Susquehanna Valley United Way’s annual Day of Action takes place on Friday, April 24, 2026, bringing together volunteers across Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union counties for one powerful day of service. Individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits work side-by-side to complete meaningful projects that create visible, immediate impact. Registration for volunteers and project sites is open through March 6.

Our United in Recovery team is launching a series of community-centered events designed to strengthen connection, reduce stigma, and support individuals and families impacted by substance use disorder. The initiative includes Canvas & Cocoa, Black Balloon Day observances, a mocktail experience for Alcohol Awareness Month, and a regional Recovery in Motion hiking series. Together, these events create welcoming spaces for healing, remembrance, wellness, and recovery support across the five-county region.

Kristy Teisher, licensed clinical social worker at UPMC and founder of EatShare, is honored as the 2026 Grand Prize Kindness Award winner. Through her professional work and her volunteer-driven nonprofit, she creates welcoming, stigma-free spaces where individuals feel nourished, valued, and connected.

Mark Rusanowsky, Columbia County Homelessness Liaison at Central Susquehanna Opportunities, is honored for meeting families experiencing homelessness where they are and ensuring they are treated with dignity and respect. Through advocacy and collaboration, he strengthens pathways to housing and reinforces that everyone belongs.

Keegan Rice, a Shikellamy High School student, is honored as a 2026 Student Kindness Award winner for pairing encouraging words with consistent action. His steady support and positive influence help build confidence and connection among his peers.

Kerry Tilford, RN, is honored for pairing compassionate care with meaningful action through her nonprofit, Magical Memories. By providing financial assistance and personalized support to children facing serious illness, she brings comfort, reassurance, and hope to families during life’s most challenging moments.

Ammon Young, Director of the Bloomsburg Public Library, is recognized for transforming the library into a safe, welcoming hub that supports mental wellbeing across all ages. From dementia programming to grief support and youth engagement, his leadership ensures every member of the community has a place to gather, learn, and feel valued.

Nominated four times by his neighbors, Matthew Ferry is recognized for the everyday acts of service that strengthen his community — from mowing lawns and plowing snow to checking in during life’s hardest moments. His small acts add up in a big way, bringing comfort, security, and connection to those around him.

Gaddiel Valderrama, a student at Shikellamy High School, is recognized as one of our inaugural Student Kindness Award winners. Nominated twice by his peers, he is known for consistently checking in on others, leading by example, and making classmates feel supported and included. His everyday actions are helping shape a stronger, more connected school community.

Nominated by Karla Alexander, Krunal Thakore exemplifies Kindness in Our Community through his work supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, mentoring youth, and strengthening collaborative partnerships across Danville. His consistent, humble service makes our community stronger every day.

Susquehanna Valley United Way is proud to partner with the CommunityAid Foundation to help families meet critical needs this winter. Through this partnership, Care Cards provide support for essentials like warm coats, properly fitting clothes, and shoes for growing kids, while donated goods help strengthen our ability to support families through this work.

Meet Pam Comfort McGinness, Recovery Engagement Project Coordinator with United in Recovery and newly named Recovery Champion. Pam shares that “gratitude is a powerful mindset that keeps people grounded, hopeful, and connected,” and her work brings that truth to life for individuals and families across our region. We’re grateful for her leadership and her heart.

This Thanksgiving, CEO Mark Stankiewicz shares a heartfelt Gratitude Week message honoring the neighbors, partners, donors, volunteers, and staff who strengthen our communities every day. His reflection celebrates the impact you make across our five-county region and the bright future we’re building together.

This year’s Diaper Dash set a new record. Nearly 19,000 diapers, 131 packs of wipes, and dozens of baby essentials are already on their way to local diaper banks, helping ALICE families across our region navigate rising costs and meet their children’s basic needs with dignity. United, we’re building stronger, healthier families.

The United Way Soirée, taking place on October 23 at the Susquehanna Valley Country Club, will serve as the kickoff to 24 Hours of Giving on October 24. The event celebrates community connection while raising critical funds to support health, opportunity, financial stability, and resilience across the Susquehanna Valley.

Susquehanna Valley United Way launched its annual Diaper Dash, a month-long drive collecting diapers and wipes for families in Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union counties. The effort kicked off with a $5,000 donation of Huggies® diapers from Weis Markets and early support from SHRMA’s workplace drive. Community members are encouraged to donate by October 31 to help local babies stay clean, dry, and healthy this holiday season.

This fall, we’re hitting the road with our new CEO to bring fresh energy and a renewed focus on what matters most to our communities. The United in Community: CEO Roadshow is part campaign launch, part listening tour, and all about building a stronger, more connected region together. From coffee chats to after-hours meetups, we’re showing up to listen. Each stop on the Roadshow is designed to spark conversation, connection, and local action.

Susquehanna Valley United Way’s 2025 Give & WIN Sweepstakes took a heartwarming turn when the winner donated a two-minute Weis Markets shopping spree to a local mom of four. See how generosity and community partnerships with Weis Markets and PepsiCo made it possible.

Our President & CEO, Mark Stankiewicz, was recently featured in The Standard-Journal for his passion for root-cause solutions and his vision for United Way's future. Read the full story and learn how Mark’s leadership is helping shape the next chapter for SVUW.

Susquehanna Valley United Way was recently highlighted in The Daily Item for surpassing our annual campaign goal and the impact of local giving across the region. Explore key highlights and access the full editorial here.