A $10,000 grant to the Weinberg Regional Food Bank will provide 2,000 families in Luzerne, Wyoming and Susquehanna counties with fresh milk for a year, said Gretchen Hunt, director of nutrition.

The grant is one of eight totaling $43,600 that natural gas company Williams recently awarded to Luzerne County emergency and education organizations.

Some of the funding will also go to community groups, such as the Weinberg food bank based in the Pittston area.

“Those funds will be used to purchase fresh milk through the ‘Fill a Glass with Hope’ program,” Hunt said.

“Fill a Glass with Hope” is a statewide initiative to provide fresh milk to financially stressed families.

The Luzerne County Fair also received a $5,000 grant through Williams. The funds will be used to replace aging parking-lot lights at the fairgrounds off Route 118 in Lehman Township, said Brenda Pugh, fair chairperson.

“It would have been difficult for us to do it on our own,” Pugh said. “We are a nonprofit.”

Other grants include:

• $3,600 to Lehman Township for four new radios;

• $5,000 for a Children’s Service Center socialization and development campership program;

• $5,000 to Dallas Township Police Department for video cameras;

• $5,000 to Exeter Fire Department to purchase rescue equipment;

• $5,000 to the Northeast Pennsylvania Educational Television Association for WVIA’s PBS Kids in the Classroom program;

• and $5,000 to the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA for the 2017 Special Needs Resident Camp.

Williams, the owner of the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline, awards grants up to $10,000 biannually — twice a year — to eligible organizations in communities impacted by the planned Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline.

The Atlantic Sunrise line is a planned 195.2-mile extension of the Transco pipeline. The purpose of the Sunrise line is to transport Marcellus Shale gas in Northeastern Pennsylvania as far south as Alabama.

Statewide, Williams awarded $326,800 in community grants to 44 organizations. The grant program started in 2015 and has awarded more than $1.79 million in total.

Applications are being accepted for the second round of grants. To apply, visit www.williams.com/atlanticsunrise. Applications must be received by Sept. 1.

Williams awarded eight grants totaling $43,600 to local education and emergency agencies and community programs.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_ASR-Cycle-5-1.jpg.optimal.jpgWilliams awarded eight grants totaling $43,600 to local education and emergency agencies and community programs. Submitted photo

By Eileen Godin

egodin@timesleader.com

Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews