News

Community Schools: 15 Years of Supporting Student Success, Thanks to You

July 13, 2021
“There is nothing more important in a child’s life than having access to a good education.”

Bill Spence
Former PPL Corporation Chairman and CEO

For 15 years, Community Schools have supported student success in the region’s highest-need schools by focusing on students’ basic needs and building trusting relationships with children and their families.
 
That’s why former PPL Corporation Chairman and CEO Bill Spence and his wife Denise have joined United Way in providing the resources to make Sheridan Elementary School in Allentown School District the newest school in the Lehigh Valley Community Schools Network.
 
“There is nothing more important in a child’s life than having access to a good education,” said Spence. “We felt that partnering with United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, a trusted and highly regarded organization, would provide the oversight and insights needed to ensure that Community Schools will be successful.”
 
Thanks to dedicated supporters like you, Community Schools serve almost 19,000 students and their families in 31 schools in Allentown, Bangor Area, Bethlehem Area and Easton Area school districts.
 
The Spences have joined the Barnes and Lovett families as Tocqueville Society members who pledge their support to Community Schools.
 
“We grew up in families where access to a good education was a family affair, and viewed as foundational to success, a fundamental right of every child and a community responsibility. United Way has taken that concept to a whole new level, and it is so inspiring to see the amazing improvements for the students,” said Dan Barnes, who supports Northeast Middle School in Bethlehem Area School District with his wife Susan.
 
“It is an honor to be a part of this nationally recognized initiative. We hope many more donors will join this movement to adopt a school and help United Way to continue to expand this extraordinary program, especially after the devastating setback experienced by our students during this pandemic,” added Susan Barnes.
 
Using schools as hubs, Community Schools organize programs and services such as food, housing and health care in one central place for students and families, while also providing enhanced academic experiences for kids and engagement opportunities for parents. As a result, Community School students have increased reading and math scores and excel in other academic areas.
 
“Our community can do great things when we work together.  Community Schools has been a great vehicle to allow us to do this.  East Allentown has been underserved for many years.  Community Schools has allowed us to support East Allentown in the important field of education,” said Bob Lovett, who directs support to Mosser Elementary School in Allentown School District along with his wife Sandy.

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News

See the Impact: CarbonCorps Launches New Book Buggy for Panther Valley School District Students and Families

July 08, 2021
Nicole Pollinger, UWGLV CarbonCorps Member, with Robert Palazzo, PVES Principal

Nesquehoning, PA – On Wednesday, July 7, Panther Valley School District families received free books and enjoyed live entertainment at a community event to launch the new Panther Valley Book Buggy.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Panther Valley Elementary School’s (PVES) library was shut down this year. Rob Palazzo, Pleasant Valley Elementary Principal, and Nicole Pollinger, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley CarbonCorps member, brainstormed ways to engage students and families around literacy and the idea of a mobile library was born.

Rob Bennett of Bennett Toyota donated a van to PVES to act as their local library after Nicole reached out about partnering to support literacy and third grade reading goals.

“Literacy is so important that no child should be without. This Book Buggy has provided the opportunity to spread books to all students at their doorsteps,” said Nicole.

The Book Buggy will be out in the community to ensure books are accessible for students and their families to enjoy reading together.

Thank you to Bennett Automotive Group for partnering with the Panther Valley School District to create this venture to promote literacy in the community.

Read more:
Times News Online: Panther Valley Book Buggy grand opening
WNEP: Book Buggy helps promote literacy

News

See The Impact: TeenWorks, Capital Blue Cross and Local Labor Unions Build Shelves and Organize School Uniforms at Roosevelt Elementary School

June 29, 2021
Volunteers organizing school uniforms

On Tuesday, June 22, volunteers from TeenWorksTM, Capital Blue Cross and local labor unions combined efforts to build shelving and sort and organize uniforms at Roosevelt Elementary School, a Community School in the Allentown School District. In an effort to make the transition from virtual learning to the classroom for students easier when they return in September, volunteers organized the clothes so students will be able to find their size effortlessly. Community Schools Coordinator, Samantha Johns of Communities in Schools of Eastern helped organize the program and with volunteers from local unions PSEA (Pennsylvania State Education Association), Workers United, Operating Engineers Local 542, Carpenters Local 167, and Teamsters Local 773.
 
TeenWorks is an affinity group of United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and is made up of a diverse group of local middle school and high school students and local members of organized labor. This organization, which operates solely in the Lehigh Valley, began in 1999 as a partnership with the labor community and United Way. The group meets monthly and helps to fund community service projects throughout the Lehigh Valley from various youth groups. Over 500 organizations have received grants of up to $1,000.00 for their projects, including 370 Eagle Scouts. In addition to funding projects, TeenWorks board members have a strong group of volunteers who can be counted on to do anything from building shelves to distributing mulch.
 
TeenWorks and Capital Blue Cross have shared the financial support for this Community School for the past three years. TeenWorks and Capital Blue Cross entered into this unique relationship twenty years ago and have produced significant results.

News

Community School Coordinator Spotlight: Roosevelt Elementary School

June 04, 2021

Samantha Johns recently joined the team at Roosevelt Elementary School in Allentown School District. An employee of Communities In Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania, Miss Johns serves as the Community School Coordinator thanks to financial support provided by Capital BlueCross and United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley TeenWorksTM.

Miss Johns’ job is to help surround students with a community of support that empowers them and their families. Students and families may connect to Miss Johns for support with:

  • basic needs
  • clothing
  • food
  • housing
  • school supplies and more.

In her new role, Miss Johns will connect with community partners to coordinate needed programing and events for students and families at Roosevelt. Her current projects include: Backpack Buddies, the food cupboard and clothing assistance through “Bear Essentials.”

Miss Johns looks forward to building positive relationships with Roosevelt students, families and staff. She can be reached at 484-765-4468 or [email protected]. For more Community School information about Roosevelt Elementary School, click here.

Welcome to Teddy Town, Miss Johns!

News

United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley Announces $37,500 in Summer Learning Grants to 15 Local Partners

May 25, 2021

With summer quickly approaching, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley has ensured that more local children will have the opportunity to learn, play, grow and heal by providing $37,500 in micro-grants to 15 local partners.

“This pandemic has taken a real toll on our students’ emotional and mental health. That’s why we’re so proud to support summer learning efforts that not only meet our kids’ academic needs, but also give them opportunities to have fun and build positive relationships,” said Akshara Vivekananthan, Assistant Director, Education, UWGLV. 

“With a specific focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, we hoped to make this a simple grant process that would allow us to expand our summer learning partnerships across the region,” added Vivekananthan.

Made possible with financial support from Crayola, the 2021 Community-Based Summer Learning Microgrant Program is designed to support the summer learning efforts serving Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties. Grants ranging from $1,000 to $3,600 have been awarded to the following partner programs:

  • Bradbury Sullivan LGBT Community Center Providing Recreational Summer Learning to Trans Youth
  • Community Bike Works Junior Earn a Bike
  • Easton Area Community Center Summer Camp
  • The Greater Valley YMCA Day Camp Enrichment Program
  • Lehigh Valley Summerbridge
  • National Museum of Industrial History Summer Learning with Lehigh Valley Children’s Centers
  • Northeast Community Center Summer Camp
  • Northampton Community College Horizons for Youth Summer Camp
  • Lehigh Valley Girls Rock Camp
  • ProJeCt of Easton SIZZLE!®
  • Slater Family Network Northampton County Family Center
  • Unidos Foundation CyberLearning Club
  • Valley Youth House Brave Space Summer Learning Experiences for LGBTQ+ Tweens &Teens at Camp Fowler
  • Via of the Lehigh Valley Teen Summer Experience

“This grant will support our free CyberLearning Club summer program focused on culturally appropriate academic development, enrichment through the arts, and social emotional learning with character development and early intervention support for inner-city children of the Allentown School District,” added Yamelisa Taveras, founder of grant recipient Unidos Foundation.

To learn more about summer learning opportunities in the Greater Lehigh Valley, visit www.lehighvalleyreads.org where a full list will be available starting June 1.

News

Air Products’ Laurie Gostley Hackett to Chair United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s 2021 Campaign

May 18, 2021

Allentown, PA – Laurie Gostley Hackett, Air Products’ director of community relations and philanthropy, will chair the 2021 campaign for United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley (UWGLV).  

“With the strong support of Air Products, I step into this role with great optimism, enthusiasm and hope. The community has been through so much together over the past year, and my colleagues and I are inspired by the passion, partnership and potential of United Way. United Way is truly the Greater Lehigh Valley’s community builder, helping our community to be strong, stable and accessible,” said Hackett.

Hackett brings a unique perspective to the 2021 campaign, which will raise funds to meet today’s emerging needs while investing in sustainable solutions to challenges in the areas of education, emergency services, food access and healthy aging. Hackett’s work with the Air Products Foundation supports programs, activities and agencies that are working hard every day to improve the quality of life for all. She is actively engaged as a volunteer with dozens of Lehigh Valley-based nonprofits and has served on UWGLV’s Board of Directors since 2019.

“There is a special spirit of community and deep commitment to serve that is so evident in the Greater Lehigh Valley. This campaign belongs to the entire community, and we invite and encourage everyone to participate at all levels. We know there are great needs. By investing in United Way, all of us become part of the solution,” added Hackett.

cornerstone air products

Air Products raised a record-breaking $4.1 million for the communities it serves around the country during the company’s 2020 United Way campaign. The donations were raised by Air Products’ current employees as well as retirees, and the Air Products Foundation provided $1.9 million to match those contributions. 

“When you speak to Laurie, her love and her passion for the Greater Lehigh Valley are just so apparent. We are so fortunate to have her leadership and the support of Air Products as we focus on the future and continue the fight for the health, safety and education of every person who calls the Valley home,” said David Lewis, President of UWGLV. 

In addition to her role as United Way Board Member, Hackett volunteers with numerous nonprofits including Workforce Board Lehigh Valley Chair, R.K. Laros Foundation Trustee, St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Board, Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee and Board of Governors, Miller-Keystone Blood Center Board Member, Iron Pigs Charities Board and Phantoms Charities Board. She is a recipient of the Moravian College Shining Star Award, Chamber Volunteer of the Year, Girl Scouts Take the Lead Award, Bethlehem Chamber Spirit of Bethlehem Award and Chamber of Commerce Athena Award. 

United Way’s annual campaign runs through March 31, 2022. 

News

Partners Unite to Address Growing Food Insecurity in the Greater Lehigh Valley with New Full Cart Program

April 23, 2021

Many families and the agencies that serve them continue to see increased needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To help address the ongoing food access needs of local residents, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley (UWGLV) has partnered with U.S. Hunger, formerly known as Feeding Children Everywhere, and Lehigh Valley Food Policy Council to launch the Full Cart program.

Through this pilot program, 250 Lehigh Valley families are receiving boxes of food delivered directly to their homes. Each box contains 125 servings of shelf-stable food options that will serve a family of four for about 10 days or a single person for about six weeks.

“Hunger is most often linked to poverty, and the COVID-19 pandemic illuminated and magnified the non-economic barriers to food access that impact food security for many individuals,” said Susan Dalandan, Coordinator at the Lehigh Valley Food Policy Council. “Those non-economic barriers include transportation, health and well-being, time, availability and opportunity as well as cultural and social customs. The Lehigh Valley Food Policy Council is excited to launch this partnership that addresses those barriers,” Susan added.

The Full Cart pilot program is made possible thanks to funding from BSI, Baker Foundation, City of Allentown CHAMPS grant, Roberta “Robin” Barnes and her husband Clark Chandler, as well as individual United Way donors.

“There is no business more important than supporting the most vulnerable in our communities that struggle with food insecurity,” said Anthony (Tony) DaRe, CEO of BSI. “Our BSI team is committed to doing whatever it takes to support United Way and the Full Cart program at this most critical time of need.”

The Full Cart program addresses the barriers to food access that cause hunger by partnering with donors, corporations and community partners to cover the cost of food and ship it directly to the front door of those in need.

“Once families are identified, they are given a voucher code and must complete the online survey form in order for the box to be mailed,” said Priscilla Rosado, Assistant Director of Food Access and Emergency Services at UWGLV. “This process eliminates any barriers regarding transportation for those unable to go to a grocery store otherwise.”

The Lehigh Valley Food Policy Council partnered with Community Schools to identify families in need through intake forms completed by families or Community School Coordinators. There are no income limit restrictions.

“We truly appreciate the ability to connect our families to additional resources that address food insecurity in our community. Thank you for your partnership,” said Paige Hoffman, Community School Coordinator for Fountain Hill Elementary School.

“I would like to say thank you to the Full Cart food program for allowing my family to be able to eat another day,” said a parent who received a Full Cart box. “Times like now are harder than others, and I’m appreciative for anything that comes my family’s way. Thank you.”

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About the Lehigh Valley Food Policy Council – We are a collective impact initiative of community residents and member organizations funded by UWGLV. We work to shape the landscape for regional food access, policy, and collaboration, leading the food system voice for protecting our land and employing and feeding our neighbors. We focus on accessibility, advocacy, aggregation, and collaboration in the local food system. For more information, visit www.lvfpc.org.

News

2021 United Way Volunteer Service Award Honors Dr. Rajika Reed of St. Luke’s University Health Network

April 19, 2021

United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley is pleased to present Dr. Rajika Reed, Vice President of Community Health for St. Luke’s University Health Network, with the 2021 United Way Volunteer Service Award.

“It is a true pleasure to work with Dr. Reed. She is welcoming, knowledgeable, strategic, and patient. Her steady leadership as a United Way volunteer is greatly appreciated and is more than worthy of this honor,” said Jill Pereira, Vice President, Education and Impact, UWGLV.

This award is presented annually at Breakfast for Champions, hosted by Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley.

“I am both humbled and honored to receive this award and want to thank United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley for their commitment to the community. We have always worked closely, but during this pandemic year, they have brought many nonprofit and grassroots organizations together to allow for organic collaboration,” said Dr. Reed.

For the past seven years, Dr. Reed has exhibited strong leadership as chair of United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s Data, Research and Evaluation Committee. In this role, she guided UWGLV on how to adjust our learning and evaluation approach amid a global pandemic. She encouraged agility in meeting emerging community needs related to COVID-19 – enabling flexibility and innovation for United Way and partners to better serve our community.

Additionally, Dr. Reed was one of the founding members of the Strategic Response Team, a cross-collaborative effort that formed in the early days of the pandemic. This group works to align COVID-19 response and recovery among various partners and center justice and equity in the Lehigh Valley’s COVID-19 response.

“Dr. Reed has been a strong collaborator and thought leader in this work, ensuring that information, resources, and outreach has been equitable and rooted in trust and transparency,” added Pereira.

News

Community Responds to Pandemic with Record-Breaking United Way Campaign

April 15, 2021

To meet critical community needs, donors and partners together raised $18,151,988 through United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s (UWGLV) annual campaign. This represents the largest annual campaign in the organization’s 100+ year history and 11 consecutive years of growth.
 
“I’d like to thank each and every donor who stepped up to the challenge and all of the partners who remain committed to the cause. We faced unprecedented challenges and great uncertainty this year, but together we have supported the community at a time when it was needed most,” said City Center Investment Corporation President J.B. Reilly, who served as co-chair of the campaign with his wife Kathleen.
 
“With United Way leadership and your support, we continue to build collaboration and work toward community-wide goals. Because of you, thousands of children, families and older adults right here in the Greater Lehigh Valley will have access to opportunities, resources and services that will help them rebuild and recover,” added Campaign Co-Chair Kathleen Reilly.
 
United Way announced the 2020 campaign results today during Celebration of Caring, presented by Crayola. More than 14,000 individual donors and 400 partners contributed to the annual campaign. Air Products’ and PPL Corporation’s employees, retirees and corporate foundations each raised more than $4,000,000; City Center Allentown donated more than $1,000,000 including a million-dollar matching gift for all new and increased gifts to the United Way Community Building Fund.
 
“We are especially grateful to J.B. and Kathleen Reilly for their unwavering support, leadership and generosity as campaign co-chairs. Under their guidance, United Way is able to invest more dollars into the community at a time when it is needed most,” said Paul Hurd, Chief Development Officer, UWGLV.
 
Contributions made through the annual campaign will support community members’ basic needs through critical services in the areas of education, emergency services, food access and healthy aging.
  
“During a time of great adversity, I have been heartened to see so many people in our community stand up to offer help and to fight for the health, safety and education of
every person in the Greater Lehigh Valley. United Way could not offer the services and support it does without you,” said UWGLV Board Chair Joanne Raphael, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of PPL Corp.
 
Valued community partners in sponsorship for this year’s Celebration of Caring include: 
Presenting sponsor – Crayola 
Gold sponsor – Dual Temp 
Silver sponsors – Capital Blue Cross, Highmark Blue Shield, Just Born Quality Confections and ESSA Bank 
Pearl sponsor – Riverview Bank 
In-kind sponsor  – ASR Media Productions 

News

Air Products Employees, Retirees and the Air Products Foundation Donate Record-Breaking $4.1 Million through Annual United Way Campaign

April 12, 2021
cornerstone air products

Air Products has raised a record-breaking $4.1 million for the communities it serves, making the Lehigh Valley-based company’s 2020 United Way campaign the largest in its history. The donations were raised by Air Products’ current employees as well as retirees, and the Air Products Foundation provided $1.9 million to match all contributions. 
  
“This past year proved to be difficult for everyone as we all adapted to a new way of life. Our communities were in crisis due to the pandemic, and our employees and retirees gave more generously than ever. We applaud the willingness of our team to support the good work of United Way, and the Air Products Foundation is proud to match their generous giving,” said Simon Moore, Air Products Campaign Chair and Vice President, Investor Relations, Corporate Relations and Sustainability.
 
Air Products joins PPL as United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s only two workplace campaigns that raised more than $4 million. Contributions to UWGLV support students, families and older adults as they recover and rebuild from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. UWGLV’s investments directly impact the lives of 75,000 people each year. 
 
“Air Products is fully committed to the communities it serves, and this is yet another example of their leadership and dedication. The support from their employees and retirees and the matching gift from Air Products Foundation led to a 20% increase in their giving. We can make an even greater impact in the Greater Lehigh Valley and beyond thanks to their continued support,” said Paul Hurd, Chief Development Officer, UWGLV. 
 
“Our community is facing extraordinary needs. We know that United Way’s job every day is to solve problems in our community. By involving employees and our retirees, we can help to solve those problems,” remarked Laurie Gostley Hackett, Air Products Community Relations Director.
 
UWGLV raises funds and invests in solutions to meet critical community needs in the areas of education, emergency services, food access and healthy aging. 

Critical Support Fund