WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Twenty-four checks are in the mail, each going to a different nonprofit organization in Wilkes-Barre hurt by the pandemic.
"They have to pay the bills, and when people in need, need resources, those resources cost something, and this money is going to help," said Bill Jones, the CEO of United Way of Wyoming Valley.
Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown asked Jones and the organization to oversee the distribution of $1.1 million to nonprofits based in Wilkes-Barre. This is a portion of the $37.1 million given to the city from the American Recovery Plan.
"I'm very happy to say that I believe this $1.1 million is being utilized in the best way we can utilize it," said Mayor Brown.
Some of the 24 nonprofits include Dress for Success Luzerne County. It will use funds to purchase clothing and technology updates to support women in need thrive in the workplace and at home.
And Brighter Journeys, an organization that helps families of those with special needs, money going there will go toward supporting its clients.
"We took into account the size of the organizations, the number of employees in the city of Wilkes-Barre," added Jones.
"Allocations were decided to be a minimum of $10,000, maximum of $75,000. And the nice thing is that this money is going to go right back into the agencies that can help our residents the most," explained Brown.
Wyoming Valley Challenger Baseball will be given funds to help repair and replace equipment, and Keystone Mission will get funding to help with its new transformation center.
"For every one of these agencies, it's a meaningful amount relative to their budget, you know, that will help them do the work that they do in the city of Wilkes-Barre," said Jones.
The remaining organizations getting funds are outlined below. United Way of Wyoming Valley was awarded a grant as well for assisting with the distribution.
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