Pennsylvania American Water Awards Grants to 8 Organizations

In advance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, celebrating the life and legacy of this prominent civil rights leader, Pennsylvania American Water today announced eight recipients of grants supporting the company’s Inclusion, Diversity and Equity efforts. Grants in the amounts of $3,000-5,000 were awarded to eight organizations across the company’s service territory, totaling $35,000.

“Investing in organizations that promote inclusion, diversity and equity-related initiatives is a key component of our community engagement strategy,” said Justin Ladner, president of Pennsylvania American Water. “Through these grants, Pennsylvania American Water shows its continued commitment to helping create inclusive and welcoming communities across the Commonwealth.”

Pennsylvania American Water selected the following organizations across its service territory that support and reflect the company’s inclusion, diversity and equity values and efforts:

Scranton Awards First ARPA Grants for Small Business Development

The City of Scranton awarded nearly $350,000 to support the creation and expansion of small businesses on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. Businesses applied in the Fall of 2022 for the grants that are part of the City’s $68.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

“By investing in small businesses, we’re helping others create new jobs, revitalize buildings, and find solutions to emerging problems in our community,” Mayor Paige G. Cognetti announced at Downtown Deli, 300 Biden St., Scranton. “Our first ARPA Startup and Expansion grants support businesses that are as diverse as the City itself, and there’s still more grant money to help others realize their dream of building or growing their business right here in Scranton.”

Through a spending plan approved by City Council in May 2022, the City allocated a total of $1.25 million to support the creation and expansion of Scranton’s small businesses. Applications opened in September 2022, but the City revised grant guidelines in November to make funding more accessible. Applicants can receive up to 25% of eligible costs in their startup or expansion project budget, with a $100,000 limit per business. Approximately $900,000 remains to support startup and expansion projects, and submissions are under constant review. Applications remain open, and funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Applications were weighed based upon the City’s ARPA mission, which aims to give people access to resources, rebuild infrastructure systems that impact everyday life, and foster equitable wealth generation targeting residents’ needs. All applications were reviewed by the City, compliance consultants from Anser Advisory, and representatives of both the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania for business sustainability and duplication of benefits, among other factors.

At Tuesday’s announcement, Mayor Cognetti was joined by grant recipients including Downtown Deli, Retro Café, and Unison Workforce Technologies.

“This project is three years in the making. We had the idea to expand into a catering business before the pandemic, but we needed a little extra help to get it off the ground,” said Downtown Deli General Manager Denise Leppo. “It’s wonderful to get this funding from the City to finally get up and running.”

“We have been developing our app FYSH (Fuel Your Side Hustle) for over a year now! Covid really delayed our project, yet we continued to pay our staff through the entire pandemic,” added Marilyn Major, CEO of Unison Workforce. “I am so appreciative of Mayor Cognetti and the city for this generous funding that will help make our app successful so we can hire more people in the near future.”

Grant recipients, the funding they will receive, and their project details, in alphabetical order, are:

  • Downtown Deli, 300 Biden Street, $77,234 towards the addition of catering services, including the physical expansion of their downtown footprint along Biden Street for both food preparation and service. The Deli will also build a new accessible restroom.
  • Little Wild Refillery, 343 N. Washington Avenue, $19,376 for the ongoing support of the seven-month-old sustainable goods and zero-waste shop, including the creation of a new part-time position. The business previously received a $5,000 Small Business Microgrant from the City.
  • Nlyten Corp., doing business as GUIDE, located at the Scranton Enterprise Center, 201 Lackawanna Avenue, $100,000 for the tech startup’s creation of multiple full-time positions, with a focus on hiring recent graduates of local colleges and universities. The company anticipates a February 2023 launch of its GUIDE mobile app, which is designed to deliver proven behavioral health and wellness practices to veterans and first responders, empowering them to resolve past trauma, improve their well-being, and achieve their highest potential. Details at www.theguideapp.com.
  • Retro Café, 1139 Capouse Avenue, $53,000 for the conversion of a former derelict and condemned Lackawanna County Landbank property into a new café in the Pine Brook section. Funding will support construction costs, inventory, payroll, and more. Retro Café previously received a $70,000 loan-to-grant from the Scranton Office of Community and Economic Development to help fund two new employees.
  • Unison Workforce Technologies, located at the Scranton Enterprise Center 201 Lackawanna Avenue, $100,000 for the ongoing development of its mobile application “FY$H – Fuel Your Side Hustle,” an app designed to support the thriving self-employed gig economy. Grant funding will support user experience development, quality testing, and an ambitious employment growth plan through 2025.

The City also announced a $25,000 ARPA grant for small business financial recovery to Crotti’s on Ash, 1431 Ash Street.

ARPA funding opportunities for small businesses remain open. The second round of applications for business recovery grants of up to $25,000 and Wage Boost grants of up to $50,000 over two years closes on January 31. Façade improvement grants of up to $10,000 remain open with applications closing in September. Information about Scranton’s ARPA plan is online at scrantonpa.gov/arpa.

  • ARPA funding supports 25% of business development and expansion budgets.
  • The first five organizations will receive a total of $349,610.
  • Nearly all projects include plans for job creation directly in the City.

Oakwood Terrace offers Independent, Assisted, and Memory Care Services.

Oakwood Terrace offers memory care services in a personal care home setting.

Focusing on awareness, acceptance, and assistance, the dedicated staff at Oakwood Terrace helps those dealing with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia to cope and even thrive. Since 1996, our team has been trained and aims to provide a pleasant, safe, and engaging home for our residents and support for their loved ones.

Daily life at Oakwood Terrace allows our residents to enjoy a home and family-like setting where good neighbors become good friends. Our residents like to interact socially as well as participate in daily activities.

Our residences provide social interaction, personal space, and a supportive community, just like our programs provide support, stimulation, and education.

Our gated community provides safety, security, and peace of mind for all our residents and their families.

Johnson College Receives Grant Supporting New STEM Program

Johnson College has received a $65,000 PPL Foundation Major Grant. These funds will support a new STEM Learning Labs after-school program for economically-disadvantaged students from diverse backgrounds.

Throughout the program, students will use hands-on learning and activities to discover and explore potential careers in STEM fields. In a supportive environment that will encourage creativity and lifelong learning, students will work with technology such as Lego Mindstorms, Kinex, robotic arms, 3-D printing, electric circuits, and Ozobot robotic computer programming.

The program is designed for seventh and eighth-grade students from Lackawanna County school districts including Nativity Miguel, Old Forge, Riverside, and Scranton. During this five-week program, students will meet after school three times per week for four weeks at their home school. During the fifth week, students will attend programming at Johnson College for additional hands-on experience with more advanced equipment.

The PPL Foundation’s Major Grant program makes annual awards through a competitive application and review process.

This year, the PPL Foundation received more than 100 applications during this highly competitive grant cycle. Johnson College was one of 17 organizations to be selected for an award.

“We are continuously inspired by the caring, commitment and creativity of the many nonprofit organizations such as Johnson College who make a lasting difference in our communities, and this year’s grant recipients are no exception. We’re proud to support their efforts,” said Ryan Hill, PPL Foundation president.

For more information about the program, contact Tim Frank, Johnson College Associate Director of Community Engagement, at tfrank@johnson.edu or at (570) 702-8963.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Continues Their Annual Holiday Wish Program

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 4 continued its annual Holiday Wish Program in 2022. Santa arrived on a PennDOT dump truck to bring gifts to 40 children from the Head Start Program in Lackawanna County.

PennDOT employees also provided a gift to 52 people, including children and adults from the Domestic Violence Service Center in Luzerne County and three angels from the Lackawanna County Adopt an Angel Program.  PennDOT has been running this program since 2010.  The funds for the gifts come from the generosity of PennDOT’s District 4 employees.

Pictured Left to Right:

Jennifer Borino, Chad Faraday, Marsha Boland, Theodore Ritsick (Santa), Kaitlyn Drumheller, Tonya Decker, Steve Taylor, Tom Bradley and Eddie Karwaski

MEDIA CONTACT: Michael Taluto, (570) 963.3502

PennDOT Announces Funding Opportunity for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grants

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Round 1 of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Grant program. The application period will open on February 24, 2023 until 5:00 PM EST on April 6, 2023.

“The NEVI Grant Program provides an opportunity for Pennsylvania to build out our EV charging infrastructure,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “We’ve created this grant program with considerations of equity in mind, with scoring to ensure local workforce and diversity in partnerships.”

As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), PennDOT will receive and distribute $171.5 million in federal formula funds for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure over the next five years. For the Round 1 funding, PennDOT has advanced appropriations of $25.4 million for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2022 and $36.5 million for FFY 2023. Some of this amount may be used for labor & workforce training, planning, outreach, and program management as allowed by NEVI guidelines. Approximately $56 million is anticipated to be available for applicants.  The PA NEVI grant program is a reimbursement grant program and applicants are required to provide a minimum 20% match. 

Funds for the PA NEVI grant program are to be awarded on a competitive basis to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain EV Station Infrastructure sites across Pennsylvania. 

Most entities are eligible to receive NEVI funds; however, PennDOT anticipates most applicants will be public-sector entities, incorporated nonprofit entities, and corporations or business entities registered to do business in Pennsylvania.

The NEVI grant funding supports the commonwealth and federal goal of expanding EV charging along the previously designated (AFCs) (list) and Interstate lookalikes. Pennsylvania has over 1,800 miles of AFCs. Per the guidance from U.S. DOT, NEVI formula funds must first be used to “build out” designated AFCs (no more than 50 miles between stations and less than 1 mile from an exit) and meet U.S. DOT minimum standards and requirements. The PA NEVI grant program includes multiple rounds of funding. During Round 1, the focus will be on building out the AFC network along the interstates to meet the NEVI requirements.

PennDOT has created an interactive map identifying existing AFC-qualifying stations and has grouped interchanges based on priority through a gap analysis. In addition, PennDOT’s NOFO includes instructions and information on the grant program, eligibility, scoring criteria, submission process and instructions. Interested parties can view the NOFO on PennDOT’s website.

All applications must be submitted electronically through PA Department of Community and Economic Development’s eGrants system at by 5:00 PM EST on April 6, 2023.

Please submit questions about the NOFO or how to apply to RA-PDEVCorridors@pa.gov. In addition, frequently asked questions and answers will be posted publicly online. For more information on NEVI funds in Pennsylvania and to review PennDOT’s pre-announcement resources, visit the PennDOT website.

MEDIA CONTACT: Alexis Campbell, alecampbel@pa.gov or 717-783-8800

FNCB Bank Promotes Karen Smith to Senior Vice President

FNCB Bank, locally based since 1910, today announced that Karen M. Smith has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Relationship Manager III.

In her new role, Ms. Smith will be responsible for managing commercial relationships, as well as developing referral relationships and conducting various sales-related activities.

She joined FNCB Bank in 2000 as a teller and has held numerous positions in her more than 20-year career. Most recently, she served as Vice President, Commercial Officer.

Ms. Smith is a graduate of Bishop O’Reilly High School and King’s College where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a minor in Finance. She earned a MBA from Misericordia University where she was inducted into the Misericordia University Sigma Beta Delta International Business Honor Society. She completed Leadership Lackawanna for Leadership Fundamentals and the PA Bankers Advanced School of Commercial Lending and is NMLS licensed. An active member of the community, she is a past board member of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce and a member of the FNCB Cares Committee.

She resides in Jenkins Township with her daughter Kayla.

About FNCB Bank

FNCB Bank, locally-based since 1910, continues as one of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s premier community banks — offering a full suite of personal, small business, mortgage and commercial banking solutions with industry-leading mobile, online and in-branch products and services. FNCB remains dedicated to the communities they serve with an on-going mission to make your banking experience simply better. Voted Best Bank and Best Place to Work. Named one of the top 200 Community Banks in America.

SWB RailRiders’ Pinstripe Pals Program

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, in partnership with US Foods, are pleased to announce that the Pinstripe Pals program has returned in support of area youth softball and baseball leagues. Applications are being accepted now and 10 youth leagues will be selected for the program this year.

League representatives are encouraged to fill out the Pinstripe Pals application form and submit a 500-word (or less) essay describing why their league should be chosen. Each of the ten leagues selected will receive a $500 sponsorship from the RailRiders to assist in league expenses, as well as a $500 gift card courtesy of US Foods, which can be used to help teams pay for concession stand products and supplies. Applications are due by March 3.

Each league selected will have the opportunity to participate in a pre-game parade at PNC Field before a RailRiders home game and the opportunity for RailRiders assistance with league fundraising. Selected leagues will have a photo of their choice placed in the GuideRail game day program on their league’s designated night. One of the teams in each league will serve as the “Field of Dreams” club on that night and take the field with the RailRiders players.

Applications can be found on our website under the Community tab or upon request. Completed applications can be emailed to Robby Judge at rjudge@swbrailriders.com, faxed to (570) 963-6564 or mailed to:

SWB RailRiders

Attn: Pinstripe Pals

235 Montage Mountain Rd.

Moosic, PA 18507

Winning leagues will be announced on March 10. For more information on the Pinstripe Pals program, presented by US Foods, please contact Krista Lutzick or Robby Judge at (570) 969-2255. 

The 2023 season begins on March 31 at PNC Field with a three-game weekend set against the Buffalo Bisons.  Season ticket memberships and mini-plans are available now on www.swbrailriders.com.

Wolf Administration Outlines Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking,Offers Survivor Resources, Encourages Public to Learn and Act

Executives from the Pennsylvania departments of Transportation (PennDOT) Health (DOH), Labor and Industry (L&I), and Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), and the Office of Victim Advocate were joined by other advocates today to discuss human trafficking, outline efforts to combat it, explain how to report potential cases, and offer resources for survivors.

Human trafficking is the exploitation of people using force, fraud, or coercion for the purposes of commercial sex, forced labor, or domestic servitude. According to the International Labor Organization, there are approximately 28 million victims of human trafficking globally with 17.3 million people experiencing forced labor in private sector industries and 6.3 million experiencing forced commercial sexual exploitation. January is recognized as Human Trafficking Awareness Month, with January 11 marking #WearBlueDayPA to raise awareness of trafficking.

“Human trafficking is happening across the world, and unfortunately, right here in Pennsylvania,” PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said. “We’re collaborating at state, national, and local levels to combat this problem and we urge the public to join us in the fight.”

PennDOT is one of the first state government agencies nationwide to educate its employees on human trafficking awareness, with all staff at driver’s license centers and Welcome Centers receiving training. The training was also made available to other department employees, transit agency employees, and is available online under the “Human Trafficking” Media Center at www.penndot.pa.gov.

The National Human Trafficking hotline (1-888-373-7888) is a 24/7 resource for victims and service providers that also collects data about human trafficking for every state and the District of Columbia. Since 2007, the hotline has over 7,760 calls and online, text, and email reports in Pennsylvania. In that same time, nearly 1,900 cases of human trafficking involving more than 4,000 victims were identified. The hotline website provides additional Pennsylvania data such as a yearly breakdown of contacts, case types, and case demographics.

Members of the PSP Organized Crime Task Force participate in human trafficking investigations that lead to arrests and prosecutions with multiple federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the PA Office of Attorney General.

“The Pennsylvania State Police conducts numerous law enforcement training in identifying trafficking cases across the state each year. We also provide civilian training at schools, hospitals and hotels because we cannot do this alone,” said Lieutenant Adam Reed, Director of the PSP Communications Office. “The public can help police in our mission to fight human trafficking in Pennsylvania by educating themselves on the warning signs and by calling authorities when things don’t seem right.”

The public is urged to report potential human trafficking situations to the national hotline, which coordinates with law enforcement and other professionals, at 1-888-373-7888, or the state tip line, 1-888-292-1919. Tips can also be sent via the See Something, Send Something phone application or by email to tips@pa.gov.

While it is challenging to identify a trafficking situation, potential warning signs could include:

  • lack of knowledge of a person’s community or whereabouts;
  • restricted or controlled communication where people cannot speak for themselves;
  • people not in control of their own identification documents; or
  • signs of branding or tattooing of a trafficker’s name (often on the neck).

The United States Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) defines labor trafficking as the “recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.” The U.S. Department of State and the nonprofit National Human Trafficking Hotline summarize this definition of labor trafficking as a “form of modern-day slavery,” often involving debt bondage, forced labor, and involuntary child labor.

In Pennsylvania, L&I enforces laws and regulations that protect workers, including children, seasonal and farm workers, immigrant workers and factory workers. Its work ensures that workers do not fall prey to organized systems of forced, unpaid, underpaid or hazardous labor that are common in labor trafficking. L&I collaborates with law enforcement agencies when labor law violations overlap with labor-trafficking crimes.

“L&I is committed to working with our partner agencies and law-enforcement professionals to ensure that no child is forced to work or put in a hazardous working condition; that no worker is deprived of their protections under Pennsylvania and federal laws; and that no business is engaged in unlawful labor activities that could negatively affect Pennsylvania workers and other businesses,” L&I Secretary Jennifer Berrier said.

Concerned Pennsylvanians are urged to say something if they see something. If you suspect a trafficking situation, it is better to call the hotline and be wrong than to not call at all.

“Women make up a majority of reported survivors, but human trafficking isn’t just a women’s issue. Survivors of human trafficking come from all backgrounds, genders and identities,” said Executive Director of the PA Commission for Women Moriah Hathaway. “Human traffickers target underserved and marginalized communities, especially people who identify within the LGBTQ+ community, children and houseless individuals. Any person who is perceived as vulnerable is at great risk for exploitation, which is why this partnership is so important.”

“The buying and selling of people is just as wrong today as it was hundreds of years ago. Pennsylvania state agencies are grateful for the community partners doing work to combat and prevent human trafficking in our communities across the state. Together, we can stop trafficking in Pennsylvania,” said Commonwealth Victim Advocate Suzanne Estrella.

Resources for victims and survivors are available in Pennsylvania:

“The consequences of sex trafficking are similar to the consequences of other sexual violence,” said Acting Secretary of Health and Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson. “Consequences can be immediate and long-term, including physical and relationship problems, psychological concerns, and negative chronic health outcomes. But sex trafficking is preventable, and we are fighting back in a variety of ways.”

PennDOT has compiled resources from the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign to end human trafficking, Pennsylvania-based resources as well as related videos and graphics in its “Human Trafficking” Media Center at www.penndot.pa.gov.

The PA Office of Victim Advocate – with partners Mission Kids Children’s Advocacy Center and Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation – has launched a campaign to combat child sex trafficking. Learn more and access free resources at https://pcv.pccd.pa.gov/HT/Pages/Sexual-Exploitation-of-Children.aspx.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Erin Waters-Trasatt or Alexis Campbell, PennDOT, 717-783-8800

                                    Myles Snyder, PSP, 717-783-5556 or ra-pspcomm@pa.gov

                                    Mark O’Neill, DOH, ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov

Alex Peterson, L&I, dlipress@pa.gov

                                    Ashley Walkowiak, OVA, anwalkowiak@pa.gov