Local Impact
United Way-Supported Early Education Programs Prepare Kids for Kindergarten
A child's future academic success is greatly impacted by the early education they get during their first five years of life. Half of all babies born in the Lehigh Valley live in low-income households with limited access to high-quality early education programs. As a result of the health and economic crises over the past few years, access has become even more limited.
At United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, we help over 700 kids access early childhood education at programs like The Learning Center at Third Street Alliance for Women and Children in Easton.
With the help of United Way supporters, The Learning Center gets children like Madison, Colson and Maddison excited about reading and helps them thrive in literacy and comprehension. Thanks to donors like you, 91% of children served in United Way-supported early education programs are ready for kindergarten.
Give to United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley to provide high-quality learning opportunities for kids like Madison, Colson and Maddison so they can continue to thrive. Give today.
United Way Community Hubs Improve Health for Older Adults
After having major leg surgery, Franchesca, age 63, feared she’d never walk without assistance again. After two years of struggling, she turned to her community and found fitness classes at the Greater Valley YMCA Slate Belt.
Greater Valley YMCA Slate Belt in Pen Argyl is a United Way Community Hub—an easily accessible gathering space with programming tailored to older adults. United Way Community Hubs offer connections to healthy food, health care and other resources that can increase quality of life. Participants delay the onset of chronic illnesses and improve their physical and mental health as well as their economic well-being.
After two years, Franchesca continues to attend at least two classes daily including dance fitness, Tai Chi and water aerobics. She celebrates every flight of stairs she climbs unassisted and gives back so Greater Valley YMCA Slate Belt can continue to provide classes and services.
The staff and members make me feel like family. Because of the ‘Y’, I’m mobile again.
Thanks to United Way supporters, the Greater Valley YMCA Slate Belt can offer enhanced fitness classes with upgraded equipment, provide classes for the whole family with garden beds and distribute produce boxes weekly allowing them to serve their members in different ways.
Designate your gift to Healthy Aging to help fund initiatives like United Way Community Hubs so people like Franchesca can increase their quality of life. Give today.
United Way Supports Students’ Mental Health and Success in School
When children experience trauma, it negatively impacts their ability to learn, form relationships and succeed in the classroom. Too often, trauma-impacted children and teens shut down, zone out, act out, or self-harm, and have worsened school attendance, behavior, academics and health outcomes.
The youth mental health epidemic is rising with more children reporting that they experienced traumatic events in and outside of home. Growing up with trauma, Chief Michelle Kott of the Bethlehem Area Police Department understands the deep impact of trauma and how it can negatively impact youth’s mental and physical health.
My trauma has stayed with me, and it’s important that I’m out in the community letting others know that they are resilient and aren’t alone.
To help children exposed to trauma, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley launched Pennsylvania’s first Handle With Care program in the Safe 2 Say System. Through Handle With Care, law enforcement and first responders provide schools with an early alert that a student may have experienced something traumatic outside of school prompting staff to handle them with care. Staff assess the student’s physical and emotional wellbeing and connects the child to any additional support services they might need.
Since its launch in 2020, over 1,000 students throughout the region received support through Handle With Care communication.
Direct your gift to United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley to help fund critical programs like Handle With Care to support students who have been exposed to trauma. Give today.
