AllOne Charities, Weiler Abrasives Group and Mattioli Foundation Donate $50K to United Way’s Hunger Initiative
Cresco, PA: On Monday, April 17th, AllOne Charities, Weiler Abrasives Group and the Mattioli Foundation announced a donor collaboration. Through this partnership, they are awarding a $50,000 grant to the United Way of Monroe County to support its recently launched Food Access initiative.
This donor effort is part of the AllOne Charities’s Collaborative Philanthropy Fund. AllOne Charities is matching the combined contributions of the Mattioli Family ($10,000) and Weiler Abrasives Group ($15,000) for a total community investment of $50,000.
The goal of United Way’s Food Access program is to expand access to healthy, nutritious food for low- and moderate- income families in Monroe County — improving their well-being, health and independence. United Way’s initiative brings together partners from across different sectors — government leaders, individual community volunteers, for-profit companies, non-profits organizations and church groups — including the nearly 50 food pantries and supplemental feeding programs operating across the county. By bringing these groups together, the goal is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire supplemental food system in Monroe County.
“Half of all families renting their home in Monroe County spend over a third of their income on housing,” stated President and CEO of United Way of Monroe County, Michael Albert. “Anytime a family spends that amount of their income on housing, other basic needs cannot be met — needs such as child care, health care and even putting food on the table.”
According to National School Lunch Program data, over half of all school-aged children in Monroe County are receiving free or reduced price lunch. Last year there were over 13,000 children in the county who qualified for and received free lunch at school. When children go home in the evening, on weekends, and during summer holidays, however, their access to food is not necessarily secure. Many families in Monroe County, even those above the poverty level, struggle to provide healthy food for their faimlies.
“We are happy to support this vital initiative,” said John Cosgrove, executive director of the AllOne Foundation & Charities, based in Wilkes-Barre, PA. “United Way highlighted the real need to improve access to healthy food in Monroe County. As our collaborative funding model suggests, we appreciate the collective approach to solving problems proposed by United Way.”
The Food Access Initiative has already had a few early wins, with United Way helping to launch a Hunger Coalition in Monroe County, this past November. United Way is now partnering with several food pantries and supplemental feeding programs. One of the next short-term goals of the initiative is to ensure that the East Stroudburg summer feeding program is replicated and expanded across the entire county.
The next meeting for the newly established Hunger Coalition in Monroe County will take place in Pocono Hall, Room 108 at Northampton Community College Monroe Campus, in Tannersville from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 20. Anyone interested in helping to end hunger in Monroe County is welcome to attend. For more information, visit http://www.unitedwaymonroe.org.
About the United Way of Monroe County: United Way of Monroe County provides health and human services through community initiatives and funding for local programs. Their mission is to build partnerships that improve lives and provide solutions to those facing life’s challenges. United Way’s current focus is on supporting the financial stability of individuals and families in need in Monroe County through four initiatives: Enhancing Food Access, Supporting Working Families, Connecting our Community, and Providing a Safety Net. For more information, to get involved, or to support these initiatives, visit www.unitedwaymonroe.org. If you or someone you know needs community assistance, contact PoconoInfo at www.poconoinfo.org or dial 2-1-1 to speak with someone who can guide you through the services for which you may be eligible.
