West Scranton Hometown Heroes Banner Program Open for Applications Applications are now being accepted for the first full cycle of the Hometown Heroes banner program, an initiative jointly sponsored by NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania and the West Scranton Neighbors Association. The Hometown Heroes program seeks to honor current and former members of the U.S military who have a connection to West Scranton. Banners will be hung along both Main Avenue, as well as Luzerne Street, in the Spring of 2022. Family members wishing to honor a loved one for their military service can obtain an application by vising www.nwnepa.org, or by visiting the NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania office at 815 Smith Street, Scranton, PA 18504. The office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To complete an application, family members must submit a paper copy of the application form to the office, and also provide a photo of the veteran in military uniform, as well as proof of honorable discharge (a DD Form 214 is preferred.) A cost of $250 per banner is assessed for printing and hanging; a check or money order for the full amount (payable to NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania) must accompany each application at time of submission. Banners will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and will be available until all spots are filled. The Hometown Heroes banner program was initiated in West Scrantonby a project group from the Leadership Lackawanna Core Program Class of 2021, who organized an initial run of 30 banners. This project is part of the West Scranton Neighborhood Plan, a 10-year strategy for revitalizing West Side. NeighborWorks released the plan in the fall of 2020 and is currently leading its implementation. Anyone interested in participating in the Hometown Heroes program is asked to contact Deborah DeFazio, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania Front Desk Operations, at (570) 558-2490 or ddefazio@nwnepa.org.
NeighborWorks West Scranton Neighborhood Plan Wins Award NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania’s West Scranton Neighborhood Plan was recognized by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association at its annual conference and awards luncheon in Pittsburgh on October 19, 2021. NeighborWorks’ West Scranton Neighborhood Plan was one of just three plans to receive an award. According to the judges, “The plan achieves its essential purpose. Its thoughtful organization and graphics appeal to a wide range of users and the size and scope allow for implementation.” “It is an honor to receive this award not just on behalf of NeighborWorks but all the people and organizations who were involved in developing our West Scranton Neighborhood Plan, especially the residents,” said NeighborWorks’ n eighborhood re vitalization manager, Todd Pousley. “ From the beginning, we set out to develop a resident-driven plan that reflects the ideas and priorities of the people who live and work in West Scranton, and we accomplished that with the help of a 26-person steering committee. We can’t wait to put the plan into action!” The West Scranton Neighborhood Plan, a 10-year strategy for revitalizing West Side, was released in the fall of 2020 and is now being implemented by NeighborWorks and its community partners. WRT—an architecture, planning, and design firm based in Philadelphia—assisted with development of the plan, which was funded by the Regional Foundation (formerly the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation).
NeighborWorks NEPA Announces Grant for Aging in Place Services Staff from NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania were joined today by U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) to announce the receipt of a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) for the expansion ofAging in Place Services in Lackawanna and Wayne Counties. Awarded as part of HUD’s Older Adult Home Modification Program (OAHMP), the grant will fund safety upgrades and home improvement projects in 225 homes to meet the needs of low-income elderly homeowners in Lackawanna and Wayne counties. “Seniors across the nation have made their desire to live in their own homes resoundingly clear, which is why the work that NeighborWorks does is so vital,” said Senator Casey. “These dollars will go directly to seniors who need services and supports such as safety adjustments, home repairs and accessibility modifications that will allow them to live safely and with dignity. I look forward to seeing the benefits that will reach Northeastern Pennsylvania seniors as a result of this grant and I will continue to advocate for a historic federal investment in home and community-based services.” “The Office of Lead Hazard Control & Healthy Homes is excited to broaden our scope to include the Older Adults Home Modification Program (OAHMP),” Yolanda Brown, Lead and Healthy Homes Program Division Director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said of the program expansion. “OAHMP provides funding to assess the needs of low-income, elderly homeowners and make home modifications that are responsive to those needs. The work made possible by these funds help to make activities of daily living (e.g. eating, cooking, moving around the home) easier for our beneficiaries and extend their opportunity to safely age-in-place.” “We are most thankful for the support of Senator Casey and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in supporting our Aging in Place program with this significant investment,” Jesse Ergott, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania President & CEO, said of the award. “Being able to reach more older adults in Lackawanna County, together with the expansion of Aging in Place services in Wayne County, will make a profound impact for the good of older adults in Northeastern Pennsylvania.” Since its inception in 2015, the Aging in Place program of NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania has provided homeowners aged 60 and above with services that focus on assisting them to continue living safely and with dignity in their home and community. Services provided as part of the Aging in Place program include critical safety modifications, home repairs, senior isolation prevention, financial coaching, and more. NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania is one of 32 grant recipients across the United States to be receiving funding in this round of OAHMP awards; other grant recipients include local and state government entities, nonprofit agencies, and public housing authorities. Altogether, more than 5,000 beneficiaries nationwide will be reached by services that will assist seniors in continuing to live in their homes. Lackawanna County residents seeking Aging in Place services should contact the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging at 570-963-6707 to ask for an Aging in Place referral. Wayne County residents seeking Aging in Place services are asked to contact the Wayne County Area Agency on Aging by calling 570-253-4262.
NeighborWorks and The Azek Company Kick Off Paint the Town 2021 NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania, along with The AZEK Company, will be hosting the 2021 Paint the Town volunteer event between Monday, August 30 and Friday, September 3. Small home repair, interior and exterior painting, and yard clean-up will be provided to six older adult headed households in West Scranton.The AZEK Company, the innovative manufacturer of beautiful, low maintenance and environmentally sustainable outdoor living and home exterior products, is providing all the exterior materials, including their high-performance engineered decking, which decreases the need for upkeep and maintenance, securing the safety of the older adults receiving the product. The AZEK Company is also providing approximately 30 volunteers to complete the projects.Also providing volunteers to complete the repairs for older adults are FNCB Bank, who will be providing installation assistance of NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania’s safety kits, which include items such as LED lights, night lights, hallway lighting, nonslip mats for entry ways and bathrooms, fire extinguishers, CO2/smoke detectors and other essential items to increase safety in the home. Other FNCB Bank employees will join The AZEK Company in completing small home repairs and painting.Marywood University’s Bachelor of Social Work students will be supporting safety efforts for older adults by assisting in yard clean up for a West Scranton older adult resident, removing fallen branches and beautifying the yard.For more information and a schedule of events please contact Mary Endrusick, Aging in Place Coordinator at 570-954-0637. Learn More
NeighborWorks NEPA Launches Mobile Toolkit Program NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania is pleased to announce the launch of the Mobile Toolkit program. The Mobile Toolkit is a trailer-based collection of outdoor tools and equipment that can be transported and used for cleanups, tree-plantings, and other outdoor projects. The Mobile Toolkit will be available for use by local nonprofit organizations, neighborhood groups, and others to complete neighborhood improvement projects. Tools available in the Mobile Toolkit include a lawnmower, walk-behind and hand-held string trimmers, shovels, rakes, wheelbarrows, and various hand-held tools. “The Mobile ToolKit represents a great step forward in our capacities to aid our community partners in the area of neighborhood revitilization,” Jesse Ergott, NWNEPA President & CEO, said of the initiative. “The tools and equipment available for use through this program will allow neighborhood groups to accomplish projects that may not be possible otherwise.” The Mobile Toolkit has served as the team service project for the Community Leadership Instittue (CLI) team from NWNEPA. Organized and hosted by NeighborWorks America, the CLI program brings together teams of neighborhood leaders from NeighborWorks Network member organizations across the United States to strengthen the capacity of the participants to make positive change in their communities. The CLI timeline includes action planning sessions, skill-building workshops and a yearlong service project implementation period. CLI team members include Thom Welby, Henry Matute, Andy Chomko, Anne McNally, Tim Schwartz, Robert Philbin, Eric Myers, Robert Gattens, Meegan Possemato, and Holly Yorkonis.For more information, or to reserve the Mobile ToolKit for an upcoming neighborhood project, visit nwnepa.org/mobiletoolkit, or contact Gerard Hetman at 570-558-2490 or ghetman@nwnepa.org.
NeighborWorks Seeking AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Volunteers Looking for a fun and meaningful way to spend your summer? NeighborWorks is seeking two responsible, self-motivated individuals to provide 10 weeks of service, June 7 to August 13, 2021, through AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). NeighborWorks is a nonprofit organization that revitalizes neighborhoods and creates opportunities for families to improve their lives through quality housing and financial guidance. VISTA Summer Associates are an integral part of our dedicated, hardworking team, which is devoted to bringing low-income individuals and communities out of poverty. About the PositionVISTA Summer Associates will work with residents and volunteers to improve West Scranton and serve seniors through NeighborWorks’ aging in place program by: • Coordinating volunteer home repair projects• Installing home safety kits for seniors• Visiting businesses to enroll them in a business association• Coordinating neighborhood and park cleanups• Maintaining vacant lots• Picking up litter along main commercial corridors• Documenting and reporting quality of life issues (code violations, missing street signs, etc.) This position requires a commitment to serve as a full-time team member for a 10-week period this summer. Although this is a non-salaried volunteer position, VISTA Summer Associates receive a bi-weekly living allowance and are eligible for an education award or cash stipend at the end of their term of service. For more information about the AmeriCorps VISTA program, visit https://americorps.gov/serve/fit-finder/americorps-vista. Qualifications• U.S. citizen at least 18 years of age• Ability to work independently on a variety of projects and lead others in service activities• Excellent verbal and written communication skills• Basic computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office• Valid driver’s license and privately owned vehicle for service-related travel How to ApplyApplications will be accepted until May 7, 2021, or until the positions are filled. To apply, email your resume to Todd Pousley, Neighborhood Revitalization Manager, at tpousley@nwnepa.org.
NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania Announces Move to New Location NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania is excited to announce their move to 815 Smith Street in West Scranton. The new location will provide the non-profit with more space and technology, a more efficient layout, and more parking. NeighborWorks will be able to have more impact on the neighbors and communities they serve. Outdoor renovations of the new location are being planned for the summer.
NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania Receives $10,000 Donation from FNCB Bank FNCB Bank, locally-based for over 111 years, recently donated $10,000 through the Pennsylvania Neighborhood Assistance Project Tax Credit Program, to NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania for their Beautiful Blocks Program. The Beautiful Blocks Program provides matching grants of up to $1,000 per property to groups of 5 or more Scranton residents to help them make exterior improvements to their homes. Grants are awarded annually through a competitive application process. Applications for the 2021 program year are now open at www.nwnepa.org. The support of NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania is part of FNCB’s larger Community Caring initiative. As a true, local community bank, FNCB is making a difference through volunteerism, donations and outreach programs.
