Pictured above, left to right – Frank Caputo, Senior Grants & Scholarships Manager, Scranton Area Community Foundation, Bridget Matyjevich, HomeVisiting Program Director and Children’s Conference Planning Committee, Outreach, and Cathy Fitzpatrick, Vice President of Grants and Scholarships, Scranton Area Community Foundation
SCRANTON, PA – FEBRUARY 26, 2026 – The Scranton Area Community Foundation has awarded a $2,500 Community Needs Grant to Outreach – Center for Community Resources to support the costs of the 2026 “Children’s Issues in a Changing World” Conference.
Outreach – Center for Community Resources has partnered with the Foundation, Keystone College, the University of Scranton, and the Lackawanna County Department of Health and Human Services to host the 2026 “Children’s Issues in a Changing World” Conference on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 from 9 AM to 4 PM, at The Theater at North in Scranton.
This annual event aims to spread awareness of the systemic challenges facing today’s youth. The conference serves as an opportunity for social service professionals in child welfare, healthcare, early childhood education, and mental health to come together, learn, and assess present challenges facing the populations they serve. This year’s conference will focus on how collaboration from the state to the local levels can help move the needle on issues facing children.
The event will bring together a diverse lineup of speakers to focus on community-based systems that support children and families, identify necessary system changes, and assess the strength of the collaboration.
The conference will feature a keynote presentation on “Holistic Care of Families and Children” by Dr. Stephen Long, Jr., and Dr. Manju Mary Thomas, both board-certified pediatricians at The Wright Center for Community Health. Other presentations include panels on children’s issues in education and human services across Pennsylvania, on local issues affecting children, and on having difficult conversations.
The 2026 conference aims to build on the success of the 2023 and 2024 conferences, strengthen our community’s bonds, and promote evidence-based strategies for child well-being, safety, and growth.
For more information and to purchase tickets, you can visit the conference’s website at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/ciiacwc/event/2ciiacwcc/ .
About the Scranton Area Community Foundation:
The Scranton Area Community Foundation responsibly stewards resources and inspires transformative philanthropy to build a strong and vibrant community. With over $100 million in assets under management and more than 415 charitable funds, the Scranton Area Community Foundation has served as a steward, grantmaker, charitable resource, and catalyst for change since 1954. The Foundation leads various initiatives, including Women in Philanthropy, the Center for Community Leadership and Nonprofit Excellence, NEPA Moves, and the NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative. Additionally, the Foundation hosts and facilitates NEPA Gives and the NEPA Learning Conference. The Scranton Area Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt organization confirmed in compliance with National Standards of U.S. Community Foundations. More information about the Scranton Area Community Foundation can be found at www.safdn.org.
About Outreach – Center for Community Resources
Since 1988, Outreach – Center for Community Resources has served individuals and families in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The mission of Outreach is to help individuals and families attain economic self-sufficiency and family stability through evidence-based programming. Outreach serves thousands of individuals annually, including many living at or below the poverty line. In fact, 88.7% of Outreach families are low- to moderate-income, with 64.5% living below the Federal Poverty Level. Outreach is committed to helping move families forward towards brighter tomorrows.
About Keystone College
Our graduates are lifelong learners who are actively engaged, contribute to their communities, and thrive in the world. As part of the Northeastern Pennsylvania community, Keystone College is part of a vibrant and diverse area. Nearly 800 students come to our beautiful campus from nearby states such as New York, New Jersey, and Maryland, as well as nationally and internationally. In a relatively short period of time, Keystone College has advanced from being an excellent junior college that granted associate degrees to a fully accredited and highly respected institution, offering associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
About The University of Scranton
We are a private Catholic and Jesuit institution that delivers a transformative education, grounded in the liberal arts. Every aspect of a Scranton education exists to help our students succeed. Scholars are challenged here and supported. We will help you discover meaning and direction, shaping not only your career, but very importantly, the person you will become. The City of Scranton is an ideal college setting. Students can take advantage of the many entertainment and recreational options of downtown Scranton and the surrounding area. And with major metropolitan areas as close as two hours away, students can also pursue valuable internship opportunities with many of the world’s leading companies and organizations.
About Lackawanna County Department of Health and Human Services
The mission of the Lackawanna County Department of Health and Human Services is to facilitate and support the development, coordination, and delivery of health and human services to County residents. The department utilizes its categorical program agencies to implement services that prevent, reduce, or alleviate health and human services-related issues, which affect an individual’s quality of life.