Inside United Way Of Bucks County’s New Levittown Headquarters

The United Way of Bucks County has opened its new headquarters to serve the community.

At 2901 Edgely Road in Bristol Township’s Levittown section, volunteers bustled inside the bright yellow, blue, and red building that was previously used by the Easterseals of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

While the official grand opening is not until September, United Way of Bucks County President and CEO Marissa Christie led LevittownNow.com on a tour of the building and said it is in use.

The building brings together many of the organization’s offerings and administrative offices into one location.

The nonprofit was based for decades on Hood Boulevard in Falls Township. That building is now listed for sale.

Christie, who has been with United Way of Bucks County for 16 years, started as CEO in December 2016 and worked in the book business prior.

In those years, Christie has seen growth in the organization that serves all of the county. 

“Over the time I’ve been here, we’ve really changed and evolved a lot,” said Christie.

The organization puts a focus on “ALICE” households, an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE families are working families who earn above the federal poverty level but struggle to afford essentials and often do not qualify for traditional government assistance.

“If we can stabilize those families, it’s better off for our entire community,” Christie explained.

Upon entering through the front doors of the renovated building, visitors step into a massive store-like room, called the “HELP Center” at the building’s core. There are shelves full of essentials including food, drinks, clothes, and even Halloween costumes for kids. The HELP Center is free of charge to anyone who needs it, but visitors must make an appointment beforehand. 

“This is just one part of our operations here, but it’s an important part,” said Christie. “Anytime we’re talking about serving folks in our community, the first thing we need to do is meet the basic needs.” 

According to Christie, the United Way of Bucks County distributes more than $3 million worth of brand-new goods to thousands of people through the HELP Center.

When it comes to how people come to the HELP Center, according to Christie, about 70% of the guests who come are self-referred. That means they went through the website and registered for an appointment.

The appointment system is used so that people who need the HELP Center can have plenty of space and don’t have to feel rushed or uncomfortable. 

The other 30% of people who use the HELP Center are people who come through United Way’s partners. This could be, for example, someone such as a social worker who is shopping for someone who is not able to get to the headquarters itself. 

Most of the items United Way receives are through companies and retailers, including Nike or Walmart. Many of the items are overstocks or discontinued due to a licensing deal ending, Christie explained.

In the new facility, a warehouse room helps store received goods, which are sorted by category. Before being placed on shelves, the boxes are looked through by volunteers and staff to see where they should go and whether they are appropriate for the season.

One of those volunteers, Janice Scott, talked a bit about her experience at United Way.

“It’s a wonderful experience,” said Scott. “United Way is the only way.” 

While some services in the building, such as the pre-K program and LIFT United program come through the local United Way, others come from trusted partner organizations.

For example, PA CareerLink, which is a program that connects people with job opportunities, hosts its Workforce on Wheels program that comes by to help people find work.

“How do we want to treat our neighbors?” Christie asked.

She answered, “The answer is always with dignity, and respect, and compassion. It is the foundation upon which all of our work is built.”

The United Way of Bucks County’s new building is a multi-million dollar investment in the community. For information on how you can help or seek help, visit the organization’s website.