“UNITED WAY OF LANCASTER COUNTY INVESTORS TO HELP UNDERWRITE WORK OF 16 IMPACT PARTNERSHIPS”

LANCASTER, PA – Thanks to the support of thousands of generous donors, the Board of United Way of Lancaster County approved the investment of $2,483,706.85 in 16 bold, new Impact Partnerships across the county. Their selection culminated an extensive review process by community volunteers and Board and staff members of United Way.

Jennifer L. Craighead, Board Chair, explained, “We were delighted to receive funding proposals from 40 prospective Impact Partners for this first three-year grant cycle. We wish we could have supported many more than the 16 we were able to fund.”

“We have a very generous community, and United Way is confident that individuals, companies, foundations, and funders outside Lancaster County will demonstrate enthusiastic support of these and future Impact Partnerships. Once we all see the power and promise of this new way of Living UNITED in Lancaster County, we are sure we will be able to touch even more lives of our friends and neighbors.”

Based on the strength of their proposals, the geographic regions and target populations being served, and face-to-face interviews, the following Impact Partnerships were chosen to receive three-year funding:

• Community Wellness – Led by SouthEast Lancaster Health Services, this Impact Partnership includes Community Services Group, Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC), Partnership for Public Health, Project Access Lancaster County (PALCO), and Reach Out and Read. The “Community Wellness” Impact Partnership will remove barriers to medical and dental care by providing services for uninsured patients, enrolling patients into health plans, and connecting patients to needed support services.
• Elizabethtown Area Family Hub – Located at Elizabethtown Child Care Center, this hub-based Impact Partnership will include Community Cupboard of Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown Area School District, Elizabethtown Community Nursery School, Elizabethtown Public Library, Hope Within Community Health Center, Jewel David Ministries, Milanof-Schock Library, Power Packs Project, United Churches of the Elizabethtown Area, and United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The “Elizabethtown Area Family Hub” will provide low and low-middle income families with access to high-quality early childhood education; kindergarten readiness and transition; tax preparation services; food and clothing bank assistance; financial workshops; job training; and physical and behavioral health care services. Materials and support will be provided  to increase literacy and help families apply for health insurance and financial assistance.
• Impacting Generations – Led by Pressley Ridge, this Impact Partnership includes COBYS Family Services, School District of Lancaster, and Susquehanna Pregnancy Services. “Impacting Generations” work will support at-risk teen parents and their children through innovative services which focus on educational attainment of both parents and children.
•  Integration Services for New Americans – Under the leadership of The Literacy Council of Lancaster-Lebanon, its Impact Partners include Church World Service, Franklin & Marshall College’s Ware Center for Civic Engagement, IU13, Lutheran Refugee Services, School District of Lancaster, and SouthEast Lancaster Health Services. “Integration Services of New Americans” will operate as a hub at the Community School at Reynolds Elementary, serving as a one-stop shop for education, health, and financial services for immigrants and refugees.
• Lancaster Medical Legal Partnership – With MidPenn Legal Services as the lead, other Impact Partners will include Lancaster General Health, Neighborhood Services, and SouthEast Lancaster Health Services. The “Lancaster Medical Legal Partnership” will advance the financial stability and health of Lancaster County residents needing frequent health services.  This will be accomplished by integrating civil legal aid and financial case management with an intensive, high-utilization health care treatment model.
•  Lancaster-South Connections – From its Boys & Girls Club hub in Lancaster, this Impact Partnership includes ASSETS Lancaster, Exit Lancaster, Lancaster City Alliance, Lancaster Community Safety Coalition, Lancaster EMS (LEMSA), Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership (LHOP), The Mix at Arbor Place, School District of Lancaster, and SouthEast Lancaster Health Services. “Lancaster-South Connections” will serve as the frontline connection for local families needing support, education, and care to achieve success.
• The Learning Lancaster Collaborative – Led by the Lancaster Education Foundation, The “Learning Lancaster Collaborative” includes Boys & Girls Club, Exit Lancaster, Lancaster Day Care Center, Lancaster General Health, Lancaster Recreation Commission, Lancaster YMCA, Luthercare, School District of Lancaster, Washington Elementary School, and YWCA of Lancaster.  Within the Washington Elementary School attendance zone, “The Learning Lancaster Collaborative” will operate four community locations to expand high-quality early childhood classroom opportunities for 3-4 year old children. Additionally, it will open doors for these families to Lancaster General’s health clinic, dental and eye care, school-based behavior health services, and financial stability workshops.
• Mental Well Being – Led by Lancaster General Health, this Impact Partnership brings together Community Action Program of Lancaster County, Catholic Charities, Community Services Group, Compass Mark, Lancaster County Behavioral Health & Developmental Services, Lancaster Osteopathic Health Foundation, Lancaster Regional Medical Center, Mental Health America, PALCO, Pressley Ridge, Samaritan Counseling Center, School District of Lancaster, T. W. Ponessa & Associates, Spanish American Civic Association (SACA), United Way 2-1-1, Water Street Ministries, WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, and WellSpan Philhaven. This Impact Partnership will improve access and treatment for behavioral health care needs, especially for low-income and minority residents.
• Moving Forward – Led by Community Action Program of Lancaster County, this Impact Partnership teams with the Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board, MidPenn Legal Services, and New Choices Career Development. The work of “Moving Forward” will increase the safety of survivors of domestic violence by providing integrated emergency services, legal representation during the Protection from Abuse process, and workforce training.
• Pathways Out of Poverty – With Community Action Program as its lead, this Impact Partnership brings together Central PA Food Bank/Hunger Free Lancaster County, Columbia Presbyterian Church, Community Life Network, First United Methodist Church, Habitat for Humanity, Lancaster County Council of Churches, Millersville University, Tabor Community Services, and Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. This multi-functional alliance will provide guidance and direction to low-income individuals and families as they permanently chart their “pathways out of poverty.”
• Pinwheel Partners – Lancaster Day Care Center leads an Impact Partnership of Byrnes Health Education Center, Community Action Program of Lancaster County (CAP), Elizabethtown Child Care Center, Pressley Ridge, Schreiber Pediatric Rehab Center, and Wee Care Day Center. “Pinwheel Partners” will share space, resources, and expertise to ensure low income families have access to quality early care, education, and workforce development and are connected to a medical home.
•  Plant the Seed of Learning – Shepherded by Cocalico Education Foundation, this Impact Partnership includes Conestoga Valley, Eastern Lancaster County, Ephrata Area, Lampeter-Strasburg, Lancaster, Manheim Township, and Pequea Valley school districts, Diamond Street Early Childhood Center, Early Childhood Innovative Connections, Ephrata Public Library, Lancaster General Health, Luthercare, Power Packs Project, and WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital. This Impact Partnership will engage, educate, and empower parents of children from birth to two years to “plant the seed of learning” through supportive environments with meaningful activities.
•  Reunify, Empower, Prevent – Led by CASA of Lancaster, this Impact Partnership includes Bethany Christian Services, Clare House, Community Services Group, Lancaster County Children and Youth Social Service Agency, Lancaster County Coalition to End Homelessness, Love INC, Pressley Ridge, and Tabor Community Services. “Reunify, Empower, Prevent” will help children currently in or exiting foster care to reunify with their families in safe, permanent, and stable homes.
• Solanco Family Life Network – With New Hope Community Life Ministries taking the lead, other members of this Impact Partnership will include COBYS Family Services, Naaman Center, Quarryville Library, Solanco Neighborhood Ministries, Solanco School District, Solid Rock Youth Ministries, and Southern End Community Association (SECA).  “Solanco Family Life Network” will provide integrated early intervention by offering parenting and career planning skills/training, family counseling, tutoring, before and after school programs, nutritional support, and help with budgeting and heating bills.
• Systems Aligned in Learning (SAIL) – With Luthercare as its lead agency, SAIL’s Impact Partners include COBYS Family Services, Fizika Group, Lancaster County Council of Churches, The Library System of Lancaster County, and Pennsylvania Early Learning Keys to Quality. “SAIL” will increase the quality of home-based childcare by taking a specially equipped van directly to these home-based businesses across the county, enabling them to offer many of the same educational resources as quality, center-based preschools.
• Together Community Center – With The Factory Ministries at the lead, this Paradise-based hub of service will include Amish View Resorts, Grace Point Church of Paradise, Hildebrandt Learning Centers, Pequea Valley School District, Safe Families and Safe Families Plus, Urban Outfitters, and Welsh Mountain Medical & Dental Centers. “Together Community Center” will offer a breadth of services including transportation to and from the site, quality Pre-K Counts childcare, and adult education and mentoring, as well as medical, dental, and behavior health services.

United Way of Lancaster County will also invest $122,025.15 in support of the Impact Partnerships’ development and results monitoring.

In addition to these investments in Community Impact, United Way will continue its 10-year partnership with Lancaster Rotary Club in support of the Rotary Summer Youth Experience.  They will match the Rotary’s $10,000 investment with $10,000 to underwrite nine summer initiatives.

United Way will also maintain its support of the Lancaster County Coalition to End Homelessness with a $250,000 investment. This outgrowth of United Way’s 2004 State of Homelessness and Affordable Housing Report resulted in a Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness and has expanded to include over 80 partners and generate $2.5 million annually in federal grants.

Additional information is available at www.UWLanc.org/FAQs.

SOURCE: United Way of Lancaster County news release