The Thrive Hub Guides Underrepresented Youth Toward Financial, Educational Success
In a world where access to resources can make or break a child’s future, organizations like The Thrive Hub work to guide underrepresented youth toward success. With the support of United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s Fund for Racial Justice and Equity (FRJE) grant, The Thrive Hub is making significant strides in empowering young minds in the Lehigh Valley.
The Thrive Hub’s mission focuses on helping underrepresented students transition successfully from the classroom to their careers. Its approach revolves around four key touchpoints: academic success, personal and professional development, physical and mental health and financial fitness. The nonprofit emphasizes the importance of financial fitness over financial literacy and aims to instill healthy financial practices that can shape a brighter future for students.
“Our overarching goal is to minimize and eliminate student loan debt,” said Rosalind Lucien, founder of The Thrive Hub. “We’re trying to show children what is possible. Many kids think college isn’t an option because it’s too expensive. At The Thrive Hub, we help students raise their academic credit scores to better minimize and eliminate student loan debt and form a connection with a host of opportunities that will open doors for them that they might not have been able to otherwise.”
Through the United Way grant, The Thrive Hub sponsors initiatives targeting middle and high school students that provide them opportunities to learn and grow vigorously. From college field trips and exposure to different cultures to comprehensive college admission support, the organization bridges the gap between aspiration and achievement.
One notable initiative supported by the grant is the “Just Us” cohort, focusing on supporting high school juniors and seniors. This program offers SAT prep, college essay guidance, career exploration, job shadowing and college tours.
Looking ahead, The Thrive Hub is positioned for growth and expansion. This year’s annual career exploration conference, in partnership with Muhlenberg College, was held on March 13 and 14 and hosted over 300 high school students over two days. From New York to North Carolina, professionals throughout the country attended the event to support the students. During the conference, The Thrive Hub surprised one applicant with a $1,000 scholarship, and an Allen High School 2022 graduate received on-the-spot acceptance and a full tuition scholarship to East Stroudsburg University. The event, characterized by a blend of education and excitement, is a testament to the nonprofit’s commitment to creating a culture where education is celebrated and revered.
The United Way grant’s impact on The Thrive Hub is already tangible. Increased engagement, curiosity, and notable successes, such as college acceptances, speak volumes about the organization’s effectiveness.
As The Thrive Hub continues to identify ways to empower underrepresented youth, partnerships with organizations like United Way, Lehigh Valley Community Foundation and others play a pivotal role. Together, they form a network of support and resources that propel students toward a future filled with possibility.
The organization’s mission is particularly relevant following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action in June 2023, which threatens to significantly impact the college admissions process. The Thrive Hub equips students with the tools and knowledge to navigate these challenges successfully.
The Thrive Hub exemplifies what’s possible when communities UNITE to uplift and empower the next generation. Through initiatives like the FRJE grant, United Way and its partners are not just investing in organizations, they’re investing in the futures of countless young individuals, ensuring that no dream goes unrealized due to lack of opportunity.
United Way awarded the following local organizations with grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 through the FRJE:
- Cohesion Network
- Epoch Tribe
- Financial Literacy Center of the Lehigh Valley
- Fine Feather Foundation Inc.
- Global Hope International
- Greater Community Development Corp.
- InnaStar
- Juneteenth Lehigh Valley
- Lycan Media
- LatinosARE
- Lehigh Valley Black Church Housing Alliance
- Light on the Horizon
- Mother2Mother Inc.
- Movement Moves Media
- Resurrected Community Development Inc.
- SELF!
- The Rilyc
- The Rising Sun Initiative
- The Thrive Hub Inc.
- Unidos Inc.
- Vet Beds
Grant funding is made possible thanks to partners and donors who directed their support to the Fund for Racial Justice and Equity, including PPL Foundation, Crayola, Behr, Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation, Truist, Lehigh Valley Community Foundation and United Way Women United.
Learn more about United Way and the grant program by visiting our Fund for Racial Justice and Equity page.
