Championing Education: The Barnes Family Foundation’s Legacy with United Way Community Schools
United Way Community Schools create a pathway to success for more than 19,000 students in 33 of the region’s highest-need schools by focusing on students’ basic needs and building trusting relationships with children and their families.
That’s why Dan Barnes, Executive Chair of the Barnes Family Foundation, and his wife Susan were the first individual donors to join United Way in providing the resources for Community Schools in Bethlehem Area School District more than a decade ago – first at Donegan Elementary School and now at Northeast Middle School.
“We grew up in families where access to a good education was a family affair. It was viewed as foundational to success, a fundamental right of every child and a community responsibility. United Way has taken that concept to a whole new level, and it is so inspiring to see the amazing improvements for the students,” said Dan.
Heralded as a “model that works” by the U.S. Secretary of Education, United Way Community Schools report significant improvements in student attendance, family engagement and ultimately academic growth and achievement.
“We hope many more donors will join this movement to adopt a school and help United Way to continue to expand this extraordinary program,” added Susan. “It is an honor to be part of this nationally recognized initiative.”
