Ciresi announces $93,750 in funding to Pottstown community organizations
Rep. Joseph Ciresi November 9, 2021 | 1:31 PM
HARRISBURG, Nov. 9 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, announced today that Pottstown organization Genesis Housing Corp. was awarded $75,000 to improve blighted areas and Children Advocacy Center of Montgomery County $18,750 to help open a new child advocacy center through the Neighborhood Assistance Program.
“This state funding from NAP will continue the efforts to remediate Pottstown’s blighted properties and provide greater safety to its children suffering from child abuse,” Ciresi said. “At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing public health disparities, the innovative NAP will support Pottstown’s ongoing revitalization and provide a critical lifeline to residents through public-private partnerships that will lead to community improvements and a better quality of life.”
The funding to Genesis Housing Corp. will be used to address neighborhood revitalization and blight remediation through smaller-scale improvement projects and façade funding, including exterior renovations, housing counseling services, improved community gardens, accessible community arts programs, and other social justice and community improvement programs. Genesis Housing Corp. serves as the coordinator of a partnership for this effort including Pottstown Community Action, Habitat for Humanity, Mosaic Community Land Trust, and Hobart’s Run.
The Children Advocacy Center of Montgomery County will use the funding to bring its East Norriton Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center services to Pottstown to better serve victims of child abuse. Although Pottstown is home to just 2% of Montgomery County’s population, it represents 15-20% of MK’s abuse cases. The new center’s location will dramatically improve accessibility for vulnerable Pottstown families.
NAP encourages private sector investment into projects that will help improve distressed communities by providing tax credits to businesses that donate capital to support projects that address neighborhood and community problems. NAP can be used for projects in categories including affordable housing, community services, crime prevention, education, job training, charitable food, blight, special population issues, veteran’s initiatives, and long-term community revitalization.
The program has five main components: the Neighborhood Assistance Program, Special Program Priorities, the Neighborhood Partnership Program, CFP, and the Enterprise Zone Program. A description of each of these components is available within the NAP fact sheet.
Residents with questions about the funding can contact Ciresi’s office at 484-200-8265 or https://pahouse.com/Ciresi/Contact.