With more than 150 in attendance, Schuylkill United Way officially launched its 2027 Campaign recently during its annual Kickoff Breakfast, held at St. Nicholas Hall in Pottsville.

The event marked the beginning of a fundraising drive with a goal of $1.19 million. Approximately $412,000, or 35% of the goal, has already been committed.

“We’ve had fun coming with creative ways to not only raise money to ‘help the helpers’ but also enhance the opportunities for our partner agencies,” said Mark Mikita, president of the Schuylkill United Way board of directors and transportation manager at Wegmans Retail Service Center.

Mikita said that the United Way’s 15 current partner agencies facilitated more than 86,000 service connections across Schuylkill County last year.

“Because our organizations collaborate so closely to help families in crisis the number reflects the total times a neighbor was connected to help,” he said. “For example, a survivor of domestic violence might receive emergency shelter form one agency and food assistance from another agency — meaning your donation doesn’t just fund isolated fixes. It powers a connected system of care.”

Executive Director Mike Joyce outlined the organization’s year-round programming.

“Every Schuylkill United Way program and event exists to spread the good work that our partner agencies do every day,” Joyce said.

Current initiatives

The United Way’s Capt. Jason B. Jones Memorial Day of Caring, held each year on the second Friday of May, draws more than 500 volunteers county-wide for a day of service in memory of a fallen local hero.

Its Hometown Golf Tournaments, now in the 21st year, raise funds and awareness across three annual events, and the Nurse’s Pantry, launched in 2020, provides a $275 allocation to every elementary, middle and high school in Schuylkill County for hygiene items, lice kits, and school approved clothing.

“These are items the nurses need to help students stay focused, stay healthy, and stay in school,” Joyce said.

Stuff the Bus, now in its 24th year, distributed more than 1,550 backpacks to local students in 2026 through more than 80 community collection sites and 130 volunteer sorters.

The High School Football Challenge is now in its ninth year. This year’s champions, the Blue Mountain Eagles, were recognized at the breakfast for not only capturing the top spot, but for their volunteerism with the Day of Caring and Stuff the Bus programs. The event raised $33,500 for Schuylkill United Way in June.

Changing lives

Three keynote speakers shared firsthand accounts of how the United Way and its partner agencies have changed lives.

Jocelyn Whitecavage, a graduate of the Northeast PA Manufacturers and Employers Council’s YES (Your Employability Skills) Certificate Program, credited her experience with the program in building her communication skills and confidence. It also resulted in a $2,000 scholarship to the Pennsylvania College of Technology, where she is a sophomore in the dental hygienist program.

Andrea Caufield, a social worker for the Mahanoy Area School District, detailed an example of how book bags received through Stuff the Bus helped students who suffered a fire at their home the weekend before school started. The supplies allowed the students to start the school year on a positive note, she said.

She also recognized that many of the partner agencies present in the school district wouldn’t be there without United Way funding, including SARCC, Big Impact Group of Schuylkill County, Schuylkill HOPE Center for Victims of Domestic Violence, Nurse Family Partnership and Child Development.

“The old adage is true, it takes a village and we have that thanks in large part to SUW. I don’t know what we’d do without them,” Caufield said.

Sierra Petrucci shared her experience with Nurse-Family Partnership, thanking one of their nurses, Allison Wollyung, for guiding her through her pregnancy and many milestones of both her daughter’s life and her own.

“Knowing that my well-being mattered gave me another source of support during pregnancy and after becoming a mom,” she said.

Petrucci expects to graduate from college this spring with a counseling degree.

Supporting Schuylkill County

Attorney Ben Forbes, the 2027 assistant campaign chairman, announced several ways community members and businesses can support the campaign.

United We Dine Week runs now through Sept. 20, with 18 participating restaurants donating proceeds from special menu items to the campaign. Details can be found at www.schuylkillunitedway.org.

The Hometown Fall Golf Outing starts at noon Sept. 25 at Mountain Valley Golf Course.

Donors who pledge $500 or more annually join the Pacesetters Club, with first-time Pacesetter donations matched dollar-for-dollar through the John E. Morgan Foundation’s SUW Pacesetters Matching Grant.

Campaign donors are also eligible to win prizes, including a 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer, courtesy of Rinaldi Family Dealerships, Bob Weaver Auto, J. Bertolet Volkswagen, Sands Ford of Pottsville and WFJ Law. Other campaign prizes include $4,000 in gift cards to Boyer’s Food Market; a $1,600 vacation package from AAA; Husqvarna Snowblower from Dewald & Lengle Hardware; an iPad from Hydro, and a Weber gas grill from Hadesty’s.

Winners of the campaign prizes will be announced at the annual Appreciation Breakfast on Nov. 13 at St. Nicholas Hall.

Contact Mike Joyce at mjoyce@schuylkillunitedway.org for more information about the campaign.