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