Johnson College Receives Contribution from Fidelity Bank Johnson College received a $5,000 EITC contribution from Fidelity Bank to support students in the College’s Industry Fast Track Program. The Industry Fast Track Program (IFT) is a joint partnership with area school districts and the College. The program offers high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to simultaneously enroll in secondary and post-secondary coursework on the Johnson College campus. Students remain enrolled full-time at their high school while attending classes at Johnson College. Fidelity Bank’s contribution to Johnson College is part of Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
The Honesdale National Bank Foundation Makes Contribution to Leadership Lackawanna The Honesdale National Bank Foundation has recently made a $2,100 contribution to Leadership Lackawanna. The funds will be used to support their SimSoc Program. HNB President & CEO, Thomas E. Sheridan Jr., stated, “The Foundation is pleased to assist in creating leaders in our community” He then mentioned, “members of our area are supplied with an assortment of skillsets and qualities, and it is important to provide options to drive their opportunity for impact in today’s society.” SimSoc is a training program that cultivates an unlimited amount of skills such as communication, trust, problem-solving, empathy, decision-making, interpersonal feelings, and much more. This program will be implemented into their Core program to give participants experience and a better understanding of the complexity of our society. The Honesdale National Bank Foundation was established to further support the Bank’s commitment to contributing to the growth and development of the communities we serve. Leadership Lackawanna is a 501(c)(3) charitable, nonprofit organization in northeastern Pennsylvania dedicated to community leadership and professional development. Its six programs – Tomorrow’s Leaders Today, Core, Executive, Leadership Collegiate, Leadership Fundamentals, and Welcome Scranton! – enhance the skills, connections, and knowledge of emerging and established leaders, enabling them to better serve in our communities, workplaces, and organizations. All program curriculum follows the format and standards of all other community leadership programs throughout the United States. Since its inception, Leadership Lackawanna has graduated more than 2,400 community leaders. The Honesdale National Bank Foundation is a 501(c)3 entity established by The Honesdale National Bank to engage in community giving initiatives that foster the area’s growth and resources as it has remained committed to since its founding in 1836. The Foundation’s aims to fulfill that mission through initiatives that support the sustainability and strengthening of resources and programming that make local communities thrive and remain desirable places to live, work, and play. The mission will be upheld through the provision of funding for public charities, institutions, schools and other not-for-profit organizations throughout our local area. The Honesdale National Bank (HNB), established in 1836, is a subsidiary of Honat Bancorp, Inc. HNB holds the distinction of being the area’s oldest independent community bank headquartered in Northeastern PA, with offices in Wayne, Pike, Susquehanna, Lackawanna, and Luzerne Counties. Photo Caption: Nikki Morristell, Leadership Lackawanna, Jill Robinson, Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau, Alissa Weiss, Cash Management Officer at HNB, Andrew Pickett, The Miles Company, Jim Warren, Warren Construction, Gina Suydam, Leadership Wyoming.
NeighborWorks Receives Contribution NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NeighborWorks) recently accepted a contribution from The Dime Bank (Dime), 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 2023. 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.“As a community bank, The Dime Bank is proud to partner with NeighborWorks and contribute to their efforts of revitalizing neighborhoods and building community connections. We are excited to be part of their Beautiful Blocks program that encourages team work among neighbors and invests in property improvement,” stated William Boyle, The Dime Bank Senior Vice President, Chief Lending Officer.“We want to sincerely thank The Dime Bank for their generous contribution towards this year’s Beautiful Blocks program in Scranton,” said Jesse Ergott, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania President & CEO. “We are grateful for their commitment to making a positive impact in our community and beyond.”
Treasurer Announces Contributions Surpassed $100 million Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced today that total contributions to the PA ABLE Savings Program have surpassed $100 million. PA ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts are a tax-free way for Pennsylvanians with qualifying disabilities and their families to save without affecting eligibility for means-tested government disability benefits. “Reaching this milestone demonstrates the power of PA ABLE and reflects all the positive impacts the program has made for account owners and their families,” Garrity said. “Everyone deserves financial independence and security, and PA ABLE helps Pennsylvanians with disabilities to save money for necessary expenses without losing any of the disability benefits they rely on.” Pennsylvanians have contributed $101.2 million to PA ABLE accounts since the program’s inception in 2017. More than $25.7 million has been withdrawn for disability-related expenses, like groceries, rent, healthcare, transportation, and longer-term expenses including education and assistive technology. In 2022 alone, PA ABLE account owners contributed $28 million, while $9 million was withdrawn. Nearly 1,500 Pennsylvanians opened new PA ABLE accounts during that time. PA ABLE offers seven different savings and investment options, including a checking account. Contributions of up to $17,000 per year can be deducted on PA state income taxes, and PA ABLE account owners pay no federal or state income tax on account growth when used for qualified withdrawals. Treasurer Garrity was elected the inaugural chair of the ABLE Savings Plan Network (ASPN) late last year and will oversee ASPN’s strategic leadership and policies which aim to advance and bolster ABLE accounts nationwide. In December, Congress passed the ABLE Age Adjustment Act, which raised the age limit for onset of a disability from 26 to 46 beginning in 2026. An estimated 6 million more Americans, including one million veterans, will be eligible to open ABLE accounts beginning in 2026. The bill was introduced by U.S. Senator Bob Casey, who championed the original ABLE Act of 2014, and cosponsored by retired U.S. Senator Pat Toomey. A corresponding House bill had 17 cosponsors from Pennsylvania’s 18-member delegation. PA ABLE is the largest program in the 18-member National ABLE Alliance, accounting for more than 25% of total Alliance assets. Currently, more than 7,100 Pennsylvanians have PA ABLE accounts. The program was created by state legislation with leadership from Sen. Lisa Baker and former Rep. Bernie O’Neill. Visit paable.gov or call 855-529-2253 to learn more about PA ABLE. Media contact:Samantha Heckel, Press Secretary, 717-418-0206 or sheckel@patreasury.gov
Johnson College Receives Contribution From Peoples Security Bank & Trust Johnson College recently received a $12,000 contribution from Peoples Security Bank & Trust to support the College’s Industry Fast Track/Dual Enrollment Program. Peoples Security Bank & Trust’s contribution to Johnson College is part of Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The program offers businesses a tax credit for supporting state-approved educational improvement programs. Johnson College is approved to accept EITC contributions in support of its STEM outreach programs and Industry Fast Track program. Johnson College’s Industry Fast Track program offers high school students from participating area school districts an opportunity to enroll simultaneously in secondary and post-secondary coursework at Johnson College. The course meets state requirements for high school graduation while providing college-level courses. Students remain enrolled full-time at their high school while attending classes at Johnson College.
Johnson College Receives $25,000 from Kenworth of Pennsylvania Recently, Johnson College received a $25,000 contribution from Kenworth of Pennsylvania to support its Diesel Truck Technology program and students. Kenworth of Pennsylvania has been a strong industry partner with Johnson College for fifteen years. They consistently support the College and its students by making cash and in-kind contributions, participating in the Diesel Truck Technology program advisory committee, hosting student interns, and inviting students to take part in their live program labs inside their facility in Dunmore, PA. This year’s contribution will help maintain the quality of the hands-on education Kenworth values to prepare students to enter their industry’s workforce as well qualified and trained technicians. Motor Truck Equipment Company was founded in 1933 and is the parent company of Kenworth of Pennsylvania, Motor Truck PacLease, Motor Truck Thermo King, and TRP of Allentown. Motor Truck spans three generations of leadership from the Mitchell family. They offer the sale of new, medium and heavy-duty Kenworth trucks, as well as a selection of used models. Kenworth of PA has 10 parts and service locations across the state of Pennsylvania to serve all their customers’ transportation needs. To learn more about Kenworth of Pennsylvania, visit kwofpa.com. For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email enroll@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu.
Fidelity Bank Awards Over $1 Million in EITC Contributions Fidelity Bank recently presented non-profit organizations and educational institutions with Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) funds totaling over $1.054 million. Ranging from $1,000 to $141,000 per organization, the amount of financial support the Bank has been able to provide to organizations has nearly doubled since 2019. “We are pleased to partner with Fidelity Bank through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program,” said Melissa Turlip, Director of Programming, Commonwealth Charitable Management, Inc. “Funds were provided to twelve high schools in northeastern Pennsylvania to support Dual Enrollment programs. The funds offset the costs for participating students to earn college credits while in high school and are a huge benefit to hundreds of students.” “As a community bank, Fidelity is proud to invest in the communities we serve,” said Daniel J. Santaniello, president and CEO, Fidelity Bank. “With so many families and school districts facing economic hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for funding is more important than ever. The local students who benefit from the enriched educational experiences provided by these funds are the future. We wish them great success as they pursue their educational goals and dreams.” The EITC program provides tax credits to eligible businesses contributing to scholarship and educational improvement organizations. In keeping with Fidelity Bank’s commitment to support the communities it serves, the program benefits students in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley. Through partnerships between local businesses, parents, and scholarship organizations, EITC funding gives local students opportunities for better educational outcomes.
