Central Okanagan – United Way Success By 6 knows that it takes a community to raise a child. That’s why this initiative is partnering with foundations, businesses and government to give children six years of age or less the skills they need to get a good start in school and in life.

MacKay LLP has joined the Funding Really Early Development (FRED) Table, a group of investors who are working with Success By 6 to financially support the enhancement of seven family resource programs in Central Okanagan.

“At MacKay we take pride in being active in our community by providing time, knowledge and financial support to initiatives like Success By 6”, says Murray Bye.

MacKay believes that this involvement should not only be at a personal level but at a firm level as well.Their business gives back to our community by supporting health, education and children’s programs, such as the early education support for young children that Success By 6 provides. They see their participation in FRED as a way for them to help improve the chances of success for children in Central Okanagan by leveraging the financial commitments and knowledge of the FRED partners. By joining efforts with other partners like the Colin & Lois Pritchard Foundation, Okanagan Kids Care, Central Okanagan Foundation, Ministry of Children & Family Development, and United Way they see it as an opportunity to make the greatest impact and see that impact into the future.

“We are also aware that support for these programs needs to be sustainable in order to provide continued success”, says Murray Bye, “that’s why MacKay has committed to $10,000 a year to FRED for the next three years.”

In addition, Nicole Parent, CA will be representing MacKay at the FRED table allowing them to be directly involved in the community impact FRED has.

MacKay invites others in Central Okanagan to help FRED and Success By 6 make the highest impact possible by joining the FRED table and seeing it into the future!

Success By 6 is a local United Way initiative that is going upstream to plan preventative health and development programs for children 6 years of age or less. Supported by Success By 6 BC (a provincial partnership of United Ways, Credit Unions of BC, and the BC Government) this initiative focuses on getting at the root cause of why 25% of children in our community are not ready for school by the time they enter Kindergarten. Visit www.unitedwaycso.com for more information on what is happening locally and how you can get involved.

For more information: Contact Carol Ellison, Success By 6 Coordinator, United Way at 250-718-4044 or Nicole Parent, CA, MacKay LLP at 250-763-5021.