United Way Expands Partnerships in Carbon County

Jim Thorpe, PA – More children, families and seniors who reside in Carbon County will have access to health and human services through programs funded by United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley (UWGLV).
 
“Thanks to our generous donors, United Way has increased its local investments from $20,000 to $50,000 this year. This is an enormous accomplishment as every dollar raised in Carbon County stays in Carbon County,” remarked Bob Jacobs, a member of UWGLV’s Carbon County Campaign Cabinet and Allocations Committee.
 
As a result, United Way welcomes ten new partners for a total of 17 nonprofit partner agencies, serving Carbon County:

• The ARC of Northeastern Pennsylvania
• Behavioral Health Associates
• Cancer Support Community of the Greater Lehigh Valley
• Carbon County Action Committee for Human Services
• Carbon-Schuylkill Community Hospital, Inc. DBA St. Luke’s Miners Adopt a School Program at Panther Valley School District
• Catholic Social Services, Diocese of Scranton Big Brothers Big Sisters of The Bridge Serving Carbon County
• Family Promise of Carbon County
• Lehigh Carbon Community College Foundation SHINE GEARING UP FOR KINDERGARTEN program
• Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living
• Meals on Wheels of Palmerton
• PathStone Corporation
• Peaceful Knights, Inc.
• Penn-Kidder Ministerium After-School Program
• Penn State Extension/Jim Thorpe School PROSPER Project
• Shepherd House, Inc.
• Turn to Us, Inc.
• Victims Resource Center

“With grants ranging from $1,000 to $7,500, United Way will help partners to better meet the needs of our community. In Carbon County, our future is GROWING,” added UWGLV Board of Directors Member Trisha Higgins, who also serves on the Carbon County Campaign Cabinet and Allocations Committee.
 
A United Way needs assessment completed in 2017 found that 40,000 Carbon County residents use nonprofit health and human services, 50 percent of students are economically disadvantaged, and 7,000 people are food insecure.
 
“We’re proud to support 17 partner agencies that join each other every day to find and implement solutions. Our future is UNITED, and your United Way is dedicated to providing the support our community needs to learn, prosper and grow,” added Carbon County resident Marci Ronald-Lesko, Executive Vice President, UWGLV.
 
Carbon County investments aim to:

• Increase supports for persons with disabilities
• Increase access to healthy food and shelter
• Increase access to physical and mental health services, including integrated behavioral health care in a school setting
• And increase kindergarten readiness and access to school-age programming

 
“United Way's investment into the early years of children’s lives here in Carbon County is one of the best ways to ensure their future success. Lehigh Carbon Community College SHINE Program is proud to be receiving a $7,500 grant to implement the GEARING UP FOR KINDERGARTEN Program,” said Rachel Miller Strucko, SHINE Program Director.
 
Grants are provided for one year, beginning July 2018 and ending June 2019. For a full list of our 2018-19 partner agencies and investments, please visit our website to review our 2018-19 Investment Portfolio.