Carm Camillo, community relations representative for Waste Management Inc., presented a $5,000 check to Larry Haynes, the executive director of the Shenango Valley Foundation, Friday at the foundation office on Chestnut Street in Sharon.

The contribution was part of Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Web site, EITC provides “tax credits to eligible businesses contributing to a scholarship organization, an educational improvement organization, and/or a prekindergarten scholarship organization.”

The contribution will go to a scholarship fund that serves kindergarten to 12th graders in Mercer and Lawrence counties.

Last year, the non-profit foundation helped more than 200 families pay for parochial or private schools, Haynes said.

The process begins when the schools send information on qualified applicants to the foundation. Then, the foundation disburses the money directly to the schools. The $5,000 will most likely be donated to smaller private and parochial schools, Haynes said.

Haynes explained that because Pennsylvania does not have an education voucher program, the foundation helps low- to moderate-income families benefit from more options when it comes to education.

Schools that have benefited from the program include Kennedy Catholic High School, Hermitage; St. Joseph, Notre Dame, St. Michael’s and Monsignor Geno J. Monti parochial schools in Sharon, Hermitage, Greenville and Farrell, respectively; and Sharon Christian Academy, Hermitage.

“Waste Management has participated in the program since its inception in 2001,” Camillo said. “Over the past three years, Waste Management has contributed $15,000 to the community foundation, and over $3.4 million statewide.

“Five thousand dollars goes a lot farther here than in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, or any other urban setting,” Camillo added.

“That’s right,” Haynes agreed.

“It’s a great way to help the community by helping families,” Haynes said. “And they receive tax credit for their gift.”