First neighborhood partnership program awarded in mid-Mon Valley
A six-year plan was announced Wednesday that will drive $1.5 million into Charleroi for community improvement projects and social services.
The first Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP) to be established in the mid-Mon Valley was developed through a partnership of the Mon Valley Alliance, the Greater Charleroi Community Development Corp. and several nonprofits and business partners.
“This particular NPP program has a six-year development strategy focused on housing rehab, downtown development and social support that will bring $1.5 million into this historic borough,” Ali Doyle, regional representative for Gov. Tom Wolf, said Wednesday at Dee’s Event Center, one of the newest businesses in Charleroi. “It’s a dynamic program that provides financial support and capacity that is needed in places like Charleroi.”
The Charleroi NPP proposal was approved by Wolf as part of $35.9 million in tax credits awarded through the Neighborhood Assistance Program in which companies receive state tax credits for investing in nonprofit projects.
Jamie Colecchi, CEO of the Mon Valley Alliance, said the plan includes strategies to improve housing for seniors and the disabled, fostering main street and economic development and expanding community services including those for the town’s growing immigrant population.
“Funds will be used to engage key community partners to deliver programs and services and projects in these areas,” he said.
Colecchi said the program’s signature element is the creation of an immigrant/community ambassador. The Mon Valley Chamber of Commerce will hire someone from the immigrant community on a part-time basis to connect the community’s new residents to government and social services.
“The immigrants are certainly coming from a place that is not like here where programs and services are available (to them) and you can trust your government officials,” Colecchi said. “The idea came up to bring on an ambassador to be that liaison, to be that trusted agent so the immigrant population can feel comfortable, can thrive and grow in Charleroi.”
Joining the Greater Charleroi Community Development in developing the plan were representatives of the Charleroi Area Public Library, Charleroi Borough, Charleroi Community Park Trustees, Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority, Mon Valley Initiative, Mon Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, Blueprints, Voices for Independence and the Washington County Redevelopment Authority.
“This is very exciting,” said Matt Staniszewski, Charleroi’s borough manager. “Working in community and economic development for close to 20 years, this is always a game changer. I look forward to working with our partners, as well as the administration to get the ball rolling and hopefully there will be some developments here in Charleroi and we’ll see a brighter future.”
Funders for the NPP are Fourth Street Barbecue, LaCarte Enterprises, Key Bank and UPMC Health Plan. Collectively, the four companies will provide $250,000 annually for the next six years to fund the plan.
“Both of my grandparents were Italian immigrants that came into this region to find hope, prosperity and a future,” said John LaCarte, president of LaCarte Enterprises. “The found it in the mid-Mon Valley. Communities like ours are facing tough times. Making an investment in the workforce is important. If we do that, the companies will come.”
Other one-year nonprofits awarded in Washington County include a main street project in Claysville and a social service project at TRIPL in Washington. Enterprise Zone Tax Credits, also approved through NAP, were awarded to companies in Speers and Fallowfield.
“What’s always really good is when we have reinvestments back into the community,” said state Rep. Bud Cook, who was in attendance. “You have private industry coming together with support from the state. That’s really what we need to do. This is just one of those steps in the journey to get us back to where we need to go.”