Two area organizations are using quarterly $1,000 grants to help nonprofits in Carbon County.

On Thursday, Deb Ranck of the Summit Hill Heritage Center and Terry Whiteman of the Carbon County Central Labor Chapter approached the commissioners to ask them to join in with thanking Highmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield in providing the grants. The grants are donated by Highmark on a quarterly basis and given to the two organizations to distribute in the county."It has helped us with food pantries and a number of non- profits in need in Carbon," Ranck told commissioners.This round of grants will be used to help children and adults who lack food security in the Panther Valley area, as well as the Panther Valley Community Library.Commissioners Thomas J. Gerhard and William O'Gurek thanked Ranck and Whiteman for all their organizations do for the community.Ranck said that this past summer, the center's summer food service program served approximately 6,000 meals at its four sites in the Panther Valley - two in Lansford, one in Coaldale and one in Summit Hill - using a total of 40 volunteers, as well as the help of St. Luke's hospital, which donated vegetables for children and their families to promote healthy food choices.