The Pennsylvania Music Preservation Society will likely receive a $2,000 grant, $3,000 less than the newly formed nonprofit had requested from the county.

Lehigh County commissioners approved a motion to amend the bill to reduce the original $5,000 to $2,000.

At the previous meeting, during the first reading of the bill, Commissioner Percy Dougherty opposed the idea of giving $5,000 saying other deserving organizations which have been operational for many years were only getting $2,000.

The bill is expected to be voted on again at the next commissioners’ meeting.

Other nonprofits are still in the pipeline to receive grants but, before they do, they need to obtain waivers from the requirement to show a past financial history as they are new or have no financial history.

Commissioners gave a first reading to waive the requirement for a financial history to be submitted for the Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King Memorial and the Mock Turtle Marionette Theater, which would allow them to apply for grants.

Emmaus resident John Donches did not agree with the idea of giving the money.

“You’re giving them money in return for their vote, Donches said. “That’s the way I look at it.”

Donches said he would prefer commissioners take care of infrastructure and police and “stuff like that.”

Commissioners also approved distribution of Federal block grants, known as Community Development Block Grants, that will affect many organizations and communities in the Lehigh Valley.

Some of the recipients include: Catholic Charities for up to three months of rent and utility assistance to 25 low- and middle-income households - $29,700; Lehigh Career and Technical Institute for case management of 20 low-income, at-risk students who require truancy interventions - $25,000; The Literacy Center for English as a second language and GED instruction to 30 adults - $15,000; Alliance for Building Communities to rehabilitate Mountain View apartments by replacing an elevator, renovation of bathrooms and kitchens in four apartments and a driveway replacement to eliminate mobility barriers for the physically disabled - $143,000; and Coopersburg Borough for slip lining and manhole repairs - $163,130.

Fred Sorrick, representing Child Evangelism Fellowship of Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley, told commissioners he does “ministry in the public school systems” and that there are 1,100 homeless kindergarten through fifth grade students in the Allentown School District.

“When contacting principals in the Allentown School District, I found children are coming to school who have to pay for their uniforms.”

He said these children’s clothes are not being washed.

“I know we have grants,” Sorrick said. “Can the county do anything about this? I know we have a serious situation.”

He said there is a need for “underwear and toothbrushes because it is a burden of teachers to take money out of their own pockets to meet the needs of these children.”

He said teachers are becoming social workers.

“We have a department of Children and Youth,” Dougherty reminded Sorrick.

Sorrick told The Press he received his information from a contact in the Lehigh Conference of Churches.

Lehigh County Director of Administration Edward Hozza told commissioners he would contact the Allentown School District Administration on the matter.

Lehigh County Children and Youth employee Francisco Molina, in an interview, said he was not aware of 1,100 homeless children in Lehigh Valley schools.

He said such information is considered “mandated reporting,” meaning anyone with knowledge of such information is required to report it to proper authority.

In a later interview, Commissioner Amy Zanelli said she thinks the assertion there are 1,100 homeless kindergarten through fifth grade children in the Allentown School District is “inconsistent with information I have from my sources.”

After the meeting, Sorrick said his group conducts evangelism meetings in several Lehigh County schools but he declined to say what schools were involved.

“We go into six elementary schools in Allentown with 130 volunteers,” Sorrick said.

This information could not be confirmed with the Allentown School District before press time.

Sorrick said he was concerned atheists might try to interfere if he told The Press any details, such as which schools he was talking about.