UNT Health and Lena Pope strengthen partnership focused on children, families and community
The partnership between UNT Health Fort Worth and Lena Pope continues to grow through
a shared commitment to supporting children, families and the communities they serve.
Together, the organizations are creating opportunities that extend beyond traditional
partnerships by investing in early childhood education, family support and volunteer
engagement.
One of the most meaningful outcomes of this collaboration is expanded access to high-quality early childhood education. Through the Nationally Accredited Lena Pope Early Learning Center on campus, eligible UNT Health students, faculty and staff have access to quality childcare, with tuition available on a sliding-scale basis for qualifying families. This partnership helps make exceptional early learning more accessible while supporting working families and student success, reinforcing a shared belief that investing in children during their earliest years creates healthier futures for everyone.
As the partnership continues to evolve, Jacqueline Arellano, community engagement strategist at UNT Health, is spearheading the launch of Promoting Access to Literacy and Stories, also known as PALS, a volunteer literacy initiative that connects UNT Health faculty, staff, and students with young readers at the Lena Pope Early Learning Center.
For Arellano, the program is more than a community initiative, it is deeply personal. As the parent of a child who attended the Lena Pope Early Learning Center, she experienced firsthand the lasting impact that early childhood education and literacy can have on a child's confidence, curiosity and development. Inspired by that experience, she envisioned PALS as a way to give UNT Health’s community an opportunity to invest in the next generation by sharing the simple but powerful gift of reading.
“Early literacy is personal to me because I know that a child's earliest learning experiences can shape their future,” Arellano said. “Partnering with Lena Pope's Early Learning Center allows us to support children during a critical stage of development, helping them build reading skills, curiosity and confidence. Every book read and every conversation shared creates opportunities for learning and growth, and it's inspiring to be part of an effort that helps children start their educational journey on a strong foundation.”
Through PALS, volunteers spend dedicated time reading with children, fostering a love of books while supporting language development, early literacy skills and self-confidence. These meaningful interactions not only enrich the learning experience for young readers but also strengthen the connection between UNT Health and the families served by Lena Pope.
This partnership extends beyond the classroom. UNT Health’s Division of Academic Innovation is also supporting Lena Pope through a new collaborative initiative helping launch the organization's podcast, and identifying innovative opportunities that expand community engagement and strengthen the partnership.
“Working in partnership with UNT Health has transformed our ability to reach the community with much needed information about parenting through unexpected crises. The production studio, equipment, staff, editing expertise and responsiveness of the team allowed our video podcast to be completed with a professional edge,” said Ashley Barnes, Ph.D., CEO of Lena Pope. “We are beyond pleased with, not only the work product, but also the knowledge and professionalism that the entire UNT Health team brought to our collaboration. They took the time to understand the tone and flow of our production and translated it into something that we are very proud to showcase.”
Together, UNT Health and Lena Pope are demonstrating how meaningful partnerships create lasting impact. By increasing access to quality early childhood education, inspiring volunteerism through PALS, and collaborating on innovative community initiatives, the organizations are helping children thrive, supporting families, and building healthier communities—one child, one story and one partnership at a time.