UNC’s Carbondale Farmers Market is Re-Opening with New Vendors United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC) invites all to their Grand Re-Opening of the Carbondale Farmers Market. The Market will be open every Thursday, starting May 9from 3:00pm-7:00pm at UNC’s Fallbrook Senior Community Center at 185 Fallbrook Street in Carbondale. With 12 new vendors, the market will include fresh coffee beans from Milestone Coffee Roasting, canned vegetables and salsas from Canned Classics, decadent chocolate bars and sweets from Electric City Sweets, freshly made breads, muffins and scones from The Patchwork Kitchen and fresh baked cookies from The Little Ladybug Bakery. Make sure to bring your appetite for authentic Puerto Rican food provided by Amor de Mami and authentic Mexican foods from El Buen Amigo! And get ready to stock your freezers with fresh beef, pork and chicken from Winola Farm, fresh eggs from Berger’s Hollow, and produce from Purple Pepper Farm. With more vendors to come, this is a weekly farmers market you will not want to miss! Be sure to stop by all the vendors, take a seat, and relax to music provided by UNC. UNC Farmers Markets accepts SNAP/EBT and all benefit holders can receive an extra $2.00 for every $4.00 spent while shopping. For more information about SNAP/EBT, Food Bucks, or to be a cooking demonstrator, contact Taylor Burdick, UNC Carbondale Farmers Market Manager, at tburdick@uncnepa.org. UNC’s Carbondale Farmers Market is generously funded by Moses Taylor Foundation. Be sure to like us on Facebook to find out about upcoming demonstrations and programs. If you are interested in becoming a vendor, email tburdick@uncnepa.org.
UNC’s Child Care Centers Receive Award from Shapiro Administration On Wednesday April 24, United Neighborhoods Centers of Northeastern Pennysylvania’s (UNC) Child Care Department received the 2024 Equity in Early Childhood Education (ECE) Champion Award from the Shapiro Administration. UNC staff visited the State Capitol Rotunda to receive the award from Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Dr. Khalid N. Mumin and Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Dr. Val Arkoosh, along with fellow recipients from across the state. The Pennsylvania Equity in Early Childhood Education Champion Award brings awareness to and highlights the equity work being done within Pennsylvania’s early childhood education and afterschool settings, including child care, evidence-based home visiting, and early intervention. UNC operates three child care centers that provide affordable before- and after-school care, and preschool services. We understand that reliable, safe, and accessible childcare is crucial to the stability of working families. Likewise, the quality of that care is key to the early development of the child. Our centers are licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and operate weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. All three of UNC’s child care centers have 4-STAR ratings, the highest designation from the Keystone STARS childcare quality rating program. UNC child care centers accept Lackawanna County Early Learning Resource Center subsidy and other funding, as well as paying families. For more information about UNC’s childcare centers, see below, or call UNC’s Director of Children and Teens, Kelly Langan, at 272-228-1352. Pictured: From Left (front row): Dr. Khalid N. Mumin, Secretary for the Department of Education; Mary Ellen Richards, UNC Child Care staff; Nita Barrett, UNC Child Care staff; Shante’ Brown, Deputy Secretary of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning; Dr. Val Arkoosh, Secretary for the Department of Human Services From left (2nd row): Vuanasha Gatewood, UNC Child Care staff; Kelly Langan, UNC Director of Director of Children & Teens.
UNC’s Project Hope Summer Day Camp Return for 2024 United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC) Project Hope at Camp Kelly is excited to provide a traditional summer day camp once again for children living in Scranton. Campers are provided transportation to and from the camp located in the beautiful countryside of Tunkhannock, PA and experience arts and crafts, sports, and a variety of other fun and educational activities. They will be served breakfast, lunch, and a nutritious snack before returning home the duration of camp from July 1to July 26. Registration for UNC’s Project Hope is required, and opens on May 1, 2024, online at www.uncnepa.org/projecthope.
UNC’s 3rd Annual Pine Brook Family Arts Festival Date Set United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC) and partner John Adams Elementary School are hosting the 3rd Annual Pine Brook Family Arts Festival on Saturday, April 27, 2024, from Noon to 4 pm on the school’s playground. Activities include kids’ yoga, drum making, upcycling planters with flowers, DIY tie-dyes, suncatchers, face painting, balloon making, rock painting, food, music, and more! Antonio’s Pizza and El Buen Amigo will be serving pizza and tacos, for an additional fee. Joining us for the first time is Snook’s Wings and Things, selling burgers, fries, wings, and more. We will be supplying free ice cream from Scoopz Ice Cream truck for all attendees. Our partners Marywood University and The University of Scranton will provide arts education and make and take crafts. We are also hosting five local artists to assist children in creating artwork, this is made possible through a sponsorship from Lackawanna County Arts ENGAGE. Other organizations presenting crafts and resources include Penn State Extension 4H & Master Gardeners, Albright Memorial Library, Be SMART, Scranton Tomorrow with Keep PA Beautiful, and My Center for Independent Living. This free festival is a part of the UNC Pine Brook Neighborhood Revitalization Plan and offers access to different arts and activities for families in the neighborhood to enjoy,” said Holly Yorkonis, UNC event organizer. UNC’s Pine Brook Neighborhood Community Revitalization Plan is funded by Coterra, FNBC Bank, and Peoples Security Bank through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Neighborhood Partnership Program. Anyone interested in volunteering at the annual event should contact UNC Assistant Director of Community Revitalization, Holly at Hyorkonis@uncnepa.org or (272) 228-1366.
UNCDC to Break Ground on Community, Education, Development and Revitalization Center United Neighborhood Community Development Corporation (UNCDC), the nonprofit housing and economic development subsidiary of United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC), will break ground on the new Community, Education, Development, And Revitalization (CEDAR) Center at 530 Cedar Avenue in South Scranton on Friday, April 19, 2024, at 3pm. CEDAR Center will rehabilitate and repurpose the historic Peoples Security Bank building into vibrant center for the community. CEDAR Center will offer UNC’s expanding services in job readiness and workforce development, small business, and entrepreneurship services, and a welcome center for new immigrants. Penn State’s LaunchBox will operate a business accelerator and manage a student-run café/retail area. It will also serve as a venue to expand UNC’s regional year-round South Side Farmers Market. Remarks will be made by Jude McDonough, UNC Board Chair; Senator Marty Flynn, 22nd Senatorial District; Representative Kyle T. Donahue, District 113; Commissioner Bill Gaughan, Lackawanna County; Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti, City of Scranton; and Lisa Durkin, UNC President & Chief Executive Officer. In addition to the UNCDC, the development team consists of Ralph J. Melone, AIA, Project Architect, and Robert Bamford, General Contractor, Mar-Paul Construction Co., Inc. The CEDAR Center project is made possible through funding from Senator Robert P. Casey Jr., Peoples Security Bank, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program; PA Department of Community and Economic Development, Keystone Communities; Lackawanna County; City of Scranton; Oppenheim Foundation; PNC Bank; and PPL Electric Utilities.
UNC to Host 2nd Annual Designer Purse Bingo UNC’s 2nd Annual Designer Purse Bingo is taking place at Holy Cross High School in Dunmore on Friday April 5th. We have amazing purses to win, “celebrity” callers, a huge bingo recall screen, additional chances on raffle items, 50/50, a gift card pull, and special games – all we need is you! It’s a Friday so bring your own Happy Hour. Doors open at 5:30pm, bingo starts at 6:30pm. Tickets are $30 in advance. $35 at the door. The proceeds benefit UNC’s many programs and services. This is a 21+ event. Register 10 or more for reserved seating. Call Chrissy Manuel, UNC Director of Development & Communications for more information at: (272) 228-1371 or email cmanuel@uncnepa.org. For tickets, please visit: uncnepa.org/bingo
