Students in the Northern Lehigh School District will continue to be well-fed, thanks to a giving organization.

Superintendent Dr. Matthew J. Link said at Monday’s school board meeting that the district recently received two very generous donations from local groups.

Link said the district received a $10,000 donation from the Lehigh Valley Educators Credit Union for its Backpack Buddies Program.

He said the donation will allow the district to continue the program overseen by Nichole Fink, director of food services, and the district’s food services department.

“This helps us assure that our students do not struggle with meal insecurity over the weekend and holidays,” Link said. “We are currently supporting 92 families through this program, so this really goes a long way in our schools and in our community for our families.”

School board Director Gary Fedorcha, who serves as vice president of the Lehigh Valley Educators Credit Union, said the credit union has been doing this for all nine school districts throughout the Lehigh Valley.

“It’s just one way that the credit union would like to give back to its members, who are all teachers and support staff in the districts,” he said. “We like to give money back to those people when we’re doing so well at the credit union.”

Fedorcha then presented a check to Fink. Fink thanked Fedorcha and the credit union for the donation.

Under the Helmet

Also on Monday, Link announced that the district received a first-time donation from the Bo Tkach Under the Helmet and Hat Foundation.

The project provides a one-time $2,000 award to nine area school districts that have been supported by the foundation’s efforts.

The aim of the project is to provide funding for the behavioral health counseling needs of school-age children.

Link said that Northern Lehigh, along with several other districts in the area, received a $2,000 donation that can be put toward mental health supports for students such as covering the cost of copays and deductibles, or professional development for staff.

“This is a new grant put out by the Bo Tkach Foundation, and we know sometimes that we are very fortunate in our schools here that we have mental health providers that can come right into our schools, but sometimes the parents may be asked to pay a copay or a deductible,” Link said. “This money can be put toward covering the cost of that for those families to remove any barriers from our students having access to the supports that they need, so we are very grateful for that donation as well.

“On behalf of our students, our staff, our administration and our school board, we are very appreciative of the ongoing support of the Bo Tkach Foundation and the Lehigh Valley Educators Credit Union.”