Get ’em while they’re young.

Perhaps that should be the motto of the United Way of Mid Coast Maine, as the nonprofit is focused on programs that will help children get a solid foundation to start their life. While the agency does undertake the needed basic needs and health programs, it has put a greater emphasis on its early childhood services.

That was made clear at the organization’s annual meeting last week when the topic was broached by a number of speakers making remarks at the event. Both outgoing board chairperson Dennis Unger and incoming board chairperson George Reichert highlighted the home visitor program. United Way Executive Director Barbara Reinertsen said the agency wants the program is “to become the norm so people expect it and take advantage of it as a great benefit to help them as parents.”

“A strong foundation in the early years is what drives positive outcome later,” said keynote speaker Claire Berkowitz, executive director of the Maine Children’s Alliance. “We know that children’s brains are literally being built in the early years and it is stable, consistant relationships with caring adults in their families and communities that are the building materials.”

The United Way’s Success by 6 : Early Childhood Council offers a community read aloud program, as well as a call for volunteer readers and resources for Born Learning, a public campaign to offer suggestions for early learning opportunities through everyday activities.

It also spearheads the home visiting initiative, which connects new parents with home visitors who model positive interactons with their child, as well as provide information about parenting and support systems available for the parents and their children. Providing children with their best opportunity for their future when they reach elementary school, pre-K or programs like Head Start is good, but the thought of getting to them when they’re even younger is better.

The home visitor program can offer our youth just that, and we should not only applaud the United Way for this effort — we should join it as well.

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For more information about the United Way’s programs, visit www.uwmcm.org or call 443-9752.