United Way of Mercer County gets $40K grant
Staff report
HERMITAGE, PA.
United Way of Mercer County is the recipient this fall of a $40,000 Walmart Foundation grant that will be put toward the “Lifting Families out of Poverty” initiative focusing on health, education and financial stability for the community.
Programs were created in education, health and income while also offering a transportation service, 2-1-1 human service hotline, and 10 percent housing discount to agency clients.
Education: The Success by 6TM program helps to develop socialization and learning skills for pre-kindergarten students. This year there were 20 classrooms and 325 students enrolled in the six-week summer program. UWMC’s goal is to make sure that every child in the community has access to a quality early-education program.
Income: The goal is to help residents find stable employment and become financially literate so they can achieve long-term financial stability.
UWMC is able to offer an adult financial literacy program to those in the community. The program is taught by bank and credit union professionals and offers 11 different FDIC lessons covering opening an account, saving and budgeting, credit, loans and home ownership.
Health: UWMC is convening key leadership to develop strategies to address health needs, including working with local hospitals and treatment providers to better understand the negative influences that drug and alcohol abuse play in the county.
Beginning in 2017, UWMC will offer a mentoring program for families living in a home with unhealthy living conditions.
Those affected will be offered a general house cleaning. Mentors will be assigned to the family to assure positive outcomes are achieved and agency networks are accessible.
Agency directors will have access to presentations on health, wellness and nutrition they can offer to clients. In partnership with local hospitals, medical professionals will offer presentations and other information on proper health, wellness and nutrition to agency clients.