WILKES-BARRE -- Long before Bill Jones was around, his dad, the affable Joseph "Red" Jones would stop by my house to ask my parents if they would consider sending their son to St. Vincent's to play basketball.
My dad, a Welsh Baptist, would always refer Red to, as he would say, "the boss."
Dad would tell Red, "She's the Catholic."
Mom would tell Red that she preferred her son attend public school.
But Red would always sit at our kitchen table and "kibitz" about everything. He and my mom and dad would have a coffee and a slice of cake or pie and they would laugh.
Red's visits, although unsuccessful as far as recruitment, were always fun.
Red would be very proud of his son, "Billy," who announced last week that he is leaving his post at the United Way of Wyoming Valley, presumably for another job.
Wherever Billy Jones is going, he will be sure to continue what he has done best -- help people.
That's what he did at the United Way -- just look at his record.
Jones became the President/CEO of the United Way of Wyoming Valley in 2012. For 90 years, the United Way operated as the "Community Chest" -- donors would donate to the United Way and the United Way would fund agencies throughout the Wyoming Valley.
Jones helped lead transformational changes in how the organization served the community and used the dollars raised to be more impactful.
Most recently, the United Way has been focused on addressing the issues of childhood poverty.
Jones has said that the essence of his philosophy is that if we can invest in children earlier in life, we may be able to prevent need and improve the odds of success later in life. A noble mission indeed.
At the start of every annual fundraising campaign, whenever Jones was asked what was the goal for the year, he never offered a financial amount. Instead, he always said the goal was to reduce childhood poverty in the Wyoming Valley and he truly believed that and he could not have been more passionate about it.
In addition to funding agencies differently, the United Way has developed more than a dozen initiatives to address literacy, school readiness, school attendance, support for students, the need for vision correction, the need for hygiene items, clothing and other supplies -- and more.
Jones said he is particularly proud of:
* The partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, where more than 8,000 children -- birth to 5 years old -- have been enrolled and 200,000-plus books have come into the community.
* The Nurse's Pantry program, which supplies school nurses with health and hygiene items, clothing, and other supplies in 34 school buildings, including every public elementary school in the Wyoming Valley and has served over 5,400 students last year.
* The See to Succeed Vision clinic that provides eye exams and glasses in four local school districts. Through this clinic, glasses have been provided to more than 900 local children in the last 3 school years.
* The Loads of Love Program, which provided 15 school buildings with washers and dryers to help at-risk students have access to laundry facilities and clean clothes.
* The development of the School Based Community Navigator program at Kistler Elementary School to help address the needs of students and families and prevent absenteeism.
* The new Parent Support Line, launched in July to help parents and caregivers address the needs of their children.
Do you see the good that Jones has brought to this community?
And there is more.
The United Way has supported a number of initiatives in several school districts to encourage high school students to consider a career in education.
And Jones gives all the credit for the success of these programs over the years to the staff at the United Way. He has always said that it takes a team, consisting of grant writing, fundraising, event planning, program development, marketing, and good execution to make all this good possible.
Jones says many of the staff are like family and they really care for each other, the work that they do, and the community they serve.
That is evident always.
Jones is also proud of the successful merger of the Berwick Area United Way into the United Way of Wyoming Valley in 2018 that created a number of operating efficiencies, reduced administrative expenses, and has allowed more of the dollars raised in the Berwick community to go to address the needs of that community.
In addition to the Berwick Area United Way, Jones also managed the United Way of Susquehanna County, which is a division of the United Way of Wyoming Valley. Many of the initiatives created in the Wyoming Valley are also operated in Berwick and Susquehanna County to help at-risk children in those communities.
Also during his time as CEO, the organization's longtime contract with the PA Department of Health to serve individuals with HIV throughout the region grew substantially, which enabled the organization to serve many more individuals in need.
Romilda Crocamo, Luzerne County Manager, offed some heartfelt comments about Jones when news of his decision to leave the United Way was announced.
"Hearing about the retirement of Bill Jones, we must all reflect on the remarkable journey he has taken as the President and CEO of the United Way," Crocamo said. "Bill's unwavering commitment to uplifting the most vulnerable members of our community has left an indelible mark on our county."
That really says so much.
Crocamo said Jones' passion for service and dedication to social equity have not only transformed countless lives, but have also inspired a movement of compassion and generosity throughout our community.
"Bill's ability to forge partnerships and engage volunteers has created a ripple effect of positive change that will be felt for years to come," Crocamo said. "As we bid farewell to a true champion for the needy, we acknowledge the profound impact of his work. Bill's vision, leadership, and heartfelt dedication will be sorely missed."
Wherever Jones lands, he will be sure to continue his life mission of helping those who need help the most.
As Dr. Seuss said:
"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."
That's what Bill Jones does -- and what he has always done.