Harrisburg Academy and alumnus provide free van for Steelton mother of five

March 1, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Jessica and her five children receive a free van from Harrisburg Academy and Wheels from the Heart.

This weekend, Harrisburg Academy helped a Steelton family accelerate towards success.

Steve Muschlitz (Class of ’82) and his nonprofit, Wheels from the Heart, joined with the school to provide a free van to a single mother of five, Jessica, on Saturday.

“Owning a car is often the first step to financial independence for single mothers and their families,” Muschlitz, owner of Country Club Auto in Delray Beach, Florida, said in a statement. “These vehicles give them an opportunity for career advancement and better-paying positions to drive their lives to success.”

Jessica’s children range in age from 4 to 12. According to a spokesperson for the school, Jessica has struggled to provide for her family during the pandemic and needed a vehicle to secure a better job opportunity.

Harrisburg Academy also partnered with Muschlitz to provide the family with free summer school enrollment at the Academy, gas gift cards, several free auto maintenance services from local businesses and gift cards to neighborhood grocery stores and restaurants.

Each of the five children also received a goodie bag donated by Academy students and their families, along with food boxes from Midwest Food Bank. PennDOT District 8 and its grant office, Southcentral PA Highway Safety, provided car seats.

Harrisburg Academy middle and upper school students held a “Denim Day” where students paid $1 to dress casually to raise money for the gift cards. The Parent Association also contributed to the fundraising efforts. Sam Kinback, owner of Callen Kinback Inc. in Lemoyne, pledged a free oil change, fluid refills and a tire-rotation service. Gunn-Mowery Insurance, also in Lemoyne, helped facilitate insuring the van.

“We are extremely grateful for these generous gifts that Harrisburg Academy, Wheels from the Heart and the local community have given to our family,” Jessica said. “They will bring us joy and this van will make life a bit easier for us every day.”

To learn more about Wheels from the Heart, visit their website. For more information on Harrisburg Academy, visit their website.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

February 26, 2021 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley Gittens

An artist at a 3rd in the Burg exhibit at the Civic Club of Harrisburg.

Get outside, enjoy the weather and pick up a copy of the new March issue of TheBurg Magazine! This month, we feature the hard work of local nonprofits. In the meantime, don’t forget to catch up on this past week’s news, listed and linked, below.

“The Black is Beautiful Expo” will take place, for the second time, at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Harrisburg this weekend. Around 30 local Black-owned businesses will be in attendance, our online story reported.

Bob’s Art Blog spotlighted the diverse art exhibit at the Civic Club of Harrisburg for 3^rd in the Burg. The event was hosted by Reina Wooden, “R76” and featured an array of other local artists.

Christine Titih, a local author and entrepreneur, founded the Oaks of Central PA, an organization that advocates for and supports African immigrants in the area. Our magazine article tells Titih’s story, including why she recently released a book on finding faith and purpose during uncertain times.

COVID-19 hit, with the resulting lockdown and ensuing job loss, and was a perfect storm to upend those in recovery. But organizations continue the work to help those struggling, blunting the seclusion and stress. Read more in our magazine story.

The COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program (CHIRP), a grant program that offers financial help for hotels, restaurants and bars, will kick off on March 15. The program provides grants of up to $50,000 to businesses with fewer than 300 employees and a tangible net worth less than $15 million, our online story reported.

Dauphin County awarded gaming grants to over 80 local organizations this past week. Many Harrisburg organizations received money for building renovation and improvement projects. See the list of recipients in our online story.

Development projects in Midtown Harrisburg received zoning approvals on Monday night, moving them closer to construction, our reporting found. The city’s Zoning Hearing Board approved variances for an apartment building/community center and townhouses in the Capitol Heights neighborhood; an apartment building and parking garage on Reily Street; and the conversion of a dilapidated commercial structure to a small apartment building.

Our editor reflects on a year of COVID and the impact it has had on Harrisburg. He hopes TheBurg Magazine has provided an element of normalcy in very abnormal times.

HACC partnered with Dauphin County to offer its parking lot as a mass vaccination site, our reporting found. According to the county commissioners, the site will be used when more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are available.

Sara Bozich has a list of fun activities for your weekend, just as the weather gets warmer. Check out her weekend recommendations, here.

Team Scott Inspire founders, James “Scottie” Scott and wife Rachelle, know that being an adolescent is hard, but being an adolescent who’s disadvantaged can be even harder. Five years ago, they started their nonprofit to assist these youth in need, our magazine story reported.

Todd Phillips won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC in October. The Chamber recognized him for his business and for his dedication to mentoring youth. Our magazine article highlights Phillips and his barbershop, True Legends.

UPMC is offering the COVID-19 vaccinations to all elderly residents of Jackson Tower and Lick Tower, public housing buildings in Harrisburg. UPMC sees this as a way to assist an underserved community, our online story reported.

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Harrisburg makes progress on two parks, one ready in time for summer

February 26, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Rendering of 4th and Dauphin Park

If the warmer weather doesn’t have you ready for some outdoor fun, park improvements coming to Harrisburg might.

On Friday’s Community Conversations, Mayor Eric Papenfuse’s weekly Facebook Live event, the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation provided updates on the park construction at 4^th and Dauphin streets and the Chutes and Ladders playground planned for Reservoir Park.

The 4^th and Dauphin park project began in the fall of 2020 as the final part of a years-long parks collaboration between Harrisburg and Capital Region Water (CRW), Impact Harrisburg and the commonwealth.

Parks and Recreation Manager Kevin Sanders said that the project is about halfway done and that residents can expect to see it completed around May.

The renovated park will include a new playground, basketball court, parking lot and landscaping.

Sanders is especially excited about the court.

“It’ll be a real state-of-the-art basketball park,” he said. “I think people will be really proud and really impressed.”

CRW also hopes to use this project to reduce the flow of polluted water and wastewater into Paxton Creek and the Susquehanna River.

Stormwater management improvements include rain gardens, restored vegetation, drainage structures, catch basins and storm sewer pipes, according to CRW.

The parks department also updated the public on another project that has been in the works for some time—the Chutes and Ladders playground.

The $1 million project is part of the city’s 2017 Reservoir Park Master Plan that aims to increase foot traffic in the sprawling park in Allison Hill.

The plan for the playground is modeled after the Chutes and Ladders board game and will allow visitors to engage in a life-sized version.

“It’s a really interesting kind of playground, said Deborah Reihart, parks and recreation project manager. “It’s one of probably a few where you can go and play a game while you’re climbing on the equipment.”

She estimated that they will finish the project late in the fall of 2021 or spring of 2022.

They are currently conducting a survey to get feedback from families on what they hope to see at the park.

“We are trying to get information so the playground best meets the needs of the community,” Reihart said.

To take the Chutes and Ladders Playground Design survey, visit the city’s website.

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Nonprofit Focus: Harristown Development & Sprocket Mural Works

February 26, 2021 | by Admin

Harristown Enterprises Inc.

Why do you feel it’s important for your business to support our area’s nonprofits?

Area nonprofits provide a backbone of support for so many great causes and projects in our community! When making decisions about nonprofit support, we try to always look specifically at those nonprofits that are addressing issues here in the city of Harrisburg.

There are numerous things that our organization does to better our city; there are many other things that we are not in a position to handle. For those critical needs, our community nonprofits are essential. We are truly grateful to the organizations in our community which support those who are in need and who are underserved. We also realize that beautification of our city is equally vital and deserving of encouragement and financial support.

Why do you support this particular nonprofit and what does your business do to benefit the organization?

Harristown’s mission is all about making the downtown better, more exciting, and more vibrant. Sprocket Mural Works has been a tremendous partner with us in making the city and the downtown more beautiful and interesting with so many fantastic murals—their work meshes nicely with our redevelopment mission here in the downtown. We know how excited our customers, visitors, tenants, etc., get when they see the many murals downtown that make their day brighter and more hopeful and add a tremendously interesting aspect to the fabric of the city. In fact, we know that the city’s “mural trail” has become a regular destination for visitors to Harrisburg now that a critical mass of murals has been located throughout the city!

We look forward to continuing our partnership with Sprocket as they spread their art jewels into more city neighborhoods, expanding the beauty, the vibrancy and the excitement. While we certainly wish to increase the number of murals in the central business district, we will—at some point—run out of available walls.We know that there are other very deserving walls and neighborhoods which will come alive with the talents of Sprocket’s local artists, as well as benefit from their connections with the national artist scene.

SPROCKET MURAL WORKS

Describe your organization and the importance of corporate support to further your mission.

Sprocket Mural Works is a small, volunteer-run organization. We create public art to uplift, inspire and promote wellbeing in our communities. Since forming in 2014, Sprocket has produced over 60 large-scale works of public art in Central PA. Over 45 murals are located in Harrisburg, creating the HBG Mural Trail. Sprocket’s mission has been the same from day one: create vibrant murals that celebrate Harrisburg’s culture and its people. We believe public art serves as a catalyst for increasing civic pride and uplifting those who experience the murals daily.

Corporate support has been vital to our organization’s success. Sponsorships, grants and donations of all sizes underwrite festival budgets, including artist stipends, travel and supplies—paint, canvas, paintbrushes, insurance and lift rentals.

When a business supports local nonprofits, the community thrives, and from this, individuals and businesses benefit. It takes a forward-thinking mindset and exceptional leadership to recognize and act on this.

We are proud to be partnered with businesses who understand that caring for people, spaces, and culture right here in our community is accomplished by supporting local nonprofits.

For 2021, what is your greatest need?

COVID-19 has not slowed our ambitions for adding more public art to Harrisburg. We are currently planning the 2021 Mural Festival, and we are dreaming big! Here is a sampling of projects:

Mulberry St. Bridge: The Mulberry Street Bridge is a monumental project that would have a significant impact on our community. We hope to raise funds to reinvigorate this space, engage the community and create a landmark mural.

Allison Hill: Together with local organizations and neighborhood residents, Sprocket plans to create public art in South Allison Hill to promote a safe, thriving, and unified community.

One of the locations we have scouted for a mural is Recycle Bicycle, a well-known organization doing valuable work in the city. We are currently looking for sponsors to support this mural project and others in this neighborhood.

Celebrating Black Lives: Sprocket Mural Works strives to empower artists from various backgrounds to create art that represents the cultures, the people, and the spirit of our neighborhoods.

We hope to partner with local, Black-led organizations in our community to collaborate on themes, location and artist selection for a mural.

Our goal is that this project will be more than a mural. We hope the art will increase dialog, promote systemic change, uplift and celebrate Black lives.

Sprocket is currently seeking financial support towards making these projects and many more possible. Corporate sponsorships are available and individuals may support us directly through our website.

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Harrisburg native writes children’s book with a focus on representation for Black families

February 26, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Front cover of “The Ship and the Jungle”

It became a recurring theme for Dr. Darius Walker’s two kids to ask for a bedtime story. He would easily give in, taking his family into worlds with pirates, heroes and adventures through the narratives he told.

Walker soon decided that he might as well share these stories with other families. He started recording the nighttime tales he told his children and, eventually, translated them into a book, “The Ship and the Jungle.”

“I didn’t see a lot of positive books of Black Americans,” he said. “That inspired me to create something that my children can see themselves in.”

Walker grew up in Harrisburg’s Allison Hill neighborhood before moving to Susquehanna Township, where he lived until he moved to Atlanta for college. From there, he went on to attend the University of Colorado and receive his doctorate degree in biophysics and genetics. Walker eventually moved back to Harrisburg, where he met his wife, Dr. Amy.

The Walkers now live in Qatar in the Middle East, where he works as the director of innovation and commercialization at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, a branch of Cornell University.

He’s a science guy, but he said that his children were the reason he considered becoming an author.

Dr. Darius Walker

Walker, his wife and their two children, Kherrington and Toussaint, are the main characters of “The Ship and the Jungle.” The story follows the family on an accidental trip to a mystical island, where they must undergo challenges in order to return home.

Walker said that he wanted to highlight a Black nuclear family, positive imagery he believes is lacking in mainstream culture. The book also touches on themes of teamwork, anti-bullying and overcoming obstacles, he said.

Since publishing the book, Walker was able to partner with local friends to distribute some of them to children in Harrisburg. Even adults and teenagers have read the book, he said.

“It’s been really rewarding receiving pictures and endorsements from young people and adults,” Walker said. “That’s what it’s all about, seeing that these youth are being inspired and that they can see themselves in this book.”

“The Ship and the Jungle” took four years for Walker to complete, as it was his first experience writing a book. Walker hopes to write a follow-up book to his first, in the future.

Illustrations for the book were created by Flyland Designs in State College.

“The Ship and the Jungle” is best suited for children 5 to 12 years old, Walker said, but is a good read for all ages.

“It’s a book that everyone can enjoy,” he said.

To order “The Ship and the Jungle” by Dr. Darius Walker, visit his website.

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Nonprofit Focus: LCSWMA & Capital Area Greenbelt Association

February 26, 2021 | by Admin

Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority

Why do feel it’s important for your business to support our area’s nonprofits?

LCSWMA is an organization centered on PEOPLE—those we employ and those we serve. Our PURPOSE is to protect those people, along with our beautiful environment. The way LCSWMA fulfills this purpose is something we great PRIDE in—an award-winning waste management system that minimizes landfilling, generates renewable energy, and creates opportunities to improve the places where we live, work and play.

While the core of our business is managing trash and recycling, LCSWMA also believes in supporting our community by improving the environment, health, economy and livability for the benefit of those who live, work and visit this amazing place. At the core of this perspective is our belief that, when businesses adopt a community mindset, everyone benefits. To us, thoughtfully investing into the communities where our operations are located makes good business sense, because vibrant communities yield strong local economies that, in turn, positively impact our business.

Why do you support this particular nonprofit and what does your business do to benefit the organization?

One example of this philosophy at work is through LCSWMA’s support and partnership with the Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA). Located adjacent to our Susquehanna Resource Management Complex in Harrisburg is a trailhead for the Capital Area Greenbelt. This amazing trail is one of the many assets Harrisburg has to offer. But LCSWMA also recognizes that trails and green spaces increase property values, boost local businesses, and make communities more attractive places to live.

So, doing business for good makes sense for LCSWMA, and we hope other businesses consider how they can adopt a similar mindset in support of the Harrisburg community.

Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA)

Describe your organization and the importance of corporate or foundation support to further your mission.

Our local area is just such a wonderful place. When a place is more inviting to walking and cycling, it is a better place to live, work and play—made possible locally in a great part by our natural beauty.

The Capital Area Greenbelt is a 20-mile looping trail surrounding and connecting our beautiful capital city area communities, providing local residents and visitors with opportunities to walk, hike, cycle, skate, jog, fish and walk their dogs, while enjoying flora and fauna and appreciating nature. While parts of the trail are shared with roads, most of the loop is a dedicated path. The Greenbelt, as it is commonly referred to by locals, passes along the Susquehanna River through Reservoir Park, Riverfront Park, Five Senses Gardens and Wildwood Park and Nature Center. In addition to parks, the Greenbelt passes attractions, including the grave site of John Harris Sr. (the namesake of the city of Harrisburg), the Governor’s Mansion, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, The National Civil War Museum and several more.

The Capital Area Greenbelt Association advocates, maintains and supports the Greenbelt trail, a 100% volunteer organization with over 400 members. We work in coordination with the city, four adjoining municipalities, HACC, Dauphin County and PennDOT, plus many neighborhoods.

Operational funding comes from membership dues, donations and the high-profile annual Tour de Belt family bicycle event, now in its 21st year. Attracting close to 1,000 riders, all proceeds go to support the trail. Although virtual in 2020 and 2021, it is the largest local bike event.

The Greenbelt is more than just a local trail system—it also serves as a tourist destination for people who visit the region from outside the area. Business benefits from tourism dollars spent in our stores, hotels and restaurants. Additionally, The Greenbelt is an important element in the transportation network of the capital city area.

For 2021, what is your greatest need for corporate or foundation support?

The Capital Area Greenbelt needs the support of local businesses. In the long term, Harrisburg’s businesses are investing in the economic development of our region by attracting and retaining a skilled workforce who want to live, work and play in a region with a high quality of life. From a tourism perspective, corporate support would expose businesses to the 100,000 to 300,000 people who visit the trail annually.

COVID-19 has changed our lives in many ways. One is by encouraging more outside leisure activities along and with small groups. Preserving these beautiful venues for our future generations takes ongoing efforts made possible through local companies working alongside willing nonprofit volunteers. As a top tier sponsor of Tour de Belt, Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority is a neighbor, friend and valued community asset.

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Black is Beautiful Expo to give platform to Harrisburg-area Black-owned businesses

February 26, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

A vendor at the November “Black is Beautiful Expo”

To celebrate Black History Month, one local entrepreneur is giving the Harrisburg area’s minority-owned businesses a platform to promote themselves.

For the second time, Bradley Wainwright of Urban Revolution Marketing & Branding is holding the “Black is Beautiful Expo” to assist these businesses, many of whom are struggling during COVID.

“A lot of these minority-owned businesses that typically operate on a face-to-face basis haven’t been able to,” Wainwright said. “This expo allows them to.”

On Friday and Saturday, around 30 businesses will set up at the Crown Plaza in downtown Harrisburg to network and sell their products. The event is free to the public.

Speakers include Karl Singleton of the Pennsylvania Diversity Coalition, Dr. Kimeka Campbell of Young Professionals of Color-Greater Harrisburg, Mikell Simpson of Capital Rebirth, and others.

Additionally, Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse and mayoral candidates Dave Schankweiler and Otto Banks will attend. Some candidates for other city government positions will be there, as well.

“We want to show the community they have the support of these different leaders that are running for office,” Wainwright said.

Schankweiler is also a main sponsor of the expo, along with Harrisburg-based law firm McNees, Wallace and Nurick LLC.

“We need to put new and existing business ideas on a fast track to opportunity,” Schankweiler said in a statement. “This Expo is a major step toward highlighting the successful minority-owned businesses right here in Harrisburg.”

At the expo, McNees will announce the winning businesses for its Legal Equity Advancement Program (LEAP), which offers free legal services to Black-owned businesses for a year.

Wainwright expects an even larger turnout at this expo than the first in November. Social distancing, mask-wearing and temperature checks will be enforced, he said.

“I’m excited for the increase in attendees so that these businesses can make more money,” he said. “This is all for our community.”

The “Black is Beautiful Expo” is on Feb. 26, from 6 to 9 p.m. and Feb. 27, from 5 to 8 p.m. For more information or to register, visit their website.

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Nonprofit Focus: MERIT & TFEC

February 26, 2021 | by Admin

MERIT

Why do you feel it’s important for your business to support our area’s nonprofits?

At Merit, we believe nonprofits are vital in helping our community thrive by putting support and service above profit. Support and service that otherwise may not be available to those they serve. In 2020, we launched The Merit Foundation through a partnership with The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC). TFEC has been serving Central PA for over 100 years by focusing on equality and inclusion and supporting philanthropic interests of donors who want to effect change.

The Merit Foundation, a fund of TFEC, was created to help diversify the marketing and advertising industry. We recognize we can improve our industry by becoming more diverse and inclusive. The Merit Foundation will clear paths for individuals in lower-income areas and schools, regardless of skin color, gender or beliefs, to be able to pursue career options that are currently unattainable or achievable. Our industry has to do better at employing a more diverse workforce, and we believe The Merit Foundation can help.

Why do you support this particular nonprofit and what does your business do to benefit the organization?

We are grateful to be able to partner with TFEC to help us achieve our goal of providing pathways into an industry that we believe has the ability to change lives for the better. It’s an industry that has a very public platform and, we believe, a responsibility to raise awareness around topics, issues and causes that can help the greater good.

The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC)

Describe your organization and the importance of corporate or foundation support to further your mission.

The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC) is a tax-exempt public charity serving thousands of people who share a common interest in improving the quality of life in the communities in which they live by creating charitable funds that help meet the ever-changing needs.

TFEC partners with individuals, families and businesses to achieve their charitable goals and strengthen the local communities by investing in them now and for future generations. TFEC has donors everywhere and serves the nonprofits in a six-county area of Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon, Perry and the Dillsburg area of northern York.

Donald McCormick, president of Dauphin Deposit Bank, founded TFEC in 1920. The 18th oldest community foundation in the country, TFEC celebrated its centennial in 2020. TFEC administers a family of more than 900 charitable funds, which includes more than 125 scholarships to support the gift of education. Fifteen rounds of competitive grant-making are offered to the nonprofits within TFEC’s geographic footprint. Since 1920, TFEC has established more than 1,000 charitable funds and given out more than $154 million in charitable grants.

TFEC manages more than $120 million in assets and investments in charitable funds established by both companies and individuals, with an additional $50 million under management as part of contracted management services. These management services facilitate everything from managing back room services for nonprofits and foundations to the growth and distribution of charitable dollars in the local community. TFEC awarded 274 grants in 2020, totaling more than $6.5 million, of which more than $1 million were from the discretionary competitive grant program.

For 2021, what is your greatest need for corporate or foundation support?

Corporate and individual foundation funding is vital to our mission because TFEC needs unrestricted funds to be able to meet the needs of our nonprofits through discretionary grantmaking. There are so many worthy nonprofits doing great work and never enough grant funding to meet all the needs. Especially in times like the world is in now with the COVID-19 virus, unrestricted funds allow TFEC to respond quickly to a large variety of needs.

TFEC has partnered with the United Way of the Capital Region to create the COVID-19 Community Response Fund to provide emergency funding for nonprofits affected by COVID-19.

Unrestricted funds are the most flexible type of gift. It allows TFEC to use them for any nonprofit need through our grant program overseen by volunteer community members who serve on the various grant committees. Our unrestricted fund is called “The Fund for the Future,” and the funds in it permit TFEC to quickly respond to situations that arise that need immediate attention.

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NonProfit Focus: Central Penn Insurance Partners & Habitat for Humanity

February 26, 2021 | by Admin

Central Penn Insurance Partners in Partnership with Erie Insurance

Why do you feel it’s important for your business to support our area’s nonprofits?

The greatest part of owning your own business is the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of others. This is obvious with our employees, vendors and business partners, but our community is just as important. Our community is the lifeblood of a thriving company. Without them, there would be no one to serve. If we had no one to serve, we would have no business in the first place.

A thriving business provides an unparalleled opportunity to make change in our community. Not only are we able to funnel some of our profits to organizations that resonate with our core values, but we also have a team of people who can volunteer and work side by side with nonprofits working to make so many lives better.

Why do you support this particular nonprofit and what does your business do to benefit the organization?

We are in the business of protecting what’s most important to our clients. Much of the time, this comes in the form of protecting their home. Habitat for Humanity is in the business of making the dream of home ownership come true—specifically, those in our community who might not otherwise experience that dream because of income restrictions.

We see our clients’ dream of home ownership come true every day. We know that home ownership is the foundation for any thriving family. It’s where you choose to raise your family and the community that becomes your neighborhood. The financial investment you make becomes an asset that you can build upon. This is why our agency supports Habitat for Humanity. It’s this mission that is going to drive change in our community and the families living here.

Our agency principal, Jesse Biretz, has served on the board of Habitat for Humanity for almost four years. He currently serves as vice president of the board and invests a lot time into helping the organization complete their mission. When Erie Insurance heard of Jesse’s efforts with Habitat, they jumped at the chance to support the cause. In 2018, Erie donated $10,000 to a three-home project on Hummel Street in Harrisburg, as well as volunteers to assist in the construction of those homes. They jumped at the chance again when they heard of this opportunity with TheBurg, donating $1,000. Business partners like Erie Insurance, which believe in community, is how we will change the world.

Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area

Describe your organization and the importance of corporate or foundation support to further your mission.

Working in partnership with individuals, local businesses and faith organizations, Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area aims to end poverty housing in Dauphin County and ensure that everyone has a decent place to live. Our homeownership program provides opportunities for low- to moderate-income individuals and families to achieve their dream of buying a house, thus breaking the cycle of poverty and creating a safe and stable place to call home. Harrisburg Habitat also runs a Critical Home Repair program, designed for current homeowners to seek assistance with needed repairs so they may remain in their homes and to revitalize neighborhoods by reducing blight. In addition to our building initiatives, HFH also maintains the Habitat ReStore, a retail location selling new and gently used building supplies, materials, furniture, and appliances to the public. Proceeds from donated items are used to further our building efforts.

The support of local corporations and foundations is critical to our success and mission. We have been very fortunate to be on the receiving end of funding to complete our build projects, in-kind donations of supplies and materials to offset costs, as well as volunteer time. The generosity of our local community helps Habitat build capacity to serve more families in need and allows us to build strong relationships with our corporate partners, raise awareness about Habitat’s mission, and engage others in meaningful service.

For 2021, what is your greatest need for corporate or foundation support?

With so many people struggling due to the pandemic, the need for Habitat’s services is only going to increase throughout the year. So many Harrisburg families have lost jobs, are living paycheck to paycheck, and are balancing virtual learning for their kids. Homeowners are no longer able to plan for home repairs, instead focusing on the immediate needs in front of them. Habitat’s hope is that our Critical Home Repair program can alleviate some of that burden by assisting with repairs that will keep families safe, warm and dry. Our biggest need for corporate and foundation support in 2021 will be to expand the Critical Home Repair program so we can take on more projects and serve more families county-wide. In addition to monetary support, we would love to increase donations of materials, supplies and professional services. We also hope to be able to welcome back volunteer groups to our sites in the near future.

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NonProfit Focus: SkarlatosZonarich & Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School

February 26, 2021 | by Admin

SkarlatosZonarich LLC

Why do you feel it’s important for your business to support our area’s nonprofits?

Nonprofits provide a variety of necessary services to citizens of the greater Harrisburg area, which simply can neither be addressed by individual citizens nor satisfied by governmental agencies and funding. Nonprofit entities allow persons to band together to focus upon and address issues important to them as a group and important to society.

Why do you support this particular nonprofit, and what does your business do to benefit the organization?

All of the managing members of SkarlatosZonarich LLC are involved in civic, nonprofit or religious organizations.

It is my pleasure to serve on the board of directors or advisory boards of a number of nonprofit corporations, including the Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School (HCES), The James A. Finnegan Foundation and the Historic Harrisburg Advisory Board, in addition to serving as a member of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority for the city of Harrisburg.

HCES offers an alternative source of education to students in and around the city of Harrisburg, including Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties. HCES allows the flexibility for quality education through small class sizes and individualized attention geared to meet the needs of student families. HCES provides an alternative to the Harrisburg school system. HCES’s location in Harrisburg allows it to incorporate visits from governmental leaders and visits to the city’s museums into its ongoing curriculum.

HCES has earned accreditation from the prestigious Middle States Commission for Elementary Schools. HCES is proud of its diverse student population. HCES, while rooted in Catholicism, is open to students of any faith. HCES charges tuition but provides a variety of scholarships to help parents defray costs. Its students qualify for free breakfast and lunch each school day.

Even during the pandemic, HCES has offered pre-K, kindergarten and elementary school students and their families the option of either remote learning or classes at one of its two locations, Cathedral Campus behind the Cathedral of St. Patrick in downtown Harrisburg or at its Holy Family Campus on S. 25th Street.

Service on HCES’ board is my way to “pay it forward” religiously and civically. For more information about HCES’ planned expansion, contact 717-232-2169.

All area businesses, including SkarlatosZonarich LLC, benefit from having an educated workforce available to serve as a pool of potential, qualified employees. HCES provides that type of basic quality education.

Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School

Describe your organization and the importance of corporate or foundation support to further your mission.

Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School (HCES) was founded in 2012 with the merger of two Harrisburg city schools (Holy Family, est. 1959, and Cathedral School, est. 1873), making it the only Catholic elementary school in the city of Harrisburg. We accept children from the city and its surrounding communities, celebrating diversity in our student population. Our mission statement says it all:

Harrisburg Catholic Elementary School, a faith-filled community, is enriched by diverse ethnic cultures. Building upon the teachings of the Catholic Church, we strive to develop the whole child as we encourage students to appreciate each other and share their God-given talents. We challenge students to achieve individual academic success, shared responsibility and appropriate socialization.

Our class sizes are limited to provide students the optimum degree of personal attention they deserve, but rarely receive, in larger classrooms. Our teachers put the needs of the students first. During this pandemic school year, we have maintained in-person classes, as well as live-streamed virtual classes, as requested by individual families. Our teachers have been able to manage students who have been on-line all year, in school all year, and some who have switched as needed. This flexibility emphasizes the dedication and compassion of our teachers, staff and administration.

For 2021, what is your greatest need for corporate or foundation support?

Today, more than ever, our school needs corporate and foundation support to provide tuition assistance, either through Pennsylvania’s EITC and OSTC programs or through individual donations. Eighty-two percent of our enrolled students live at or below the poverty level. This, combined with the economic aftermath of the pandemic, puts our scholarship need for the 2021-22 school year greater than ever. Simply put, without donations from the business community and foundations, our school tuition would be out of reach for most of our families.

The Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program allows businesses to donate to private schools and other educational avenues while providing credits to their own tax bills. The Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) operates similarly in providing tax credits to businesses that donate. The OSTC scholarships apply to students who live in low-achieving public school districts and wish to attend private schools; EITC scholarships are income-driven.

Your business’s donations to either or both of these programs would help assist students whose needs for a better academic and social fit would otherwise be denied because of lack of tuition.

Individual donations are also accepted by the school to assist with tuition needs or in any area you would like to designate. Please contact the school for more information at 717-234-3797.

Thank you to SkarlatosZonarich and all of those who have sponsored our students in receiving excellence in education!

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