Reading has the power to transform lives, opening doors to new ideas, sparking creativity, and shaping the future. This Read Across America Week, we’re celebrating that power with students in United Way Community Schools across the Greater Lehigh Valley. By sharing stories, fostering imagination and encouraging a love of reading, we’re helping students build confidence and critical skills that will last a lifetime. A special thank you to our incredible volunteer readers who are making this week even more meaningful!
Priscilla Rosado, Director of Partner Engagement at United Way, presented 17-year-old Leon Gonzalez with a $5,000 check as part of United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s Youth Mental Health Innovation Grant. This grant is designed to support innovative projects that prioritize and enhance the mental well-being of young people.
Leon Gonzalez’s project, the Being Phenom(enal) Program, is designed to offer mentorship to other young men who find themselves in difficult circumstances. It provides a space for them to express how they are feeling and also provides discipline and confidence moving forward.
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley is proud to support Leon’s Being Phenom(enal) Program and a huge thanks to the donors who contributed during our UNITED for Mental Health Initiative for helping make this funding possible.
In rapid response to the devastating fire that displaced multiple families on North 3rd Street in Allentown on February 18, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and community partners have launched an emergency fire relief fund to provide immediate financial support to those affected.
The American Red Cross Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter is assisting 19 individuals, including two families with 11 children ranging in age from 7 months to 16 years old. While many of the 30 people initially impacted may be able to return to their homes, others have lost everything. The City of Allentown, Red Cross, Community Action Lehigh Valley, the Lehigh Conference of Churches and The Salvation Army have come together to ensure these families receive the support they need.
United Way will work with partners to provide long-term assistance, with 100% of funds going to aid those affected by this disaster.
“This fire has upended lives, especially for the children and families who have lost their homes and belongings. Our community is stepping up to ensure these families have immediate relief and a path forward,” said Marci Lesko, Chief Executive Officer of United Way. “Every dollar raised will directly support those impacted.”
Donations can be made online at this secure website or via mail (checks payable to UWGLV, 1110 American Parkway NE, Suite F-120, Allentown, PA 18109 – attention “3rd Street Fire Fund”). Additionally, individuals interested in making a donation can text “ALLENTOWN” to 40403. Gift card donations are also encouraged.
For additional information or questions on the fund, contact Laura McHugh at 610-807-5701.
On Thursday, January 30, 2025, the Community Impact team from United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley gathered at Boys & Girls Club of Allentown, Turner Street Clubhouse to transform a new Talk Read Sing Space.
This space is part of an ongoing effort to foster early literacy and support families in the Lehigh Valley. Through the Talk Read Sing campaign, United Way encourages parents and caregivers to engage in simple activities like talking, reading and singing with their children. These small moments can have an impact on a child’s language development, vocabulary and social-emotional growth.
Over the years, the Talk Read Sing campaign has reached over 12,000 families across the region, providing early literacy resources and transforming spaces within the community to encourage learning. With the addition of the new space at the Boys & Girls Club, the initiative now includes 9 newly created Talk Read Sing spaces throughout the Lehigh Valley including Early Learning Resource Center, Casa Guadalupe WIC Clinic, The Church of the Mediator, Christ Lutheran Church, Ripple Church, Allentown Health Bureau, Valley Health Partners Children’s Clinic and Star Community Health KidsCare.
Through the Talk Read Sing campaign and the help of community partners, United Way is helping close the literacy gap and ensuring that all children have the opportunity to succeed and thrive.
Talk Read Sing Program is building early language and literacy skills across the region.
On January 23, 75 members of Women United, the Women’s Business Council, and the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania gathered at the Civic Theatre of Allentown for a special screening of Defining Moments: The Life and Leadership of Quiet Revolutionary Frances Hesselbein. This inspiring documentary highlights the life and work of Frances Hesselbein, a leader known for her dedication to volunteerism, diversity, and expanding opportunities for women.
The event featured activities designed to engage attendees. Joyful Giving, a nonprofit organization that packages essential items that look and feel like gifts to spread joy, provided a volunteer opportunity for the Girl Scouts, allowing them to contribute in a hands-on way. As part of this experience, the Scouts added a special patch created by Sarah McArthur, an executive producer of the documentary, making it a memorable and personal touch to the evening.
This event was made possible through the collaboration of the Girl Scouts, the Women’s Business Council, and Women United. A special thanks goes to Carrie Ward, whose efforts helped bring the screening to the community. United Way Greater Lehigh Valley CEO Marci Lesko also took the time to recognize key contributors and express gratitude for those who made the night a success.
A sincere thank you goes to Capital Blue Cross and Crayola for their generous sponsorship, which helped make this gathering a reality. Their support played an essential role in bringing together individuals committed to leadership, service, and the empowerment of future generations.
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and its community partners recently came together to celebrate the 26th annual TeenWorks Dinner, an event dedicated to recognizing the incredible achievements of young leaders committed to making a difference. Speakers of the event included Teen Board Chair, Polina Dorma; CEO of United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, Marci Lesko; and Keynote Speaker, Chaunice Holley.
During the evening, attendees honored the impact of multiple TeenWorks projects, highlighting the dedication and hard work of local youth in serving their communities. The TeenWorks Project of the Year, Zach Krauss Spirit of Service and TeenWorks Hero were a few of the awards presented.
The TeenWorks Project of the Year recognizes an impactful contribution to their community by identifying a need and creating a solution. This year’s award was presented to Brody Muthard for their outdoor learning space at Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 for the Early Intervention program.
TheZach Krauss Spirit of Service Award recognizes a student or group of students who have demonstrated a commitment to making their community a better place to live by completing an outstanding, altruistic project that was innovative, meaningful and impacted people in their community. This year’s award was presented to Jody Weinreich.
The TeenWorks Hero Award is given to a person who demonstrates a commitment to the ideals and purpose of the TeenWorks mission. Someone who embodies the qualities of hard work, honesty, and a commitment to giving back to his/her community through acts of compassion and selflessness. This year’s award was presented to Alexis Berg-Townsend.
TeenWorks is made up of a diverse group of local middle and high school students and local members of organized labor. 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 for their projects.
This annual celebration not only acknowledges the hard work of TeenWorks participants but also strengthens the spirit of volunteerism and service within the Greater Lehigh Valley community.
A huge thanks to our sponsors Capital Blue Cross, Teamsters Local 773, Cohen, Feeley, Altemose & Rambo, IBEW Local 126, IBEW Local 375, Operating Engineers Local 542, United Auto Workers Local 677, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, Banko Beverage Co., Bethlehem Education Association, Blue Chip Sound, Carpenters Local 167, Kendal Conrad, Insulators Local 23, Lehigh Valley Labor Council and Rich Mar Florists for help making this event happen.
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley announces $250,000 in grants through two new funding initiatives—Youth Mental Health Innovation Grant and United for Veterans’ Mental Health Grant, to address the region’s growing mental health crisis. With intentional investments, United Way can support innovative projects that prioritize and enhance the mental well-being of young people and programs and initiatives that make mental health resources and support available to veterans.
“At United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, we’re dedicated to addressing the growing need for mental health services for everyone in our community,” said Marci Lesko, Chief Executive Officer of United Way. “We want children, families, older adults and veterans to feel seen, heard, understood and supported. We’re honored and excited to provide support for prevention-based and intervention-based solutions, to empower youth to be a part of the solution and raise awareness.”
Across the nation, mental health needs are rising rapidly, creating substantial impacts on all parts of life including physical health, quality of life and even a student’s ability to learn in school. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General has described declining mental health among youth as the crisis of our time. In the Greater Lehigh Valley:
39% of youth report feeling depressed most days,
40% of adults report symptoms of depression or anxiety,
25% of seniors report feeling isolated from their community, and
The suicide rate is 34% higher than the state average, with Carbon County reporting the highest suicide rate among veterans in Pennsylvania.
Donors contributed to the UNITED for Mental Health initiative during United Way’s 2023 annual campaign chaired by Tony and Adrienne DaRe of BSI Corporate Benefits. “As our campaign focused on mental health, we were deeply moved by the personal stories shared by many. We saw firsthand how United Way was working to create solutions to make a real difference, and it was inspiring to witness the strong desire to further strengthen those efforts. We’re proud to know that the funds raised will go directly to programs that connect children, parents, veterans and their families to the critical services they need most,” said Tony and Adrienne DaRe.
The following organizations began receiving grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 in January.
Youth Mental Health Programs and Initiatives:
Aevidum – Louis E. Dieruff High School Aevidum Club, Paws Place ($2,500) – Mental Wellness space, named Paws Place, will provide students with a peaceful environment to relax, recharge and manage stress. Paws Place will also house the school social workers office and in-school telehealth counseling center.
Allentown Public Theatre, After-School Youth Theater Teen Mentorship Program ($10,000) – The program engages students from middle school through high school and fosters active listening, awareness and compassion, alongside acting and critical thinking development.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley, Sports Buddies Mentoring Program ($10,000) – The program combines evidence-based mentoring approaches with increased youth access to sports.
Casa Guadalupe Center, Map My Happy Experience ($10,000) – This experience will consist of in-depth research of what factors matter for a youth to be a happy young person in Allentown.
Community Bike Works, Rooted in Nature ($6,000) – Rooted in Nature is aimed at supporting youth mental health through nature, nutrition and community building.
Fine Feather Foundation, Inc., Excelsior After-School Program ($10,000) – The program promotes a healthy lifestyle for children aged 10-14 years old from Harrison Morton Middle School in the Allentown School District while also emphasizing mental health awareness and creative expression.
Grace Deliverance Baptist Church, Youth Retreat ($2,500) – A youth retreat for 15 core youth leaders to create a safe space for youth to build their leadership with a life coach and talk about their challenges while learning tools to overcome them.
Lehigh Valley Community Broadcasters Association, Inc., You Are Not Alone Lehigh Valley Program ($9,000) – The youth media program is hosted by two local teenagers and explores a variety of topics related to mental health and how it impacts thoughts, feelings and behaviors.
Northampton Community College – Bangor Area High School, 5K Race ($2,500) – Hosting a 5K that will address youth mental health by bringing awareness to the problems many students face, empowering more students to speak up.
The Ortiz Ark Foundation, Youth Resilience and Empowerment Program ($10,000) – The program will support a comprehensive sports-based approach to improving youth mental health, focusing on emotional resilience, peer support and social skill development through baseball and basketball.
Paradigm One – Leon Gonzalez – Being Phenom(enal) Program ($5,000) – This program would offer mentorship from 17-year-old Leon Gonzalez to other young men who find themselves in difficult circumstances, offering a space for them to express how they are feeling and also provide discipline and confidence moving forward.
Pinebrook Family Answers ($25,000) – Funding supports family and school-based mental health programming across the Lehigh Valley.
Preventative Measures Foundation, TeleWell App ($10,000) – To address the mental health challenges faced by low-income commuter students at Lehigh Carbon Community College, the Preventive Measures Foundation is partnering with TeleWell, an online platform providing accessible mental health services to provide access to professional counseling, real-time chat/text services and meditation tools to help manage stress and anxiety.
St. Luke’s University Health Network, Aevidum Programming Extension ($2,500) – Extending the Aevidum programming will provide resources, messaging, campaigns and stress reduction materials related to mental health at Paxinosa and Cheston Elementary Schools and Easton Area Middle School, United Way Community Schools in the Easton Area School District.
Touchstone Theatre, Building Bridges Program ($10,000) – Expansion of the program to create a “Mini- Bridges” program for Bethlehem Area School District elementary school students with social, emotional and behavioral difficulties.
Valley Youth House ($25,000) – Funding supports youth education, school-based counseling, attendance support and other preventive youth-focused mental health programs.
Veterans’ Mental Health Programs and Initiatives:
Battleborne ($20,000) – Enhance Battleborne’s veteran program and expand their reach into Carbon County and its rural areas to build out key initiatives that promote mental health and resilience, ensuring veterans, first responders and their families in these underserved communities receive the support they need to reintegrate successfully into civilian life.
Penn Foundation, St. Luke’s Victory for Veterans Program ($20,000) – This community-based peer support and case management program is offered at no cost to veterans and their families living in Carbon County who are actively struggling with suicidality. The Program is co-located at a St. Luke University Health Network’s site with the Carbon County Veterans Affairs (VA) Office called Veteran’s Hub.
River Crossing YMCA, Veterans Wellness Initiative (VWI) ($20,000) – This positive, uplifting, free 12-week program focuses on the total health of veterans.
Valley Health Partners, Veterans in Recovery (VIR) Program ($20,000) – This program provides veterans and their family members with integrated, veteran-centered care that meets the clinical and non-clinical needs they face, removing barriers to care, delivering quality integrated health care and building a better community through recovery and connection.
Victory House of Lehigh Valley, Social Work Supervisor ($20,000) – This funding will support a dedicated social work supervisor to oversee social work interns from local colleges and universities. This position aims to ensure high-quality supervision, professional development and enhanced service delivery to Victory House of Lehigh Valley clients.
Funding through the UNITED for Mental Health grants also supports training on trauma-informed approaches via United Way’s Resilient Lehigh Valley initiative.
PA 211 is a free, confidential helpline that connects people to essential services like housing, food, healthcare and more—24/7/365. February 11 (2/11) marks 211 Day, a day to raise awareness of this vital service and recognize its impact in communities across the U.S. and Canada.
Across the Greater Lehigh Valley, more residents than ever are reaching out for support. Calls to 211 have increased by 34% since 2022, with housing and shelter support making up 63% of all requests—the highest in Pennsylvania.
211 BY THE NUMBERS
36,000+ calls, texts, and web inquiries in 2024
Lehigh and Northampton Counties rank #1 and #2 in PA for housing assistance requests
1 in 4 requests are for food, healthcare, and utilities support
PA 211 is here 24/7/365, ensuring that nearly 22,000 local residents get connected to the critical resources they need.
When a crisis hits, knowing where to turn makes all the difference.
Dial 2-1-1 or text your zip code to 898-211 for help today.
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley employees and AmeriCorps VISTAs participated in a series of service projects dedicated to strengthening the community through acts of kindness and connection.
On January 23, volunteers gathered at Ramos Elementary School, a United Way Community School in the Allentown School District, to support the construction of garden beds. Through this initiative, volunteers contributed to a long-term project that will serve as an educational tool and a source of support for the school community.
That same day, another group of volunteers spread warmth and cheer through a pop-up hot chocolate bar at Lehigh Valley Active Life. United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley partnered with the organization to provide members with a simple yet meaningful act of service that brought smiles and warmth to many on a cold winter day.
These efforts are part of United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s ongoing commitment to honoring the legacy of Dr. King through action, service and meaningful engagement.
HNL Lab Medicine becomes corporate partner with ASD’s South Mountain Middle School to provide funding for staffing and resources to meet students’ and families’ basic needs, increase school attendance and improve engagement.
HNL Lab Medicine is deepening its commitment to advancing the academic success of our region’s students by becoming a leading partner with South Mountain Middle School, a United Way Community School in the Allentown School District. Through this partnership with United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, HNL Lab Medicine will provide funding for staffing and resources to meet students’ and families’ basic needs, increase school attendance and improve engagement in partnership with Communities In Schools of Eastern PA.
“At HNL Lab Medicine, we believe in giving back to the communities we serve. Partnering with United Way to support South Mountain has been a powerful way to invest in the next generation. Education is the foundation for a brighter future, and that starts with empowering our youth through initiatives like this,” said Angela Connell, Vice President of Human Resources at HNL Lab Medicine.
“HNL Lab Medicine and United Way share a passion for improving the quality of life within our community. As a corporate partner of a United Way Community School, HNL Lab Medicine will make a direct impact on individual students and their families,” said Marci Lesko, Chief Executive Officer of United Way. “We’re grateful for their continued support of United Way and our community. When schools have the resources that students and families need and can offer them through a coordinated approach, kids can thrive academically, socially and emotionally.”
United Way’s Community School Network serves nearly 20,000 students in Allentown, Bangor Area, Bethlehem Area, Easton Area and Panther Valley school districts. South Mountain Middle School is the largest of four middle schools in the city of Allentown and serves approximately 1,000 students.
“This initiative demonstrates how we at HNL Lab Medicine are not just healthcare providers but active partners in community growth. The dedication of South Mountain’s staff and students inspires us to contribute in ways that help unlock their full potential. Every child deserves the chance to thrive, and our contribution is a step toward making that vision a reality,” commented Jessica Bargilione, Vice President of Marketing at HNL Lab Medicine.
“As a District, we recognize that student success is a shared responsibility of all stakeholders and have made strengthening partnerships a priority area in our new Strategic Plan,” said Dr. Carol D. Birks, Superintendent/CEO, Allentown School District. “Fostering collaborative partnerships and creating Community Schools allows us to leverage the strengths of the broader community and create a supportive learning environment beyond the classroom. I thank Communities In Schools, United Way and HNL Lab Medicine for their investments in our students and their overall schooling experience.”
Through United Way Community Schools, thousands of students gain access to the resources that they need to grow academically. With goals to demonstrate growth in math and literacy across every school and every grade level, Community School Coordinators activate a network of cross-sector partners to offer a range of services that aim to improve student attendance, increase family engagement and remove barriers to learning. Services include:
basic needs such as food, clothing, toiletries and school supplies;
connections to critical resources such as healthcare and housing;
academic engagement experiences such as field trips and after-school programming;
parent engagement workshops and activities; and
on-site physical, mental and behavioral health services.
“I am thrilled that Communities In Schools of Eastern PA is a part of this exciting partnership between South Mountain Middle School, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and HNL Lab Medicine,” said Philip Parise, Regional Director of Operations at Communities In Schools of Eastern PA. “At Communities In Schools, we are committed to going all in to support students and families in the communities we serve. I am confident that this new partnership is going to help amplify the wonderful work already happening at South Mountain Middle School, increase opportunities for students and ultimately lead to greater impact.”
To learn more about United Way Community Schools, please click here.
###
About HNL Lab Medicine Operating for over 25 years, HNL Lab Medicine is a leading multi‐regional, full‐service medical laboratory providing testing and related services to physician offices, hospitals, long‐term care facilities, employers and industrial accounts. HNL Lab Medicine has more than 50 patient service centers in Pennsylvania and has 14 acute care laboratories within our partners’ hospital sites. Over 1,200 employees, including over 40 board-certified pathologists and scientific directors, work together to provide high-quality, advanced diagnostic testing. Learn more at HNL.com and follow us on Fac
