children.
2020
The agency’s 70 employees serve approximately 300 children, of infant, toddler and preschool age, from eleven unique suburban communities along the Rte. 128 belt. These communities are Arlington, Belmont, Brookline, Burlington, Lexington, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wellesley and Woburn.
Mission & Goals
Communities United, Inc.’s mission is to provide high quality education and family services to a diverse population of children, ages 4 months to 5 years. We strive to ensure the success of the child, empower the family and strengthen the community. Our vision is to:
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Offer economically integrated programs in the communities we serve, so that all children in our programs, regardless of economic status, benefit from all of our services.
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Secure high quality staff, facilities and resources that foster excellence in all aspects of our operations.
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Ensure that our staff and parents see themselves as lifelong learners committed to superior early childhood development.
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Continue to appreciate diversity and strive to see this reflected in our staff and governing boards.
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Continue to demonstrate leadership in developing quality early childhood programs for our communities and to foster leadership in the field.
The goal of Communities United, Inc. to give preschool children and families an opportunity to experience growth by providing an environment that encourages participation and interaction in a full range of developmentally appropriate activities. We strive to increase the ability of children and families to cope with and initiate change in their lives and build upon the gains made through their experiences.
Communities United is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with an Executive Director and a volunteer Board of Directors. The agency has a staff of 70 employees which includes teachers, social service workers, and administrative staff. Volunteerism has always been a key component of CUI’s philosophy and education curriculum. Since parents are the primary teachers in a child’s life, they are encouraged to spend time in the classroom. Last year, CUI had 500 volunteers who donated over 15,000 hours in classroom and other activities.
Organizational Structure
Who Do We Serve?
Communities United, Inc. actively serves families living in the communities of Arlington, Belmont, Brookline, Burlington, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wellesley and Woburn. While CUI serves children from the full socio-economic spectrum, our focus is on identifying the most at-risk families and ensuring that their needs are met.
One of the more significant changes in CUI communities in the past several years is the growing ethnic and racial diversity of the population who are without any additional services to meet their families’ needs. This rapid influx of diverse ethnic groups has magnified the need to recognize and respond to new languages and cultures. From the moment a child starts in our program, we focus on building language and literacy. Our staff reflects the diversity of the population we serve and we encourage their professional development.
CUI strives to be a community of exceptional cultural and economic diversity while revelling in the success of our children and families as they move through and beyond CUI.
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: Filing a Program Discrimination Complaint as a USDA Customer, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
CUI is an equal opportunity provider.