Young Professionals Award Nominations Now Open

Nominations due by August 7th, 2022

Nominate outstanding young professionals between the ages of 18-40 in northeastern Pennsylvania for the following categories:

  • Intern of the Year
  • Educator of the Year
  • Trailblazer of the Year
  • Small Business Owner of the Year
  • STEAM Professional of the Year
  • Hero of the Year
  • Cultural Champion of the Year
  • Voluntary Leader of the Year
  • NEPA Influencer of the Year
  • Young Professional Women’s Leadership Award 
  • Young Professional DEI Champion Award – NEW THIS YEAR

Nominate a company/organization located in Northeastern Pennsylvania that has dedicated resources to young professional development for the Young Professional Development Award.

United Way Announces Mike Munchak Scholarship Recipient

The United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties awarded the Mike Munchak Community Service Scholarship to Michael Watkins, a 2022 graduate of Scranton Preparatory High School. The scholarship award was officially presented as part of the 26th Annual Mike Munchak Charity Golf Classic to benefit the United Way held at the Country Club of Scranton.  Over $1,000,000 have been raised during the 26 years of this golf outing and remains to be the premiere golf outing in NEPA. 

“For the past 26 years it has been our honor to welcome Mike home to Scranton, and we remain grateful to him for his unwavering commitment to the people of our community,” said Gary Drapek, President and CEO of the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties.

The United Way established the Mike Munchak Community Service Scholarship to assist high school students from Lackawanna and Wayne Counties, who plan to continue their education in an accredited university, college, or trade school in a two or four-year degree program. The amount of the scholarship is $6,300 in honor of Mike’s #63, retired by the Houston Oilers in 1994.  Completing the scholarships 11th year of existence, a total amount of $69,300 in scholarship funds have been distributed to local graduates.

To be eligible, candidates must be participants in partner agency programs funded by United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties, have a demonstrated commitment through community service activities and be full-time residents and/or students of a school district within Lackawanna or Wayne Counties.  Additional requirements include a demonstrated financial need, academic achievement, agency recommendation and a strong track record of community service.

“Education is one of our pillars here at the United Way.  This scholarship is a prime example of how important a good education along with strong community involvement is in helping ensure Lackawanna and Wayne Counties continue to Live United.  Every year we are amazed at the amount of Hall-of-Fame caliber seniors who apply for this scholarship.  The future certainly remains bright here in Lackawanna and Wayne Counties,” added Drapek.

The 2022 scholarship recipient is Michael Watkins, a Scranton Preparatory High School graduate.  His community service accomplishments include the United Way Day of Caring, Boys and Girls Club, Scranton Cultural Center Food and Clothing Drives, St. Paul’s Block Party, Kettle Basketball Camp, visits to Mountain View Nursing Center, Peer Tutoring and Orientation at Scranton Prep. 

Additionally, Michael is a member of the National Honor Society, Dean’s Team, Vice President of the Business Club, Treasurer of Kiva Microfinance Club, President of Advanced Strategical Minds as well as an array of other clubs and activities.  The Scholarship Committee noted Michael’s superior GPA as well as the leadership qualities he exhibited throughout his time at Scranton Prep.

This fall, Michael will be attending Fordham University to pursue a degree in Finance/Prelaw.

“Funding essential programs throughout Lackawanna and Wayne Counties as well as running our own community outreach programs has led us into our 2nd Century of Service in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  Continuously evolving each and every year has been the key to our success.  Like the mindset of a Hall-of-Fame Athlete, we set a goal every year and do everything in our power to achieve that goal, just like our homegrown football legend himself, Mike Munchak,” Drapek concluded.

For further comment, call the Barry Snyder, Vice President, Community Outreach, United Way at (570) 343-1267 x237.

Applications Now Open for America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Program Grants

As a subrecipient of the ARPA grant program to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its economic impact, Scranton Area Community Foundation is working with the City of Scranton to administer the ARPA program.

The Scranton Area Community Foundation’s role as community stewards allows us to leverage resources and work in partnership with city government to develop allocation strategies to maximize the use of ARPA funding in the region. Availability of ARPA funds for nonprofit organizations serving the residents of Scranton and surrounding communities presents an incredible opportunity for the region. Our role as a community foundation positions us to help other community leaders and decision makers balance the critical needs of assisting those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, while simultaneously encouraging the creation of sustainable, lasting solutions to improve the quality of life in our communities. 

Applications for ARPA Program funding open today, Monday, July 18, at 9:00 AM. Nonprofit organizations seeking ARPA funding will apply through SACF’s online grant management portal.

How to Apply:

At the grant portal login page, please follow the appropriate next step:

  1. If you have already created a login: you must login using the credentials you’ve utilized for previous grant applications. NOTE: username is always an email.
  2. If someone else in your organization has already created a login: please email grants@safdn.org to have a new user added to your organization.
  3. If your organization has never accessed our online grant portal, create your account using the following information: 
    • A username that is an email address
    • Your contact information
    • Your organization’s information, including the EIN/Tax ID number (required)
    • Contact Information for the organization’s executive

Once logged in:

On the applicant dashboard, select “Apply” along the top menu to view available grants.

2. Select, “City of Scranton ARP Act Beneficiary Grant Program”

Questions and Additional Resources:

  • We have provided additional resources, including a written tutorial, to help you with our new grant application process. To access the written applicant tutorial, visit the Applicant Tutorial – Grants.
  • If you have any questions about our grant application process, please contact us via email at grants@safdn.org.

Marywood University Announces New Endowed and Annual Scholarships

Marywood University recently announced five new endowed scholarships, six new annual scholarships, and a new endowed special gift at the 2022 Scholarship Luncheon. The annual luncheon, a treasured tradition, provides benefactors and scholarship recipients the opportunity to meet face-to-face and to share their stories.

Christina Mace, MBA ’17, Senior Director of Development, opened the program by welcoming guests and recognizing this year’s scholarship honorees. Following lunch, Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Marywood University President, recognized the new scholarship benefactors and presented each of them with a citation.

Student scholarship recipients also played a prominent role in the program. Angelina Balestino ’22 and Daniel O’Brien ’22 offered the invocation and benediction, respectively. Robert Egan ’23 continued to recognize further scholarship honorees and Thomas Flynn ’22 paid tribute to the generosity of Marywood’s donors, expressing gratitude on behalf of all scholarship recipients.

Marywood awarded 382 named scholarships, exceeding one million dollars, for the 2021-2022 academic year. New endowed named scholarships can be established with a gift of $50,000 or more. New annual named scholarships can be established with a gift of $10,000 or more. For information on establishing a named scholarship, please contact the Office of University Advancement at 570-348-6238 or development@marywood.edu.

Newly endowed scholarships include:

The Nancy Pfeiffer Loch ’69 and Harold Loch Endowed Scholarship, established by Nancy Loch and her late husband, Harold Loch, to provide aid for undergraduate students who share Nancy’s love of mathematics and physics.

The Mary Ann O’Hara ’58 and Julia O’Hara Murphy ’67 Endowed Scholarship, established by sisters Mary Ann O’Hara and Julia O’Hara to give aid to full-time undergraduate students with academic achievement and financial need.

The Marria L. O’Malley Walsh ’68 Endowed Scholarship, established by Marria L. O’Malley Walsh to support undergraduate students majoring in biological sciences with financial need.

The Josephine R. and Charles F. Wilson, Sr. Endowed Scholarship, established by Salli Wilson Tuozzolo ’67 in memory of her parents to provide aid to undergraduates majoring in education or business, with preference to those from her home region of central New York.

The John E. & Catherine A. Winters Scholarship Fund, established by Catherine Matturro Winters ’70 in memory of her late husband, John E. Winters, to honor his legacy of helping others by providing financial support to a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate majors.

A new endowed special gift also was established:

The Class of 1968 Amphitheatre Programmatic Endowment, established by the Marywood Class of 1968 to provide funding for programs and events held at the Michael and Gwen Calabro Delfino ’47 Amphitheatre.

Newly established annual scholarships include:

The Access and Achievement Scholarship, established during Giving Day 2021 under the leadership of Yerodin Lucas Ph.D. ’19 and Michael Bugno ’98, to give aid to achieving undergraduates and graduates with a preference for those who work closely with underrepresented racial minority groups.

The Andrew and Agnes Brenish Family Scholarship, established by Donna Brenish Whittaker ’71 to support undergraduates majoring in Respiratory Therapy as a means to express her gratitude to those who helped her late father, Andrew Brenish, through respiratory problems later in his life.

The Carol Conaboy Memorial Annual Scholarship, initiated by Kim Roberts in memory of her late aunt and respected Scranton School District English teacher, Carol Conaboy ’68, to provide support to undergraduates with preference to those majoring in English, Education, or the Arts from Lackawanna County.

The Brienna-Rae Cruz, M.A ’19 Memorial Annual Scholarship, established by Madeline Levy Cruz, M.S. ’11 in memory of her late daughter, Brienna-Rae Cruz, to assist 2nd year students in the Psy.D. Clinical Psychology program with preference given to those who work with historically marginalized populations.

The Mrs. Angela Marie Hyo Jae Ryoo-Kim Annual Scholarship, established by Hartmut and Antonia Gerod Schierling ’60 in memory of the late Mrs. Ryoo-Kim, to provide support to graduate students in the Master of Social Work program attending the Scranton Campus.

The Bernard and Anne Simoncic Memorial Annual Scholarship, established by Bernice Simoncic Lukus ’71, in memory of her parents to provide aid to undergraduates studying education with preference to those studying special education.

Martin’s Point Webinar, Meet and Greet

Martin’s Point US Family Health Plan is hosting an informational webinar on July 26 at 7:30 a.m. and July 28 at 12:00 p.m.

An in-person meet and greet is also being held on July 27 at 8:30 a.m. and July 28 at 8:30 a.m.

Dress for Success Lackawanna Golf Tournament

On Monday, September 12, 2022, Dress for Success Lackawanna invites you to our Annual Golf Tournament to be held at the Pocono Farms Country Club in Tobyhanna. Gather your friends and join us for a great day of golf, games, prize giveaways, raffles and more!

Register Here

Geisinger Works With Excelerate to Lower Cost of Care

Geisinger has joined forces with Excelerate to deliver significant and sustainable savings through a physician-engagement sourcing model for physician preference items, pharmacy and clinically sensitive commodities.

Excelerate works to decrease costs and ensure the most effective use of products. The program sources and contracts for surgical supplies with a heavy emphasis on clinical utilization guidelines for devices and surgical implants, including hip and knee replacement implants, spinal surgery devices and pacemakers. More than 100 active members of Excelerate’s program save 15% to 20% on average.

“Working with Excelerate will allow us to deliver high-quality care to our patients at a lower cost by  taking advantage of their quality-first model for patient-centered decisions regarding the devices and supplies used by our physicians,” said Michael Suk, M.D., J.D., Chief Physician Officer, Geisinger System Services and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. “Our physicians and staff are key drivers of this program, and their support will allow us to make better health easier for our patients through clinical-supply integration.”

Excelerate will help Geisinger aggregate supply chain spending and reduce the costs to the system and patients by reducing variation of products and creating physician and clinician alignment in products used across the system for procedures.

“We are honored to have Geisinger as a member and are excited to help advance their efforts on sustainable clinical alignment with their physicians while further improving operational efficiency,” said Sean Lyden, MD, chief medical officer for Excelerate.  “We believe the Excelerate model will enhance Geisinger’s ability to realize value by lowering costs while delivering the high-quality care that leads to improved patient outcomes.” Excelerate’s optimal blend of services includes: a high-performance portfolio, a physician-engagement model and clinical variation management guidelines. These elements will be recalibrated as Geisinger progresses through the process.

News From Representative Karen Boback

New Law Enhances Flood Mitigation Program

Legislation to enhance Pennsylvania’s flood mitigation program sponsored by Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming) has been signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf.

Act 65 of 2022, formerly House Bill 1598, amends the Flood Plain Management Act by transferring the administration of the act to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), replacing the Department of Community and Economic Development. The change provides the Commonwealth with the ability to increase its percentage of federal hazard mitigation funding and allows PEMA to work with municipalities to ensure their programs meet federal regulations.

“Flooding is a major concern in many of the communities I represent which are seeking all the help they can get to prevent the damage caused by high water,” said Boback. “By making PEMA the lead agency to oversee flood plain management, Pennsylvania is expected to see a 5% increase in federal funding for mitigation projects.” 

“Flooding touches every county in the Commonwealth and is one of the most frequent disasters that affects the state,” said PEMA Director Randy Padfield. “Having responsibility for the administration of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) moved to PEMA will provide for greater continuity of the program and integration with other Federal Emergency Management Agency programs that our agency coordinates with the local municipalities. It will also assist us in obtaining an Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plan, which will lead to additional federal funding in the future to lessen the impacts of future disasters to citizens of the Commonwealth.”

Act 65 will take effect 60 days.


Purple Star School Program Coming to PA Schools

A bill sponsored by Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming) to establish the Purple Star School Program in Pennsylvania has been signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf.

The Purple Star School Program supports military-connected children as they relocate to new schools due to a parent’s change in duty station. Military-connected children include those of service members on active duty, and in the National Guard and Reserves. 

“Under the new law, schools are encouraged to identify and assist students of transient military personnel as they adapt to their new location,” said Boback. “Moving from school to school, as these students often do, is never easy. I am pleased the program will now be in place to help make this difficult transition much easier for kids in military families.” 

Under Act 69 of 2022, formerly House Bill 1867, Pennsylvania public and non-public schools will be designated as Purple Star campuses by the Department of Education if they demonstrate military-friendly practices and meet certain requirements such as: having a military liaison staff member; a webpage that includes resources for military students and families; and professional development training opportunities for staff members on issues relating to military students. School district participation in the program is voluntary.

Pennsylvania now joins 30 other states that have Purple Star designation programs.

Act 69 will take effect in 180 days.