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 making
improvements in our neighborhoods. The City was excited to see the continued interest in the
program this year,” said Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti. “I look forward to visiting the
neighborhoods to see the completed projects.”

Beautiful Blocks in Scranton is made possible with support from the City of Scranton, with
additional support from Community Bank, NA, The Dime Bank, M&T Bank, NBT Bank, Johnson
College, and The Honesdale National Bank.

Over the first three cycles of Beautiful Blocks in the City of Scranton, more than 260 individual
projects 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 participating
residents 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 of
neighbors participated, with more than $15,000 in grant funding awarded. This grant funding
helped 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 of
the Beautiful Blocks program can access more information by visiting the program homepage
at https:// www.nwnepa.org/programs/beautiful-blocks.html. More information is also available
by contacting Gerard Hetman, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania Community
Development 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.

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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.

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.

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