United Way of Wyoming Valley

What United Way of Wyoming Valley does

United Way of Wyoming Valley is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1921 (originally as the Community Welfare Federation) and headquartered at 100 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, 2nd Floor, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It serves the Wyoming Valley region with a staff of approximately 20 employees and operates 31 programs, 8 initiatives, and partnerships with 20 local agencies and 10 school districts (reaching 34 school buildings). Its work focuses on cutting childhood poverty through a multi-generational approach spanning early-childhood literacy, school-based health and basic-needs services, financial stability, and emergency food and shelter.

The organization's core offerings are organized into three portfolios: Reading Initiatives (the Annual Children's Book Drive, Literacy Kit Project, Dolly Parton Imagination Library partnership, Reading Buddies, and Campaign for Grade-Level Reading); Support Initiatives delivered through schools (Nurse's Pantry, See to Succeed vision program, Loads of Love laundry access, Community Navigator, Parent Support Line via 211); and Development Programs that sustain fundraising (Individual & Leadership Giving, Corporate Giving, Planned Giving, Day of Caring, and competitive grants to 501(c)(3) partners). The underlying technology stack is described as standard nonprofit donor-management and volunteer-tracking systems, with EC Impact and EC Volunteer listed as self-service portals; no proprietary AI/ML, app, API, or patented technology is in evidence.

United Way of Wyoming Valley generates revenue through diversified community fundraising: recurring individual giving (Young Leaders Society at $260/year, Valley Champions tiers from $500–$4,999, Dorothy Darling Society at $5,000–$9,999, Alexis de Tocqueville Society at $10,000+), workplace giving via corporate payroll-deduction campaigns, planned/legacy giving through bequests and IRA beneficiary designations, and competitive community-impact grants awarded to partner agencies. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, anchored on the annual Day of Caring (since 1994) and Campaign Kickoff, with multi-channel outreach across social media, email newsletters via Constant Contact, and the unitedwaywb.org website. The organization is governed by a board chaired by Tara Mugford Wilson and led by President & CEO Sara Peperno; it holds a 4-star Charity Navigator rating and is part of the United Way Worldwide network.

Name

United Way of Wyoming Valley

Legal name

United Way of Wyoming Valley

Website

https://unitedwaywb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Way of Wyoming Valley is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1921 and headquartered in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, that operates 31 programs across 10 school districts to combat childhood poverty through education, health, and basic-needs services in the Wyoming Valley region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Services Nonprofit

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Community impact programs
• Human services nonprofit
• Charitable fundraising
• Early childhood literacy
• Community grantmaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilkes-Barre, PA

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Giving: Individual donors contribute through one-time or recurring donations at various levels, including Leadership Giving ($500+), Young Leaders Society ($260/year), and other giving programs.
2. Corporate/Workplace Giving: Organizations run workplace campaigns where employees can give via payroll deduction. Corporate sponsorships also support United Way events.
3. Planned Giving: Donors can include United Way in estate planning through bequests, cash gifts, appreciated stocks, life insurance, and qualified pension plans/IRAs.
4. Grants and Community Investment: United Way provides funding to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations through a competitive grant process. The organization issues RFPs and manages a community investment model focusing on education, financial stability, health, and safety net programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

United Way of Wyoming Valley is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and workplace campaigns and reinvests them in community programs targeting childhood poverty in Wyoming Valley. Core offerings include early childhood literacy programs (Reading Initiatives, Imagination Library, Reading Buddies), direct support services for at-risk students (Nurse's Pantry, See to Succeed vision program, Loads of Love, Community Navigator, Parent Support Line), and competitive grant funding to local 501(c)(3) nonprofit agencies across education, financial stability, health, and safety net areas.

Product overview

United Way of Wyoming Valley is a nonprofit charitable organization offering a portfolio of community impact programs focused on improving outcomes for at-risk children and families in the Wyoming Valley region. The organization operates through several interconnected program areas: Reading Initiatives (Annual Children's Book Drive, Literacy Kit Project, The Imagination Library, Reading Buddies, Tag In For Summer Reading, and Campaign for Grade-Level Reading) addressing early childhood literacy; Support Initiatives (Parent Support Line, Loads of Love, Community Navigator, See to Succeed, and Nurse's Pantry) providing direct services to families; and Development Programs (Individual & Leadership Giving, Planned Giving, Corporate Giving, Day of Caring, Investments & Grant Programs) facilitating community fundraising and volunteer engagement. The organization also operates the Emergency Food & Shelter Program as convener of the Local Emergency Food and Shelter Board.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reading Initiatives Educational programs focused on early childhood literacy for at-risk children in Wyoming Valley, including the Annual Children's Book Drive, Literacy Kit Project, the Imagination Library, Reading Buddies, and Tag In For Summer Reading, aimed at improving third-grade reading proficiency.
• Support Initiatives Suite of programs that increase access to basic necessities and community resources for at-risk children and families, including Parent Support Line, Loads of Love, Community Navigator, See to Succeed, and Nurse's Pantry.
• Day of Caring Wyoming Valley's largest annual engagement day where volunteers help nonprofit organizations with projects their limited budgets cannot cover.
• Individual & Leadership Giving Structured giving programs including Leadership Giving Program ($500+), Young Leaders Society ($260/year), Alexis de Tocqueville Society ($10,000+), Dorothy Darling Society ($5,000-$9,999), and Valley Champions tiers.
• Planned Giving Estate planning options including bequests, cash, appreciated stocks or bonds, life insurance, and qualified pension plans and IRAs.
• Corporate Giving Workplace campaigns and corporate sponsorship opportunities for businesses to support community initiatives, including payroll deduction giving and event sponsorships.
• Emergency Food & Shelter Program Local Emergency Food and Shelter Board that reviews applications and recommends funding allocations to eligible organizations serving those facing immediate threats to well-being.
• Investments & Grant Programs Community Impact Model funding strategies in Education, Financial Stability, Health, and Safety Net areas through competitive RFP process for 501(c)(3) organizations.
• Parent Support Line Helpline providing emotional support, information, referrals, and education about parenting challenges, available via phone (211), text, and online.
• Nurse's Pantry In-school resource providing clothing, toiletries, hygiene products, and wellness items to students in need across 34 school buildings in 10 school districts.
• See to Succeed Vision correction program providing eye screenings using Spot Vision Screener technology, on-site eye exams by licensed optometrists, and eyeglasses for students who need them.
• School-Based Community Navigator Initiative School-based support providing prevention and early intervention strategies, connecting students and families to community resources to prevent chronic absenteeism.
• Loads of Love On-site laundry facilities and detergent provided to students in need at participating schools to address limited access to clean clothes as a barrier to attendance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42 third graders in Wyoming Valley reading on grade level (as part of the reading initiative goal)

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Catholic CharitiescoreOthersMember of the Local Emergency Food and Shelter Board convened by United Way of Wyoming Valley. Catholic Charities participates in reviewing applications and recommending funding allocations for emergency food and shelter programs under National Board guidelines.
• Jewish Community AlliancecoreOthersMember of the Local Emergency Food and Shelter Board. Jewish Community Alliance represents constituency interests and participates in funding allocation decisions for emergency food and shelter programs.
• The Salvation ArmycoreOthersMember of the Local Emergency Food and Shelter Board representing faith-based community services constituency. Participates in reviewing applications and recommending emergency food and shelter funding allocations.
• American Red Cross, Wyoming Valley ChaptercoreOthersMember of the Local Emergency Food and Shelter Board. American Red Cross represents humanitarian services constituency and participates in emergency food and shelter funding decisions.
• Dolly Parton Imagination LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2014, United Way of Wyoming Valley has partnered with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to provide free books to children. This partnership supports early literacy and the organization's focus on education as a pathway out of poverty.
• Family Service Association of NEPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to operate the Parent Support Line. Family Service Association provides parenting support services alongside United Way, offering emotional support, information, guidance, and referrals to community services for Wyoming Valley parents and caregivers.
• HIV Coalition (Northeast PA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of Wyoming Valley began HIV/AIDS services in 1991 with funding from PA Department of Health. The HIV Coalition coordinates regional responses and is listed as a resource on United Way's website.
• PA 211 NortheastcoreGTM or Marketing Partner211 is a free, confidential helpline for community resources. United Way of Wyoming Valley promotes 211 as a key resource for accessing their programs and connects callers to Parent Support Line and other services.
• Campaign for Grade-Level ReadingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of Wyoming Valley joined this nationwide movement to increase early reading proficiency. The initiative focuses on third-grade reading proficiency as a critical milestone toward high school graduation and success.
• School Nurses and Guidance CounselorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchool nurses, principals, and guidance counselors serve as referral sources for the Nurse's Pantry program, identifying students in need and connecting them with clothing, hygiene products, and other essential supplies.
• Licensed OptometristscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed optometrists partner with United Way's See to Succeed program to provide thorough eye exams in school settings. Students who need glasses receive them from a wide selection of frames.
• School AdministratorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchool administrators partner with the Community Navigator Initiative, working with school-based navigators who provide prevention and early intervention services and connect families to community resources.
• School PrincipalscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorElementary school principals like Margo Serafini of Kistler Elementary partner with the Loads of Love initiative, identifying students who need access to laundry facilities to remove barriers to attendance.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: National umbrella organization that licenses the United Way brand and provides infrastructure to local chapters. Comparable as the broader network governing United Way of Wyoming Valley's standards and brand.

Others

• Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton: Faith-based social services organization operating in the Wyoming Valley region with overlapping service lines (emergency assistance, family support). Member of the Local Emergency Food and Shelter Board convened by United Way.
• Family Service Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania: Regional nonprofit operating the Parent Support Line in partnership with United Way of Wyoming Valley. Comparable in family support, counseling, and community-resource navigation services for the same Wyoming Valley population.
• American Red Cross, Eastern Pennsylvania Region: National humanitarian organization with a local Wyoming Valley chapter. Member of the Local Emergency Food and Shelter Board convened by United Way; comparable in regional disaster response and human services delivery.
• Salvation Army of Wilkes-Barre: Faith-based human services organization serving the same region with emergency food, shelter, and family support programs. Listed as a partner on the Local Emergency Food and Shelter Board; overlaps in safety-net service delivery.

Direct peers

• United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania: Another Pennsylvania-based regional United Way running school-based programs, donor development, and community grants. Similar operational model in a comparable mid-sized metro region.
• United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley: Neighboring Pennsylvania regional United Way serving the Lehigh Valley with analogous community impact, school-based programs, and donor-tier fundraising. Direct geographic and programmatic peer.
• United Way of Lancaster County: Pennsylvania regional United Way running a similar community impact model with education, financial stability, and health focus areas. Closely comparable in scale, mission, and structure.
• United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey: Regional United Way affiliate operating workplace giving, volunteer mobilization, and grantmaking across a similar model. Comparable as a sibling chapter within the United Way Worldwide network, focused on education, financial stability, and health.

Emerging players

• The Luzerne Foundation: Local community foundation serving the same Wyoming Valley geography with grantmaking, endowment management, and donor services. Comparable as a regional charitable resource competing for similar donor dollars and grantmaking relationships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/UnitedWayWB
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6XrghPmhxemwfsJhkeTl2g
• Facebookfacebook.com/uwwvalley
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unitedwayofwyomingvalley
• Instagraminstagram.com/unitedwaywv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about United Way of Wyoming Valley