2023-2024 Neighborhood Assistance Program Awards

Lehigh Valley
Berks, Lebanon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, Northumberland, Schyulkill, Snyder, Union
Refer to application ID from submitted project through the Electronic Single Application

Program Tax Credit

App. ID Applicant Area(s) Served Project Description Contributors
Type Amount
The O’Pake Fellows Program provides high-achieving students with the opportunity to work hands-on with entrepreneurs, small businesses,
regional partners, and faculty to develop business plans, marketing/branding strategies, product development and tech transfer. Students are
provided with numerous hours of professional training and mentoring to prepare them to work with each client. In the Fall 2023 semester, the
O’Pake Fellows Program will grow to 80-100 students to meet rising market demands and increase the Institute’s client capacity model.
Historically, the Institute has been able to service approximately 50 new businesses per academic semester. Increasing the program will
Alvernia University expand the Institute’s capacity model and provide the organization with the ability to serve 75 new businesses each semester.

Reading | Berks
202306284401 County NAP $8,250 M&T Bank
An historical and unique performance venue, the WCR provides programming to the local low-income area, including childcare through Art &
Music camps during summer, spring & winter vacations and program support to Reading’s various cultural organizations. By providing access
to the building, we will increase attendance to educational events such as music, dance, and art lessons & camps. This project will enable the
continuation to provide access for disabled persons to participate in community events and maintain the historical site. WCR will update the
WCR Center for the Arts, electricity in the upper floors of the building and upgrade to a remote-controlled stage lighting system.
Inc.

Reading | Berks
202307076773 County NAP $13,750 Customers Bank
Program Tax Credit
App. ID Applicant Area(s) Served Project Description Contributors
Type Amount
Through this project, CADCA will facilitate Generation Next for 30 students at William Allen High School; Employ 1 AfterZone Program Coordinator;
Serve at least 75 youth through AfterZone programming in collaboration with 5 community partners; Partner 10 youth with local entrepreneur mentors;
Complete acquisition and begin renovation of 1 community center; At least 35 students will complete the Youth Police Academy; Over 130 students will
Community Action participate in art programming including dance classes, multimedia lab and the mural mentorship program; 2 Community Outreach Workers will work with
Development Corporation of over 50 high-risk youth to connect them with various community resources; 65 ASD students will attend the James Lawson Freedom School and demonstrate
Allentown increased leadership skills and academic performance; At least 35 youth will be positively impacted by the distribution of discretionary grants to youth- Alvin H. Butz, Inc., Capital Blue Cross, City Center
serving organizations; Provide administrative oversight. Investment Corp., Duggan & Marcon, PNC Bank,
Allentown | Lehigh PPL, Peoples Security Bank, Truist, United
202306304832 County NPP 4/6 $520,000 Concordia, Wells Fargo
Southside's Tomorrow NPP seeks to address the following issues: Lack of community (including youth) engagement and representation as well as a lack of
self-efficacy and pride amongst residents; Increase in housing sales prices and rental costs, paired with a spike in new development of specifically luxury
apartments; Highest percentage of cost-burdened homeowners and renters within Bethlehem; Lack of quality, affordable renter- and owner-occupied housing;
Area incomes are among the lowest in the Lehigh Valley; Area poverty rates are among the highest in the Lehigh Valley; Lack of access to fresh food and
Community Action grocery stores; Lack of vegetation and green space as well as quality parks and recreational outlets; Need for improved lighting and walkability of south
Development Corporation of Bethlehem; Challenges with cleanliness; Need for improved communication and connectivity amongst the community and between the community and
Bethlehem community institutions

Bethlehem |
Northampton Embassy Bank, Peoples Security Bank, PPL,
202306294599 County NPP 3/6 $260,000 Provident Bank, Univest Bank
This project will coordinate the community and economic development efforts of four socially and economically distressed boroughsBangor, Pen Argyl,
Portland and Wind Gap- in the “Slate Belt” area of Northampton County to work toward three interrelated
community goals: 1) Vibrant Economic Climate; 2) Quality, Affordable Housing 3) Regional Cooperation and Community Engagement. As a result, this
project will enhance inter-municipal cooperation; improve the appearance and utilization of commercial districts; upgrade the quality of the housing stock;
Community Action increase homeownership rates; reduce commercial and residential vacancies; and lower poverty and unemployment levels.
Committee of the Lehigh
Valley Bethlehem, Pen
Argyl, Wind Gap,
Bangor, Portland |
Northampton Fidelity Bank, Waste Management, First Northern
202306294496 County NPP 2/6 $128,000 Bank
The Project is a six year community development initiative designed to improve the social and economic viability and quality of life in the West Ward
neighborhood. Project will result in measurable outcomes, including, but not limited to: 1. Provide programming and services for a neighborhood with more
than 10,500 residents, and serve a minimum of 100 low-income individuals. 2. Create new open space in the West Ward through the completion of
Vanderveer Park - Phase 2. 3. Decrease crime in the West Ward by 2% through the Block Watch Program and designated Block Captains. 4. Expand
Greater Easton Development beautification efforts through the installation of one (1) new mural and eight (8) new facia.
Partnership

Easton |
Northampton Highmark Life Insurance, PNC Bank, Peoples
202307014935 County NPP 6/6 $160,000 Security Bank, Fulton Bank
HFHBC has created a 6-year strategy for housing development and neighborhood revitalization in the City of Reading, through the creation safe affordable
housing. HFHBC will construct and sell 9 new homes and rehabilitate 4-5 existing homes over the total 6-year strategy.
Habitat for Humanity Berks
County
Reading | Berks
202306284366 County NPP 5/6 $100,000 UPMC, Customers Bank
Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank will launch adaptive reuse (blight remediation) of a long-vacant four-floor 51,000 square foot historic building (dating
back to 1871) in the city of Reading that will become the home of the proposed Community Kitchen. Additional non-profit partners (Reading Science Center
Helping Harvest Fresh Food and the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts) will maintain space in the building once renovation is complete.
Bank
Reading | Berks Tompkins Community Bank, Boscov's, Customers
202306304757 County NPP 1/5 $382,500 Bank, EnerSys, Fulton Bank, M&T Bank
WEPA will provide customized employment services, job skills training and preparation, adult basic education, high school equivalency, ESL English as a
Second Language, Digital Literacy, Financial Literacy to all low-income individuals. We have established partnerships with South Central PA Works,
PROBE, EQUUS, Union Community Care, HACC, IU 13 and Literacy Council. Using Lancaster Tec Centro model, this program intends to meet
WEPA Empowerment measurable success by assisting individuals in increasing their income by 40%, providing services to 1,200 individuals, assisting 250 individuals in obtaining
Center, Inc. family sustaining employment.
Lebanon | Lebanon
202306264241 County NPP 2/5 $75,000 M&T Bank, First Citizens Community Bank
App. ID Applicant Area(s) Served Program Tax Credit Contributors
Project Description
Type Amount
ArtsQuest will provide accommodations for 900 participants with physical, sensory, intellectual, and/or mental impairments throughout the program year to
increase participation in the arts for all. By offering performance opportunities for historically disadvantaged artists and arts groups, ArtsQuest will engage
5,000 community members from diverse backgrounds in educational arts and cultural events throughout the year. Equitable access to ArtsQuest’s programs
ArtsQuest and facilities will strengthen community connections to the arts through exhibitions, programs, and events.

Boyle Construction, Univest Bank, C.F. Martin &

202306192823 SPP $82,500 Co.
The Growing Roots and Sprouting Shoots Revitalization Program weaves together 3 programmatic pillars a) microlending circles, b) financial education &
business support services, and c) time banking. The program is designed to address the pre-existing conditions that underpin economic exclusion: a) low sense
of self efficacy, b) low levels of bridging and linking social capital, c) culturally discordant financial capability training, and d) limited access to financial
Barrio Alegria capital.

Reading | Berks
202306304662 County SPP $26,250 Szortyka Family Enterprises, M&T Bank
Reading; Amity
This project will support the Meals on Wheels program, Berks Encore will provide 750 home-bound older adults with a hot, nutritious meal, 5 days/week.
Township;
Meals will provide 1/3 recommended daily allowance of nutrition for older adults who would not otherwise have access to a nutritionally balanced meal.
Richmond
89% of the clients we serve receive care management from Berks Encore, and 100% receive change of condition monitoring by staff.
Berks Encore Township;
Shillington; Upper
Tulpehocken Customers Bank, EnerSys, M&T Bank, Tompkins
202306274314 Township; & SPP $37,500 Community Bank
This project is focused on addressing the disparity between the majority population of Berks County and the Latino population, in the areas of income and
Berks Latino Workforce access to jobs in high demand occupations. BLWDC will serve approximately 250 individuals in ESL/high school equivalency and 120 in occupational
Development Corporation, training during the program year. Anticipated completion t rate for these programs is 80%.
Inc. Reading | Berks
202306264203 County SPP $63,750 M&T Bank, Capital Blue Cross, Customers Bank
This project will be the outfitting of a Fab Lab and 4 classrooms in the Da Vinci STEAM Learning Center (SLC). The project will implement specialized
equipment and furnishings needed to offer on-site and off-site digital fabrication workshops, to implement a STEAM Career Pathways Certificate Program,
and to offer a variety of workshops during school and outside-of-school time for students, teachers, and families. The STEAM Career Certificate Program
will provide participating students with skills and internship experiences to prepare them to pursue family-sustaining-wage jobs in the region. It is anticipated
Da Vinci Science City, LLC that this program alone will result in 136 direct job placements over the first ten years.

Allentown | Lehigh
202306233098 County SPP $225,000 Big Sandy Gas Company
HCLV intends to support economic recovery efforts serving vulnerable populations in the target area south Bethlehem and northeast Bethlehem, with a focus
on providing culturally appropriate and bilingual services to Hispanic/Latino residents. This project will support economic recovery through a new, bilingual
Cultural and Linguistic Workforce Development Center, the Social Service Program’s case management services, comprehensive programming to support
Hispanic Center Lehigh older adults’ health and wellness at the Basilio Huertas Senior Center and build the Food Pantry’s capacity to meet an increased demand for emergency food.
Valley
Bethlehem |
Northampton
202307076787 County SPP $112,500 Capital Blue Cross, PPL
 HADC is rehabbing four single-family rental houses along with a two-unit apartment building in the Jordan Heights neighborhood of central Allentown,
creating six affordable rental opportunities for income-eligible tenants. HADC will perform a gut-rehab on the five rental properties, demolishing the interior
of the dwellings down to exterior walls and reconstructing entirely new houses inside. New kitchens and bathrooms will be installed. Plumbing, electrical and
heating systems will be new. Roofs will be replaced. New windows will be installed. Even the interior layout of the units will be updated to better suit the
Housing Association &
needs of modern families. Each property will have laundry facilities. The completed dwellings will be energy-efficient and economical to operate.
Development Corporation

Allentown | Lehigh Key Bank, Wells Fargo, QNB Bank, First Northern
202306294561 County SPP $157,500 Bank & Trust, Provident Bank
John Paul II Center School for Special Learning (JPII) will provide upgrades its existing Smart Boards. JPII's students’ intellectual and developmental
disabilities require specialized programming and therapies.Staff use Smart Boards as part of daily lesson plans, but our current ones are outdated, with
John Paul II Center for several frequently breaking down. These issues interfere with learning and create additional roadblocks for students. Access to technology creates equity and
Special Learning equal access for JPII’s 54 students.
Cumru Township |
202306264197 Berks County SPP $45,000 Mid Penn Bank, M&T Bank, Customers Bank
The Kutztown University Small Business Development Center (KUSBDC) will create a six-month program (that will be offered twice) to aid community
members in all aspects of starting and securing a business. The program will cover four core areas: finance, human resources, operations, and marketing. The
Kutztown University program will be available in both English and Spanish. “The Road to Entrepreneurship” Minority, Women and Veteran Owned Initiative (TRE-MWVI)
Foundation along with the Latino Business Resources Center (LBRC) will provide a branding packet for each participant to utilize for their business.
Reading | Berks Truist, Univest Bank, East Penn Manufacturing,
202306233015 County SPP $82,500 Customers Bank, M&T Bank
This project will support the development of Helping Harvest Annex which will be the home of Helping Harvest Community Kitchen, Reading Science
Center, and the expansion of GoggleWorks Center for the Arts with additional classrooms, Residences to Support GoggleWorks focus on Education and
Career Development. Our City Reading plans to help HH convert the first floor of the facility into a Community Kitchen. The renovated first floor will
Our City Reading, Inc. address the crucial need for food while also support workforce development. The second floor, will allow the Reading Science Center to double its space,
which will allow it to increase student visits from 3,000 to 6,000 annually.
Reading | Berks Mid Penn Bank, Boscov's, Customers Bank,
202306304755 County SPP $168,750 Szortyka Family Enterprises
Reading Hospital's Street Medicine Program offers primary and preventative care to the unsheltered homeless, shelter residents, and anyone who is at
elevated risk of experiencing homelessness in Reading and Berks County. Partnering with community clinic partner organizations and an army of volunteers,
the Street Medicine Team provides lifesaving diabetes management, podiatry, eye screening, pulmonary care, addiction medicine, psychiatry services, and
Reading Hospital Telehealth Kiosk (remote visits) for patients. This project will support program services for the Street Medicine Program, treating over 500 adult patients
Foundation experiencing homelessness each year.
Reading | Berks East Penn Manufacturing, Mid Penn Bank, Fulton
202306304658 County SPP $30,000 Bank, M&T Bank
Safe Berks is creating and staffing a Crisis Services Department to maintain higher quality services and support to survivors of domestic violence and sexual
assault in Berks County. Doing this and creating two Part-Time and two Pro Re Nata (“PRN”) relief staff positions will also reduce staff burnout, help the
mental as well as physical well-being of our staff and improve employee retention. These employees will be critical to our Crisis Department infrastructure
as they will be available to cover shifts as needed for employee time off for vacation, medical leave, unexpected emergencies, etc., as this department will be
Safe Berks required to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year.

Reading | Berks
202306294583 County SPP $7,500 Customers Bank, Tompkins Community Bank
This project will support the build of four new affordable housing units in existing underutilized space (office and storage) in VHDC’s large Mill II
affordable housing facility in Fountain Hill, PA. New construction will consist of: one three-bedroom apartment, one two-bedroom apartment, and two single
Valley Housing Development room occupancy units with shared bath. All new units will have large windows that capture the historic integrity of the old mill building.
Corporation
Fountain Hill |
202306304811 Lehigh County SPP $75,000 ESSA Bank & Trust, Peoples Security Bank
Program Tax Credit
App. ID Applicant Area(s) Served Project Description Contributors
Type Amount
This project will give the opportunity to address areas in NMG's production (TBC product line and Powder Production) that require expansion
National Magnetics Group, Bethlehem | securing/retaining existing jobs (~120) and allowing for additional jobs (~5-10). NMG will improve the workspace and add equipment sufficient to meet
Inc. Northampton expected demand.
202306274277 County EZP $43,822 N/A
Bethlehem | Roberts Oxygen Company will accomplish the renovation and rehabilitation, expansion, improvement to the company's buildings and land, architecture and
Roberts Oxygen Company, Northampton
engineering costs. This will create and retain two fulltime jobs.
Inc. County N/A
202306274324 EZP $103,050
Reading Historical Properties LP will restore the blighted historic Elks Club/Trexler Mansion at 46 South 5th Street in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania.
This project will further ongoing efforts to stabilize the downtown by attracting future investment to Reading’s Penn Square area. Because the building is
located on a main thoroughfare of downtown Reading (an Act 47 community), its rehabilitation is an important step in Reading’s revitalization efforts.
Reading Historic Properties, Furthermore, the estimated 18 new full-time jobs created through this project will be available to the local low-income population and will be key to
LP supporting other downtown businesses.
Reading | Berks
202306284397 County EZP $500,000 N/A
Growth in United States Cold Storage's customer base has necessitated expansion to meet that demand and will expand the current facility in Bethlehem. An
expansion in cold storage space and pallet positions along with implementation of an advanced automated system and new hires will help United States Cold
United States Cold Storage, Storage to meet new demand now and into the future.
Bethlehem |
LLC
Northampton
202306274320 County EZP $250,000 N/A
Program Tax Credit
App. ID Applicant Area(s) Served Project Description Contributors
Type Amount
Helping Harvest will purchase food (and related food distribution expenses) to provide emergency food assistance to community members in need. Following
the COVID pandemic, which drastically increased the volume of food distributed to the service area (Berks and Schuylkill counties), demand for services has
remained at an escalated level as the effects of inflation and the elimination of emergency SNAP benefits have further compounded the need for struggling
Helping Harvest families. Foods purchased will be stored in Helping Harvest's distribution center and then supplied to the 350 charitable food programs we support in Berks
and Schuylkill counties.
Spring Township |
202306274307 Berks County CFP $5,500 M&T Bank
New Bethany’s food access programming starts with a meal, groceries from our food pantry, and a continuum of street-level human services, including
showers, laundry services, mailing address, and continues with housing assistance, job search support and tools, and case management. Through this program,
at least 40,000 hot, nutritious meals will be served to 2,000 people through the Southside Drop-in Center and Trinity Kitchen; 2,000 showers will be
New Bethany, Inc. provided to people experiencing homelessness; 100 households will have access to laundry and mailing services; 190,000 meals will be created through
Bethlehem | nutritious groceries provided to 1,400 individuals through Choice Food Pantry.
Northampton
202307076782 County CFP $5,500 First Northern Bank & Trust