Students supported. Families connected. Communities strengthened.
At United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, we believe that thriving students are the foundation of thriving communities. But for too many students in our region, the path to success is filled with challenges like language barriers, anxiety, housing instability, and lack of access to basic needs that make learning harder than it should be.
In the Greater Lehigh Valley:
• Two in three third graders are not reading on grade level
• Nearly one in three children isn’t ready for kindergarten
• Two in five teens report feelings of depression
The Community School model began in 2005 with a simple yet powerful idea: when students face barriers such as hunger, housing instability, or a lack of access to healthcare, their attendance, behavior, and academic performance suffer. By connecting families to trusted relationships and essential resources, schools can become the center of a thriving community.
From that first partnership to today’s network of 34 schools across five school districts in Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon counties, the results speak for themselves. Community Schools have improved attendance, strengthened family engagement, and fostered a sense of belonging that carries from the classroom to the neighborhood. In the past two years alone, students in Community Schools have outperformed their peers across the region and the state in academic growth.
Each school is supported by a full-time Community School Coordinator who brings together educators, nonprofits, local businesses, and caring volunteers to meet the unique needs of students and families. Together, these partnerships have helped nearly 20,000 children access after-school programs, health services, and opportunities to learn and lead.
As United Way celebrates this 20-year milestone, the vision ahead is clear: to continue expanding opportunities, deepening partnerships, and aligning systems so that every child in the Lehigh Valley has what they need to succeed.
Looking forward, United Way has announced a new bold vision: Every School a Community School. This next chapter builds on two decades of success. It aims to ensure that every student, in every neighborhood, is surrounded by the support they need to learn, grow, and thrive.
