MUHLENBERG TWP., Jan. 6 – State Rep. Mark Rozzi today announced that Helping Harvest food bank has been awarded a $25,000 grant to benefit Muhlenberg Elementary Center’s Weekender Backpack Program. This program provides low-income elementary school students with weekly bags filled with enough non-perishable foods for meals and snacks to last a weekend or the duration of a holiday break. This grant will help fund the costs of food, personnel and transportation. “Countless children depend on their school cafeteria to ensure they eat that day. Food insecurity is a problem not unique to our area, but the COVID-19 pandemic really brought this issue to light and it’s rewarding to see our community stepping up to address it,” Rozzi said. “Every child deserves access to nutritious food regardless of their family’s economic status, and I’m proud to see Muhlenberg’s Weekender Backpack Program bring this ideal to life.” Funding for this grant comes from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. The grant was awarded to Helping Harvest, who will supply non-perishable food items to the backpack program. “Helping Harvest is extremely grateful for the efforts of Representative Mark Rozzi in securing this state grant to help us launch our newest Weekender Program site at Muhlenberg Elementary Center,” Helping Harvest President Jay Worrall said. “Because of this funding, as many as 400 at-risk Read more
MUHLENBERG TWP., Dec. 30 – State Rep. Mark Rozzi today announced that Laurel Run Park in Muhlenberg Township has been selected to receive a $143,500 grant to go toward park renovations and additions. The award will help fund the renovation of a parking area and access drive, the construction of pickleball courts, a multi-purpose field, a pavilion and pedestrian walkways, strengthening ADA access, landscaping and other related site improvements. “This funding will go a long way toward ensuring community members of all ages and abilities have a safe and modern space to enjoy outdoor activities,” Rozzi said. “It’s highly rewarding to see state dollars at work right here in Berks County and going toward a project that truly benefits everybody.” This grant is from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, an initiative administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Its goal is to support recreation and conservation organizations with projects related to parks, recreation and conservation. More than 300 projects across the commonwealth received grants through this program. More information on DCNR grant programs can be found on the department’s website . Read more
READING, Dec. 10 – State Rep. Mark Rozzi’s annual Christmas Gift Giving event concluded this week with 100 Reading families adopted for the holiday season. Rozzi’s office holds this donation drive every year where participants choose to support a local family in need. Sponsors buy items on the family’s wish list, wrap and label the presents so they are ready to be put under the tree by Christmas morning. “My Christmas Gift Giving drive is one of my favorite events of the year because it highlights the generosity of our community and ensures that every child has a present to open on Christmas,” Rozzi said. “The incredible support for this event never ceases to amaze me, and I sincerely thank all of this year’s sponsors for making a child’s holiday magical.” Rozzi’s office receives 400+ detailed wish lists from over 100 families every year. Rozzi and his staff coordinate connecting families with sponsors to obtain all the items on their lists, creating happy holidays for all throughout the 126th Legislative District. Photos of presents from this year are available on Rozzi’s website: https://www.pahouse.com/Rozzi/PhotoGallery?g=5066 . “While this is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, it’s stressful for so many people. My office is happy to help relieve this pressure for families in need and replace financial worries with happy memories, instead,” Rozzi Read more
READING, Dec. 6 – State Rep. Mark Rozzi today announced that Reading’s Medical Arts building has been selected to receive a $2.25 million grant to fund interior and exterior renovations, as well as a two-story addition to the facility. The project will consist of construction of a two-story addition in the adjacent vacant lot, masonry and window repair, a roof replacement, modernization of ground-floor retail space, lobby restoration, utility improvements, and the addition of 35 residential apartments. “Revamping Reading’s Medical Arts building into apartments and retail space has been a project in the works for years. Securing this state funding will ensure that this historic building maintains its original Art Deco touches that make it a crucial piece of Reading’s history,” Rozzi said. “Modernizing and utilizing this facility is just one example of continued efforts to redevelop and revitalize the city of Reading. I’m incredibly thankful for this $2 million investment and will keep working to bring more state dollars home to benefit our community.” The grant comes from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. RACP is a grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects. More information is available online at https://www.budget.pa.gov/Programs/RACP/ . Questions may be Read more
READING, Dec. 3 – Sen. Judy Schwank, Rep. Mark Rozzi and Rep. Manny Guzman, all D-Berks, applauded today’s awarding of $7.5 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funding by Gov. Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget in support of the construction of new facilities at FirstEnergy Stadium. In December of 2020, Major League Baseball contracted and consolidated its affiliations with minor league baseball franchises. Reading was offered a license, which maintained its affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies MLB franchise. As part of the new Minor League Baseball license agreements, improvements must be made to stadium facilities at all minor league baseball venues within the next two years. Improvements needed at FirstEnergy Stadium include, among other things, the construction of home and away team clubhouses and new player practice and training facilities. “Losing the Reading Fightin Phils was never an option and keeping the team in Reading has been one of my top economic development priorities,” Schwank said. “Officials from the state, county and local level were all on the same page and acted quickly and with urgency to find funding. We really worked together, and across party lines, to get this done. The R-Phils have a storied history in Berks County as the longest-running minor league affiliate in professional baseball. People who grew up going to games now take their own kids to the ballpark. We would have Read more
READING, Dec. 2 – State Rep. Mark Rozzi today announced that the Salvation Army of Reading received a $238,062 grant to implement trauma-informed group sessions for families and children impacted by gun violence. The grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency will support the salary of a full-time social worker and their benefits, travel expenses, one laptop, food, crafts and educational supplies. Additional costs would be for the behavioral health specialist leading the trauma-informed groups and training of staff on trauma-informed support. Other costs include utilities, property, liability, phone, and postage. “Sadly, too many families have been impacted and too many lives have been lost by gun violence in Reading. When someone experiences something this traumatic, they often don’t know where to go or who to reach out to in order to feel understood and heard, so I’m confident that funding from this grant will help change that,” Rozzi said. This grant comes from PCCD’s Violence Intervention & Prevention grant program. VIP funding is intended to support effective local intervening and preventative measures to stop gun and group violence in areas experiencing high rates of violent crime within Pennsylvania. Learn more about this program here: https://www.pccd.pa.gov/criminaljustice/GunViolence/Pages/Grants-and-Funding.aspx . Anyone with questions should call Rozzi’s office at 610-921-8921. Read more
Pennie is Pennsylvanian's insurance marketplace and provides individuals and families with the ability to shop for high-quality health care plans and easily apply for financial assistance. Read more
READING, Oct. 22 — State Reps. Jennifer O’Mara, Manny Guzman and Mark Rozzi denounced Berks County commissioners’ colossal error disenfranchising Spanish speaking voters by providing the wrong return-by date on mail-in ballots with following statements: “The people deserve answers. I am demanding an immediate full investigation into how this massive error could have happened – you don’t slip a finger and type ’18’ when you mean to type ‘2.’ And, if this is more than an accident, we need to demand resignations. For my part I am working with state Democratic leadership to convene a Policy Committee hearing in Reading to get the facts we all need to restore public trust. The actions of right-wing extremists in Harrisburg and Washington D.C. show us how fragile our democracy truly is – we cannot afford to shatter democracy in Berks County,” Guzman said. “Voting is one of our most sacred rights in America, and if people are being told wrong information regarding elections – that’s voter suppression. This cannot be remedied by simply mailing a letter, the county commissioners need to be more open and proactive about correcting their mistake to ensure that every voice is heard on Election Day. The county commissioners’ failure to share accurate information is nothing but a veiled attempt at voter suppression, and Rep. Guzman and I will continue shedding light on this issue Read more
LIHEAP is a federally funded program administered by the Department of Human Services that provides assistance for home heating bills so Pennsylvanians can stay warm and safe during the winter months. Read more
“The improvements that will be made via this grant will not only directly impact the kids in this community, but I’m predicting it will help some of us ‘older’ kids want to relive the magic of our youth, too. I know I’m looking forward to taking a few swings in the new cages!” Read more
READING, Sept. 13 – State Rep. Mark Rozzi will join the members of Mt. Penn Fire Co. for a news conference recognizing their new utility truck at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21. The news conference will take place at Mt. Penn Fire Co., 2711 Grant St. in Reading. Media coverage is invited. If you plan to cover the event, please RSVP by emailing Chad Schlanger at CSchlanger@pahouse.net . The purchase of the Ford F350 utility truck was made possible thanks to a $60,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Rozzi played an instrumental role in securing the funding by connecting Mt. Penn with the necessary state resources and programs. “Navigating grant programs can be a daunting and confusing process, so I was happy to bring home these state dollars benefiting our community’s first responders,” Rozzi said. “This new F350 is a major upgrade from the company’s old truck and will be an asset to the company for the next several years.” The new truck bought with the grant replaced the company’s 20-year-old truck and is expected to be in service by the early fall. Anyone with questions should call Rozzi’s office at 610-921-8921. Read more
READING, Sept. 9 – State Rep. Mark Rozzi today announced that two grants from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency totaling $420,023 have been awarded to two crime prevention initiatives in Reading. Funding has been distributed as follows: RIZE, a youth arts nonprofit organization: $225,000 to continue providing art programs and advocating for policy initiatives that support families and youth. The organization's RIZE Above Bars initiative serves Reading youth and children with incarcerated parents to address social adversity and trauma, keeping families connected. The Village of Reading: $195,023 to support community outreach programs in Reading. Funds will support the cost of one full-time director and one part-time assistant, two part-time violence interrupters, several consultants, training cost; and include a building space to operate and supplies to support their work. “Crime prevention begins with educating and empowering local youth. Therefore, I’m confident that RIZE will use this funding to continue giving Reading’s children and teens a creative outlet that helps them set and reach their goals and grow as individuals,” Rozzi said. “The Village of Reading will also strongly benefit from the team of professionals that this grant will bring to our community to heighten safety and crime prevention measures.” More than $22.3 Read more
"It’s rewarding to see a local organization like Mary’s Shelter continue their valuable work in our community to enrich and enable the lives of young people – regardless of their background,” Rozzi said. Read more
"This much-needed state support will go a long way to improve the criminal justice system here at home," Rozzi said. Read more
This grant will allow Reading to implement a new program that includes personalized learning pathways geared for all types of students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Read more
READING, May 26 – State Reps. Mark Rozzi and Manny Guzman announced today a state investment in affordable housing in Reading. According to the lawmakers, $200,000 in state Redevelopment Authority grant funding to help rehabilitate and sell properties will help address a shortage of affordable housing in Reading. "Rehabilitating Reading neighborhoods' is a priority," Reading Mayor Eddie Moran said. "We are equally committed to bringing economic development as to invest in our surroundings. With these funds, we can now invest comprehensively and adequately in communities that urgently need improvements. Public investment and partnerships are essential to continue making our city more livable, walkable, sustainable and affordable." $75,000 in Blight Remediation Program funds were awarded in the City of Reading's South of Penn area. The county will oversee rehabilitation on three properties they currently own. Once the three property renovations are completed, these affordable homes can be sold. The total project cost is $575,000 with Reading HOME Program providing $150,000, Wyomissing Foundation providing $100,000 and Customers Bank Loan providing $250,000 of matching funds. “Our focus is investment into people who want to live and work in Reading,” Guzman, D-Berks, said. “Housing insecurity and blight have been a concern for some time throughout many areas and they have only Read more
Check out state programs now open for applications, plus upcoming application deadlines. Read more
Information on state and other grant programs that are open for applications. Read more
HARRISBURG, April 28 — State Reps. Rick Krajewski, Mark Rozzi, Danilo Burgos and Manuel Guzman have authored legislation that would make it easier for youth to access a copy of their birth certificate, which is especially important for youth experiencing homelessness or other challenges where a copy of their birth certificate is essential to getting a job or accessing programs or services. "We must support young people who deserve to have access to every opportunity they need to thrive,” said Krajewski, D-Phila. “Access to birth certificates helps our youth apply for a job, a passport, bank account, housing opportunities, a driver’s license, or to receive services from the government or community-based organizations. These programs and services are essential for youth becoming successful adults. I am proud to work alongside Representatives Rozzi, Burgos, and Guzman to introduce this bill." “Our legislation would disrupt what would likely become a cycle of poverty,” said Guzman, D-Berks. “The youth who need their birth certificate but don’t have access to a copy of it are often youth who are estranged from their family or lacking in a support system. Poverty is cyclical and those in poverty often face huge challenges to work their way out of poverty. Being able to access services and programs is crucial and having a birth certificate is essential to accessing many support programs.” “Sadly, some Read more
This is a grant program established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, and amended by the American Rescue Plan Act. The program includes over $16 billion in grants to shuttered venues, and is administered by SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance. Read more
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