NeighborWorks New Board and Staff This past year, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NeighborWorks) is pleased to welcome several new board and staff members to the team. Board:Joyce Avila is the President of CAFÉ Creating and Facilitating Equality. As a presenter, facilitator, keynote speaker and educator, she organizes and facilitates workshops in the areas of diversity, life change and transition, leadership, communication, conflict resolution, stress management and self-care. Matthew Domines is the Director of Finance for the City of Scranton. He performs a variety of tasks in his role, including planning and coordinating all significant fiscal and related administrative functions for efficient accounting and financial systems, policies, and processes that meet the city’s current and future needs. Damon Spady is a minority business owner who owns and operates his own travel company, Damon’s Getaways. A Dunmore resident, Damon also serves as treasurer for the NAACP Lackawanna County Branch. Mary-Pat Ward is the Development and Fundraising Director for the Catherine McAuley Center. She is involved with the local arts community and enjoys traveling and visiting historical sites. She is a member of the regional roller derby team, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Roller Radicals and resides with her husband, Doug, and daughter, Izzy, in West Scranton. Staff: David DePietro is our Accounting Manager, where he helps manage the day-to-day activities of all financial and business-related operations. He has a strong nonprofit and grant accounting experience background and worked in the nonprofit field for 10+ years. Alyssa Espinoza joins the staff as a full-year AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America) member. A West Scranton native and West Scranton High School alumnus, Alyssa will be serving as the volunteer coordinator for NeighborWorks projects throughout the year. This past May, she graduated with a BA in Psychology and Sociology from Ohio University. Parker Dorsey recently concluded his own VISTA year and joins the staff in a full-time capacity as the Community Program Assistant. Parker will be continuing his role in building capacity and enhancing marketing and communications efforts across all program lines. This past May he received his MBA from Mississippi State University, and is a 2020 graduate of Wilkes University with a BA in Communication Studies. Miranda Pace is our West Scranton Neighborhood Coordinator, where she manages various community development projects and programs as part of the implementation of the West Scranton Neighborhood Plan. Fernanda Proaño is our HUD Certified Housing Counselor, she will help expand our Homebuyer Education, Counseling and Financial Coaching services to Wayne and Pike County. She has over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector with a focus on financial education and coaching. Melody Robinson is our Aging in Place Specialist for Wayne County, where she has expand our Aging in Place services into Wayne County. She has a background in sales and comes highly recommended from established partners in Wayne County.
NeighborWorks Welcomes PNC Bank as Fall Festival Presenting Sponsor NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NeighborWorks) is pleased to welcome PNC Bank as this year’s presenting sponsor for the West Scranton Fall Festival. In collaboration with the City of Scranton, the inaugural West Scranton Fall Festival will be a two-part event that is FREE to the public and will be held Saturday, Oct. 22. Rain date is Nov. 5. It will take place first at Clover Field, located at 400 W Locust St, in Scranton from noon to 3 p.m., and then at Allen Park at the corner of North Main Avenue and Price Street from 6-9 p.m. “Coming together to support local businesses and celebrate our community has never been more important than it is now,” said Pete Danchak, PNC regional president for Northeast PA. “As a National Main Street Bank, supporting the West Scranton Fall Festival as the inaugural presenting sponsor is simply the right thing to do – and fun!” From 3-6 p.m., attendees will be encouraged to check out local establishments within the West Scranton business corridor. For more information and future business promotion regarding the Fall Festival, please go to the Facebook event page here.
Neighborworks Todd Pousley Named Neighborhood Revitalization Manager The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) named Todd Pousley, Neighborhood Revitalization Manager at NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NeighborWorks), to participate in the 2022-2023 class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute, a free leadership and economic development training opportunity for individuals currently living and/or working in one of ARC’s 13 Appalachian states. The 2022-2023 class comprises a diverse network of professionals representing all 13 Appalachian states and a wide spectrum of perspectives and sectors, including tourism, healthcare, education, civil service, and more. The nine-month curriculum is anchored by six multi-day seminars across the Appalachian region focusing on each of ARC’s strategic investment priorities, which aim to strengthen economic and community growth in Appalachia. The fourth class will run from October 2022 through July 2023, focusing on skill-building seminars and best practice reviews to prepare fellows to: • Design effective economic development project proposals• Integrate community assets into long-term economic development strategies• Identify resources available to spark economic and community development• Locate and access investment capital from a variety of public and private sources• Prepare competitive applications for public grant opportunities• Use expanded connections and leadership skills to create strong regional partnerships “Congratulations to the incoming 2022-2023 class of Appalachian Leadership Institute fellows! These leaders are already growing their Appalachian communities and will be even better equipped to drive positive change after their work with this program,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “I am eager to see this class of fellows collaborate across state lines to set big goals that will help the entire Appalachian region thrive.” Appalachian Leadership Institute fellows were selected via a competitive application process to reflect the Appalachian region’s wide range of economic development challenges, opportunities, and strategies. Upon completion of the program, Pousley will automatically become part of the Appalachian Leadership Institute Alumni Network, a peer-to-peer working group of experts helping foster collaborative solutions that will build a stronger future for Appalachia. “I’m thrilled for Todd to be included as a fellow in this year’s Appalachian Leadership Institute class,” said Jesse Ergott, President & CEO of NeighborWorks. “His deep experience and commitment to community development make him a great fit for this exciting program. We look forward to utilizing what he learns from the sessions in various communities to advance our work on behalf of our neighbors here in northeastern Pennsylvania.” Joining Pousley in representing Pennsylvania are fellow local area expert Holly Pilcavage, CEO of Coal Creative in Wilkes-Barre, and Amanda Craig Bradley, Business Outreach Manager of DRIVE in Danville.
Join Neighborworks at the West Scranton Fall Festival This year, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania is excited to present the West Scranton Fall Festival in collaboration with the City of Scranton! This two-part event is FREE to the public and will be held on Saturday, October 22! The first part of the festival will be at Clover Field (400 W Locust St, Scranton) from noon to 3pm. There will be food, bounce houses, children’s activities, and entertainment! The second part will be at Allen Park (corner of North Main Avenue and Price Street) from 6-9pm. There will be live music, smores, hot chocolate, and more! El Buen Amigo and Paradise Soul Food & Sweets are among the food vendors that will be at Clover Field. Grupo Zona and Jack Bordo & Jim Cullen, joined by Sharon Ambrozia, will be playing music at Allen Park. More details to come.
NeighborWorks NEPA Announces Grants Awarded in Scranton NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania is pleased to partner with both the City of Scranton and the City of Carbondale to announce the block groups selected for funding in the 2022 Beautiful Blocks program cycle. With a total of 101 properties in Scranton being awarded grants, NeighborWorks staff expects an approximate total of $80,000 in grant funding to be awarded to Scranton residents. Based on past results, an approximate total of $160,000 in matching funds from residents is expected to be contributed to awarded projects. In Carbondale, a total of 40 properties are expected to see approximately $30,000 in grant funding awarded, with matching funding from residents expected to total $60,000. A full list of groups receiving funding is attached to this release. Beautiful Blocks is a home improvement program which provides matching grants of up to $1,000 per property to groups of residents to help them make exterior improvements to their homes. 2022 represents the fourth consecutive program cycle in Scranton for Beautiful Blocks, with the program entering its second consecutive cycle in Carbondale after launching in the Pioneer City in 2021. Members of selected groups have until November 1 to complete their individual exterior home improvement projects, with groups also eligible for a $500 stipend to conduct a community celebration or service project. According to NeighborWorks President & CEO Jesse Ergott, “Beautiful Blocks is all about bringing people together to improve the neighborhoods they call home. We are thrilled that the program is resonating with so many of our neighbors in both Scranton and Carbondale and are greatly appreciative of all of the funding partners who help to make it happen. We are looking forward to continued growth of this program in both communities as we facilitate both physical improvements to homes and strengthened connections between neighbors.” “It is so exciting to see our residents working as a team making improvements to their home and their neighborhoods,” said Michele Bannon, Carbondale City Clerk and former board chair for NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania. “Year two of Beautiful Blocks has made a tremendous impact on the City. Each year the program is growing bringing more homeowners together. It’s amazing to see the impact of committed, empowered homeowners on our community.” Beautiful Blocks in Carbondale is made possible with support from Lackawanna County Commissioners Jerry Notarianni, Debi Domenick, Esq., and Chris Chermak; with additional support from Millennium Packaging, Coterra Energy, Gentex, The Dime Bank, and other local businesses. “The Beautiful Blocks program creates an opportunity for community-building while makingimprovements in our neighborhoods. The City was excited to see the continued interest in theprogram this year,” said Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti. “I look forward to visiting theneighborhoods to see the completed projects.” Beautiful Blocks in Scranton is made possible with support from the City of Scranton, withadditional support from Community Bank, NA, The Dime Bank, M&T Bank, NBT Bank, JohnsonCollege, and The Honesdale National Bank. Over the first three cycles of Beautiful Blocks in the City of Scranton, more than 260 individualprojects have been completed by Scranton residents, grouped into 34 block groups. More than$219,000 in grant funding has been distributed to as part of these projects, with participatingresidents contributing more than $485,000 in matching funds to improving their neighborhoods. In the first year of the Beautiful Blocks program operating in Carbondale, three groups ofneighbors participated, with more than $15,000 in grant funding awarded. This grant fundinghelped to leverage more than $30,000 in funds invested from participating homeowners. Residents of Scranton and Carbondale who are interested in participating in future cycles ofthe Beautiful Blocks program can access more information by visiting the program homepageat https:// www.nwnepa.org/programs/beautiful-blocks.html. More information is also availableby contacting Gerard Hetman, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania CommunityDevelopment Specialist, at (570) 558-2490 or ghetman@nwnepa.org.
NeighborWorks Honored with “Townie” Award NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NeighborWorks) was recently recognized for the success of its Beautiful Blocks program with a 2022 “Townie” Award from the Pennsylvania Downtown Center (PDC). Presented in the category of “Physical Improvements & Design: Program-Wide Façade Rehabilitation,” the award honors the Beautiful Blocks program, which provides matching funding support to groups of residents in Scranton and Carbondale to assist in making exterior improvements to their homes. “Our team is most appreciative of the recognition by the Pennsylvania Downtown Center of our Beautiful Blocks program with a 2022 Townie Award,” Jesse Ergott, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania President & CEO, said of the award. “To see the significant positive impact made in neighborhoods throughout Scranton and Carbondale by Beautiful Blocks recognized by our peers across the Commonwealth in this way is something we celebrate with all of the neighbors whose participation made this innovative program possible.” The Townie Award was presented during the Pennsylvania Downtown Center’s 2022 Townie Awards Gala Dinner, held in late June in Harrisburg as part of the organization’s annual conference. Todd Pousley, Neighborhood Revitalization Manager, accepted the award on behalf of our organization. Joining Todd were staff members Gerard Hetman (Community Development Specialist) and Miranda Pace (West Scranton Neighborhood Coordinator). Also joining them was Wayne Evans, a NeighborWorks board member who originally developed the Beautiful Blocks program during his past service as Scranton Mayor. Since 2019, the Beautiful Blocks program has awarded more than $235,000 in funding to 37 groups of residents in Scranton and Carbondale. These funds have been matched with over $500,000 in matching funds from participating residents, resulting in the completion of more than 280 home improvement projects and a total investment of more than $750,000 into neighborhoods in both communities.
Partners Announce the 2022 Edition of Scranton City Pride Cleanups & Plantings After a strong first year of joint planning and programming, Scranton City Pride clean-ups and plantings are returning to the Electric City for 2022. Organizers are pleased to announce the weeklong event will take place in neighborhoods throughout the City, and the Downtown Business District, thanks to a partnership between Scranton Tomorrow, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania, and the City of Scranton. Scranton City Pride will be held, June 4 through 12, in conjunction with national NeighborWorks Week. Representatives from all three partnering organizations gathered this afternoon at Scranton Tomorrow’s office on Linden Street in Downtown Scranton to share the exciting news. Guest speakers included: Leslie Collins, President and CEO, Scranton Tomorrow; Jesse Ergott, President and CEO, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania; Michael Gilmartin, Chairperson, Scranton Tomorrow Board of Directors; Eileen Cipriani, Director, Office of Community Development City of Scranton ; and Teddy Michel, Vice Chairperson, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania Board of Directors. “The success of our Scranton Tomorrow and NeighborWorks collaboration is an example of the power of partnerships,” Collins said. “Our joint venture has allowed us to reestablish the campaign in the downtown business district and our neighborhoods in every section of the City. This year’s programming ranges from cleanups to beautification, and inclusive and creative service projects. We are so grateful for this collaboration, and we invite everyone in the community to take pride in our City, and join us.” With an increased interest in volunteer opportunities from their supporters, and national NeighborWorks Week taking place in early June, Scranton City Pride has found a natural fit for NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania. Get Involved
NeighborWorks NEPA Receives Contribution from Honesdale National Bank NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NeighborWorks) recently accepted a contribution from Honesdale National Bank (HNB), in the amount of $10,000 through the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development’s Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP). The contribution will support the Scranton Beautiful Blocks Program for 2022. Beautiful Blocks, which is jointly sponsored by NeighborWorks and the City of Scranton, provides matching grants of up to $1,000 to each member of a group of at least five Scranton residents to help them make exterior improvements to their homes. Grants are awarded annually through a competitive application process. HNB President & CEO, Thomas E. Sheridan, stated, “At HNB, we are thrilled to support a program that provides greater opportunity for families to grow in our local neighborhoods.” He said, “The future of our communities is vested in partnerships just like these and we appreciate all NeighborWorks is doing to accelerate local opportunities.” “Honesdale National Bank has been a steadfast partner for our community work over the years,” said Jesse Ergott, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania President & CEO. “Their contribution to this year’s Beautiful Blocks Program is just another example of how they prioritize direct and measurable investment in our neighborhoods.”
NeighborWorks Welcomes Shane Powers as New Chief Operating Officer NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NeighborWorks) is pleased to announce it has welcomed Shane Powers to its staff for the recently-established Chief Operating Officer position. NeighborWorks created this new role to enhance its operating capacity and strategy execution as the organization expands its geographic and programmatic reach throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. In addition to serving as a strategic and management partner to the Board, President & CEO and Program Managers, Ms. Powers will lead the day-to-day operations of NeighborWorks. Prior to joining the NeighborWorks team, Ms. Powers served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Tunkhannock Area School District, where she was responsible for all non-instructional systems in the district, including the Business Office, Facilities, Transportation, Food Service, and Human Resources. Additionally, Ms. Powers previously served as the Site General Manager at DHL Supply Chain, as well as accruing over 15 years of logistical and operational management experience at Procter and Gamble in the Mehoopany, PA plant. “I’m really excited to get started. The people that I’ve had the opportunity to meet and that I’m starting to work with are truly experts in what they do,” said Shane. “They’re so committed to the work that they’re doing and believe strongly and passionately that the work is really going to benefit the communities in which we serve.” Ms. Powers currently resides in Tunkhannock with her husband, Christopher and her 3 children.
