As Jesse's tenure here at NeighborWorks ends, we want to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the incredible person whose unwavering dedication propelled our organization to unparalleled heights. Jesse, you have been not only a beacon of guidance but also a cherished mentor, friend, and, dare we say it, the World's Best Boss. With 16 remarkable years under your leadership, we express our profound gratitude and wish you nothing but success as you embark on your new journey at the AllOne Foundation.

As we bid farewell to one chapter, we eagerly anticipate the dawn of another with Shane Powers at the helm. With her remarkable talent and vision, we embark on this new phase with enthusiasm and optimism.

NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania received the Organizational Impact Award during the National NeighborWorks Association 20th Annual Excellence Awards in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, April 10.

Over the past five years, NeighborWorks has demonstrated remarkable growth through expanding its geographic reach, launching 12 new programs, and significantly increasing its operating budget and staff size. NeighborWorks’ commitment to addressing challenging neighborhood and community issues is evident through aiding over 700 seniors with home modifications and accessibility improvements through the Aging in Place program. Additionally, the expansion of the Beautiful Blocks program has rallied over 80 block groups to undertake over 600 home improvement projects in their neighborhoods.

Read more here, and watch our nomination video here.

NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania and the City of Carbondale were recognized for the expansion and sustained success of the Beautiful Blocks program in Carbondale with the Building Community Partnerships Award during the Governor’s Awards for Local Government Excellence ceremony, held at The State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg on Wednesday, April 10.

The Beautiful Blocks program of NeighborWorks has impacted both improving property conditions and helped combat blight for Carbondale's participating residents in all seventy-three exterior home improvement projects, including sidewalk repair and replacement, front porch renovations, landscaping, exterior paintings, and new doors and windows. Through this collaboration, residents have received more than $62,000 in grant funding from NeighborWorks, totaling more than $140,000 in funds contributed by residents toward their projects.

Read more here.

It was a tremendous honor for our NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania team to have President & CEO Jesse Ergott testify before the US Senate Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development. Jesse spoke to the effectiveness of the Whole Home Repair program in Pennsylvania, which our Aging in Place program has used to great effect in serving older adults in our community.

Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced the “Whole-Home Repair Act” (S.3871) in the U.S. Senate on March 5. The bipartisan bill would create a national five-year pilot program that expands on the Pennsylvania Whole Home Repair program to support homeowners with critical home repairs and address the country’s housing crisis.

Jesse was joined by fellow experts Robin Davey Wolff, Rural Communities Senior Director of Enterprise Community Partners and Christopher Volzke, Deputy Executive Director of Wyoming Community Development Authority. Watch the full testimony above.

NeighborWorks was grateful to partner with Giving Back to the Community in hosting a Spanish-speaking First-Time Homebuyer Workshop recently at the Albright Memorial Library.

This workshop covered various homebuyer topics, such as the importance of having an agent, loan acquisition requirements, diverse loan options, the importance of securing title insurance, financial assistance programs tailored for first-time buyers, and additional relevant subjects.

Thank you to our speakers: Amy Morel from Luxe Homes Real Estate, Nick Sosa from Benchmark Mortgage, Eileen Aguilera from The Settlement Company and Kathi Tavera, our HomeOwnership Specialist. A big thank you to Amy, Sabrina Guzman, Aja Nair-Hoffman, and Elizabeth Rodriguez from Giving Back to the Community for partnering with us on this education series.

NeighborWorks was recently in Washington DC alongside several of our NeighborWorks network affiliates from Pennsylvania for NNA Legislative Day!

Thank you to Congressman Matt Cartwright, U.S. Senator Bob Casey, U.S. Senator John Fetterman and Congressman Dan Meuser and their respective staffs for taking the time to meet with us to discuss access to safe and affordable housing for residents and older adults in our region.

We are proud to work alongside mission-driven organizations and partners dedicated to expanding housing access and improving the quality of life for residents in Pennsylvania. NeighborWorks is a member of NeighborWorks America.