On March 25, 2011, more than 60 stakeholders from school districts, business, early childhood providers, legislators, early intervention, foundations, and more came together for a legislative briefing. The event, in collaboration with Community Services for Children, the Lehigh Valley Early Learning Commission, and funding from the Community Engagement grant, was titled “How the State of the Child, Prenatal-8, is Driving Our Future in the Lehigh Valley.” In attendance were Senator Pat Browne and Representative Doug Reichley were as well as the representatives for Senator Pat Toomey, Representative Charlie Dent, Senator Robert Casey, Representative Jennifer Mann, and Representative Marcia Hahn. The meeting began with opening remarks by Jane Ervin, President/CEO of Community Services for Children regarding how children's success in early childhood has a ripple effect throughout the community and its economy. Rebecca Fenerty of CSC presented some very compelling data from the results of the Community Assessment/Trends study in the Lehigh Valley. Panelists discussed early childhood, school success, funding, and the impact on communities and families. Included in the panel was Joe Hanna, Assistant Chief of Police of Allentown, Don Bernhard, Community Affairs Manager, PPL and President of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp., Pam Buehrle, Executive Director of Lehigh County Children & Youth, and Sonia Vazquez, Principal of Donegan Elementary School in Bethlehem Area School District. Closing remarks came from Lee Butz of the Lehigh Valley Early Learning Commission, speaking from the business perspective, and asking for the community's help in providing more quality early learning opportunities to children in the Lehigh Valley.
The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s Community Engagement Group, made up of community, school, and business leaders, meets quarterly to discuss ways to make the public aware of programs the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has in place for children and their families.
For more information on this event, please contact Mary Widmer, Community Investments Manager, Children Healthy and Ready to Learn and Community Engagement Coordinator at maryw@unitedwayglv.org or 610-807-5743.
