According to a report from United Way of Pennsylvania, 12% of the state’s 5.3 million households lived in poverty in 2022.

Another 28% were considered ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.

Even though these households technically earn above the federal poverty line and often do not qualify for public assistance, they still cannot afford basic living expenses.

The same report said that while wages for most low-wage jobs have increased, the cost of living has continued to rise.

The expiration of public assistance during the pandemic and inflation have also contributed to the financial struggles facing families in the state.

United Way of Wyoming Valley works every day to address and combat these complex issues, breaking the cycle of child poverty.

CEO Bill Jones recently spoke with the Times Leader about the organization’s new initiative to help struggling parents and its upcoming Thrive Drive, which will give students the resources they need to focus on their education ahead of the new school year.

New Parent Support Line

According to Jones, helping children in a community affected by poverty means providing parents and caregivers with the resources and services they need to help their families thrive.

“A lot of these families are busy. They may be working two jobs. They may not have transportation or they may be a single parent working a full-time job. They don’t have time to do the traditional social service programs. So we thought, ‘How can we help them in a timely manner?'” Jones explained.

That spirit led to the creation of the Parent Support Line program, which launched July 16. Its goal is to provide parents and caregivers of all income levels in the Wyoming Valley with critical support and resources, such as crisis intervention, service referrals and community connections.

The helpline is funded by United Way, administered by the Family Service Association’s 2-1-1 program, and staffed by team members with extensive training in parenting and trauma-related issues.

Jones said the program will allow parents to bypass all the time-consuming paperwork often associated with social services. All you have to do is pick up the phone and explain your situation to be connected to the help you need.

“We’re excited to see this roll out because we understand that parenting is hard, and if we can help parents meet certain needs, we will,” Jones said.

Annual Thrive Drive

United Way’s annual Thrive Drive will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 26 at 100 N. Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre.

The collection supports the organization’s Nurse’s Pantry, which currently operates in 10 school districts across the region.

The program aims to provide underprivileged children with the supplies they need to meet their basic needs and to remove any barriers to their education and growth.

Possible donations are:

• Children’s underwear

• Baby wipes

• Feminine hygiene products

• Deodorant

• Toothpaste

• Toothbrushes

• Mouthwash

• Flossing

•Cleaning

• Soap

• Socks

• Pencils

• Pens

• Notebooks

• Backpacks

• Erasers

• Glue sticks

According to Jones, the Nurse’s Pantry is an initiative that started in the 2018-2019 school year at five elementary schools in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District.

The program quickly became popular and is now taught in every elementary school in the Wyoming Valley.

Jones said Nurse’s Pantries are now also located in several area high schools and there are plans to expand further.

“We are very proud of the program and the impact it has had,” he said.

Jones estimated the food bank served about 5,400 children last year.

“It’s pretty powerful how the things that most of us take for granted, kids from struggling families don’t have. And the fact that we’ve been able to help them not only stay in school and not miss class time, but also do better in life, has been pretty powerful for us,” he said.