2026 Giving Day: Support the Grow With Me Program
Help change the first years of a child’s life—one developmental screening at a time.
The Grow With Me program at the UT Dallas Center for Children and Families provides free, research‑based developmental screenings for young children who may be at risk for developmental delays. Each screening ensures families receive personalized guidance, culturally responsive support, and referrals for early intervention services when needed.
Your Giving Day gift directly supports the screening, training, and community outreach that make early intervention possible for hundreds of local families.
Why Grow With Me Matters
Every year, we deliver over 300 developmental screenings—completely free of charge—to families of children ages 0–5.
- 30% of children screened score below developmental expectations for their age.
- These children are referred for early intervention, which research shows leads to better outcomes in language, motor skills, social‑emotional development, and school readiness.
- Families receive individualized developmental reports, parent-friendly explanations, and connections to community resources—all in their preferred language whenever possible.
Your support helps ensure that every family, regardless of background or income, has access to the early developmental information their child deserves.
How Your Gift Makes an Impact
Your contribution supports the essential components that make Grow With Me possible:
1. Local Travel & Mileage Reimbursement
Many screenings occur in community spaces, libraries, and family‑access locations. Your support enables:
- Travel for on-site screenings
- Community outreach to underserved neighborhoods
2. Updated Screening Supply Kits
Children engage best when they feel supported and comfortable. Gifts help replenish:
- Books
- Dolls and puppets
- Play-based assessment materials
- Fine motor and language screening tools
3. Internship Coordinator (Student Worker)
Grow With Me trains dozens of UT Dallas students each year. An internship coordinator helps:
- Schedule student trainees
- Prepare materials and manage logistics
- Support data entry and follow-up
- Ensure a high-quality training experience for future child development professionals
Your Gift Helps Children Thrive
When you give to Grow With Me, you're helping:
- Identify developmental concerns early
- Reduce disparities in access to early childhood services
- Equip families with knowledge and confidence
- Train the next generation of early childhood practitioners
Together, we can ensure that every child gets the strong start they deserve.
Giving Day Impact Levels
$10 – Provides Items for Screening Kits
Helps purchase dolls, puppets, or small books used to support the developmental screening process.
$25 – Restock Play‑Based Screening Materials
Covers items like fine‑motor toys, stacking blocks, crayons, or language‑eliciting picture cards.
$50 – Update a Screening Supply Kit
Provides new books, developmental checklists, puppets, and early learning tools for one full kit.
$75 – Support Community‑Based Screenings
Helps cover mileage reimbursement for program travel to community partner sites.
$100 – Provide Materials for Multiple Screenings
Supports replacement of high‑use items in several kits.
$500 – Enhance Training for UT Dallas Students
Funds logistics support—such as scheduling, materials preparation, and data organization—allowing our student intern coordinator to train more UTD students in hands‑on developmental screening.
