The Pocono Mountains United Way received more than $350,000 in donations during its Annual Report to the Community event on Dec. 13 at Northampton Community College in Tannersville.

The largest donor was Sanofi Pasteur with $250,000 through its Sanofi Signature Program. Phillip St. James, associate director of corporate social responsibility and community relations, presented the check.

“This investment is a testament to our confidence in the effectiveness of the program and initiatives laid by United Way in addressing the social determinants of health,” St. James said. “As we reflect on our incredible work together, let’s recognize the importance of our shared vision for a healthier future. Through our collaboration, we aspire to contribute to our community where everybody can lead a healthy, fulfilling and flourishing life.”

According to the annual report, the United Way has 26 programs and services that focus on education, equity, financial stability, health and other services. Some of the programs include Early Childhood Developmental Screenings for the little ones up to Generation Next for students deciding their next step after high school - college or career training.

In 2023, the organization did 3,599 screenings through the Healthy Start Early Childhood Screenings. Of those screenings, 577 children were given referrals for further testing. It was a 63% increase in referrals over the pre-pandemic baseline.

Under financial stability, the United Way has seven different programs to help people who are struggling to pay their rent. More than $3.7 million was given out in rental and utility assistance to 814 households in Monroe, Carbon, Pike and Wayne counties in 2023. It also helped 313 people through the Landlord-Tenant Eviction Mediation program who were at risk of being evicted, and 210 people participated in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program that netted more than $184,000 in refunds for them.

The United Way has also provided numerous grants to area organizations. These grants focused on five priority areas: basic needs for food, health care, utilities and transportation, as well as child care, housing, mental health and domestic violence situations.

To name a few of them, the Salvation Army received a $40,000 grant for emergency shelter for the homeless and another $37,125 for its food pantry and soup kitchen. Pocono Area Transitional Housing and Family Promise of Monroe County both received $25,000 grants, and $31,670 was given in health grants to Minsi Trails Council for outdoor experiences, Monroe County Meals on Wheels for meals, and the Pocono Family YMCA for active older adult programs.

Christopher Barrett, chairman of the Pocono Mountains United Way board of directors and CEO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau, said “One of the pillars of a good United Way is how it strengthens its community and the partnerships that it engenders to support folks who don’t need a hand out, but they really need a hand up.”

In addition to Sanofi Pasteur, Pocono Mountains United Way also received donations from other companies and organizations. Among them were the Pocono Mountain School District with $11,629. Superintendent Elizabeth Robinson and a group of students were on hand to deliver the check. Waste Management donated $15,000, and AETNA donated $75,000.

Michael Tukeva, the president and CEO of Pocono Mountains United Way, said the organization also received a $2.2 million grant through state Rep. Matthew Cartwright’s office that is divided between the Pocono Mountains United Way and the United Way offices in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and Hazleton for reach hard-to-reach populations.

One such program is a new one called Smile In-home Mentoring. So far, 24 children and their families have received mentoring to help parents develop new parenting skills.

“It is our desire to foster an environment where everyone does thrive. This takes work. It takes ingenuity, and it takes funding,” Tukeva said.

With this new funding, Tukeva said they plan reach out to population that are hard to find, and not in traditional pre-K facilities. He wants to meet the needs of families that really need the help.

“This is the opportunity that we have in front of us,” Tukeva said.