Press Release: 8/13/2025
Climate Ready Learning: Tech Tools & Training Powered by Verizon and United Way as Part of United Way Worldwide's "United We Prepare"
BOSTON – Summer is often a fun time for families, but across our Commonwealth, urban communities often bear the brunt of extreme weather events like the heatwaves and poor air quality the region has experienced.
With a generous grant from Verizon, United Way of Massachusetts Bay and United Way Worldwide are launching United We Prepare-- a national effort to help individuals plan for natural and man-made hazards like extreme heat due to climate change with technology workshops, community outreach, and a public engagement campaign this summer.
Locally, United Way’s efforts will focus on family childcare providers, small businesses that are supporting families in communities that typically lack the training and financial resources to manage through such events. The initiative, Climate Ready Learning: Tech Tools & Training powered by Verizon and United Way , will hold workshops in August, September and October for family childcare providers in Greater Boston and the Merrimack Valley including Chelsea, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Revere, and Salem.
"We are incredibly proud to partner with Verizon on this vital initiative," says Marty Martinez, Ansin President and CEO of United Way of Massachusetts Bay. "Climate change and extreme heat is not just an environmental issue; it's a health equity challenge. By focusing our efforts on frontline communities and supporting family service providers, we are ensuring that those most affected have the resources to adapt, thrive, and lead in building a climate-resilient Massachusetts."
"United Way and our partners are committed to leveraging technology and connectivity to address critical societal challenges, and climate resilience is paramount," says Melinda Weber, VP Shared Services. "This FCC Climate Grant from Verizon allows us to directly support communities most at risk, providing the infrastructure and education needed to prepare for and mitigate the effects of climate change."
To expand our outreach, United Way is also partnering with Boston’s Office of Early Childhood in supporting their Keeping Kids Cool Initiative. This collaborative effort will equip vulnerable Boston families, and the family childcare providers who serve them, with essential resources and innovative technologies to withstand and recover from the increasing impacts of extreme weather events.
KEY INITIATIVES UNDER THE GRANT INCLUDE:
- Keeping Kids Cool Campaign (Boston): In partnership with the City of Boston’s Office of Early Childhood, this initiative focuses on combating extreme heat through:
- Cool Public Spaces: Programming in Boston Housing Authority Services (BHAS) and Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYFS).
- Cool Childcare Facilities: Preparing providers to respond effectively to heat emergencies.
- Cool Homes: Communicating best practices to parents and caregivers on combating extreme heat indoors.
The City of Boston is conducting three extreme heat/climate resiliency workshops to improve climate literacy and will support workshop learnings through the deployment of mobile misters in selected areas to help keep kids and families cool.
"Just a year ago, climate resilience and its impact on families wasn’t on many people’s radars. Now we have a deeper understanding of the impact of extreme heat on children, and with these initiatives, we’ll be able to create more urgency around the need to focus on keeping kids cool and safe throughout the summer," says Paula Gaviria Villarreal, Child Care Analytics and Program Director for Boston's Office of Early Childhood. "We're excited to partner with Verizon and the United Way on expanding our efforts to keep kids cool in Boston and beyond."
- Shared Services Climate Tech Initiative: This program equips family childcare providers who have participated in United Way's Shared Services program with "business community kits," containing items such as laptops/tablets, and MiFi devices. Over 120 kits will be distributed in communities experiencing high rates of poverty. The initiative also includes training on device activation and three informational workshops covering best practices for keeping kids cool and innovative technologies, with downloadable toolkits and social media resources.
Climate change exacerbates existing environmental, economic, and social disparities, disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations. By centering families and family childcare providers in frontline communities, this partnership empowers residents in decision-making processes about climate change impacts.
For more information and downloadable resources, please visit https://unitedwaymassbay.org/impact/early-education-and-out-of-school-time/climate-ready
Resources include neighborhood flyers, cool walking routes maps, and social media posts for "Neighborhood Heat Champions.".
###
About United Way of Massachusetts Bay:
United Way of Massachusetts Bay (UWMB) exists to build more equitable communities together. With over 85 years of local impact in eastern Massachusetts, we partner with our communities to build economic prosperity and enable everyone to access the knowledge, wealth and resources available. We believe that the key to unlocking opportunity is uniting people, and we bring together individuals, community leaders, corporate partners, legislators and organizations to build a powerful engine of change.
About Verizon:
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000, and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology, communications, information and entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $136.1 billion in 2023. The company offers voice, data and video services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.