Area food banks, pantries expecting surge as families’ SNAP benefits expected to run out in days

October 30, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Downtown Daily Bread’s food pantry. July 2024.

“We’ve had the hallway and lobby filled with people waiting. I don’t know how much fuller it can be.”

Executive Director of the Harrisburg Area Food Pantry Deidre Lenker said their small pantry in the Camp Curtin YMCA is already pushed to its limits, and worries about what the coming weeks will hold.

As the federal government shutdown is slated to cause the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to run out of money by Nov. 1, millions of people are expected to lose their benefits. In Dauphin County, 51,629 people received SNAP assistance in September, according to the commonwealth.

Local food banks and pantries, like Lenker’s in Harrisburg, are bracing for the impact as best as they can, even as many are already stretched thin due to federal funding cuts earlier this year and demand that continues to rise.

“We are already experiencing increased requests for food,” Lenker said. “We’re pushing our volunteers to capacity.”

What used to be an average of 60 clients served at the pantry each day became more like 80 in recent months, a record high. Come November, Lenker expects the number to climb again.

“I think we’ll just keep busting through those records,” she said.

The Central PA Food Bank provides shipments to area organizations like the Harrisburg Area Food Pantry, and has already begun ramping up its inventory, according to Shila Ulrich, executive director.

However, the resources that the food bank provides, even when it’s not stretched thin, aren’t close to what SNAP provides area residents. According to Ulrich, for every one meal that the food bank delivers, SNAP provides nine.

And while they’re going to do all they can to meet the need and encourage donations, Ulrich doesn’t have a clear picture of how the shutdown will really impact them yet.

What she does know is that the U.S. already faces a hunger crisis, and that the food bank has taken several hits this year already.

Triple Whammy

Ulrich shared how the food bank has lost tens of thousands of pounds of food because of federal cuts to programs like the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, which pays local farmers to supply fresh food to food banks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also cancelled 27 truckloads of food that the bank was set to receive so far this year.

Additionally, the state budget impasse has held up programs like the State Food Purchase Program, which provides grants to help food banks purchase food, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and others.

Add on top of that an expected demand surge as SNAP funds lapse, and organizations are left guessing what’s coming next.

“This is a triple whammy for us,” Ulrich said.

A little over a year ago, Downtown Daily Bread on South Street in Harrisburg opened a food pantry, adding to its services for unhoused and food-insecure individuals. The nonprofit is still working to get the word out about the pantry, but expects to see more people visiting soon.

“I think plenty of folks who don’t know we have a pantry are going to find out,” Executive Director Kristen Herman said.

Downtown Daily Bread currently offers pantry assistance from Monday through Wednesday, but plans to expand hours in the coming weeks.

Herman worries about the “domino effect” that the SNAP pause will have on their clients.

“They’re going to have to choose between eating and paying bills,” she said. “It will impact their ability to move toward independence.”

Midwest Food Bank Executive Director Sarah Brennan said that while some people may believe food insecurity only affects the most impoverished and unhoused residents, in reality, many people need the help.

“People who face this are people who you see every day,” she said. “This is going to impact a lot more people than you think.”

In the Harrisburg School District, families have already started asking what to do when SNAP lapses, said Gia Johnson, the district’s liaison for the McKinney-Vento program, which supports unhoused and displaced families.

“I know it’s going to impact a lot of our students,” she said.

The district already provides free breakfast and lunch to all students, as well as 500 weekly “energy packs” with snacks for the weekend, and seasonal “Cocoa Packs” of food. Johnson and school social workers are helping to connect families to local food pantries as much as they can, but in terms of in-house help, officials say their hands are tied at the moment.

The district is still waiting on about $50 million in state funding that is held up by the budget impasse, according to Dr. Marcia Stokes, chief financial officer. And when it comes to the funds that support breakfast and lunch for students, the district is also experiencing a reimbursement delay from the state.

“It’s the perfect storm of no money flowing to programs that people rely on,” Stokes said.

Filling a Gap

Midwest Food Bank is an independent food bank, which means it doesn’t rely on government funds, but on private donors, so federal cuts haven’t hit it like they have hit the Central PA Food Bank.

However, that means more pantries are relying on Midwest Food Bank more to make up for gaps in resources from other suppliers who are lacking funds.

But more demand will mean driving more and further to pick up food, more money needed for purchasing food and more donations needed from farms and grocery stores.

All of the local organizations mentioned could use donations, some looking for monetary and others for food donations.

While local support will help, Ulrich, at the Central PA Food Bank, knows that if the government shutdown continues, it won’t be enough.

“We need lawmakers to understand that’s only good enough for so long,” she said. “That can’t make up for [federal funds].”

Gov. Josh Shapiro released a statement on the issue on Oct. 20, saying that “vital support for Pennsylvania families and children” is being threatened “once again,” following Congress’s vote to cut 310,000 Pennsylvanians off Medicaid and 144,000 off SNAP.

Just two days ago, Shapiro sued the Trump administration, alleging that it unlawfully suspended SNAP, and that billions of dollars in congressionally-appropriated contingency funding could be used to fund SNAP in November.

Federal Judge Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts shared on Thursday that she would likely order the Trump administration to use these emergency funds.

For more information on the Harrisburg Area Food Pantry, visit their website.

To find out more about the Central PA Food Bank, visit their website.Click here for their database of food pantries.

For more on Downtown Daily Bread, visit their website.

To find out more about the Midwest Food Bank, visit their website.

For more information on the Harrisburg School District, visit their website.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

October 30, 2025 | by Sara Bozich

Plan your weekend with my weekly list of things to do around Harrisburg and central PA!

What you’ll find ⤵️

For something new: Mac Saturn (they opened for The Struts in 2023 (HUP/XL) at Capital City Music Hall tonight; not really new but The HBG Flea is back indoors at Strawberry Square for the season; Cornerstone is offering its first charcuterie making class on Sunday!

Worth noting: It’s the last weekend for Creatures of the Night at ZooAmerica and for Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors at Open Stage

Things on my agenda this weekend: Trick or Treating, parent-teacher conferences, Walk to End ALZ, Bo’s Birthday party.

🆕 Quick Weekend Links: Thursday • Friday • Saturday • Sunday

New + Noteworthy

you know, ICYMI

Coronet Park to open in early 2026. If you want to check it out, make sure you’re on my email list
Halloween cocktails to pair with your fave spooky movie
See what else you missed on the blog
and check out the new “Extras” section at the very bottom

Sara’s Top Picks

for the group chat

Add to calendar: Aortic Valve is back in Harrisburg on Nov. 21
💜 Join me for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Nov. 1!
SoMa Christmas Market returns on Nov. 30
📤 Share this with the friend who always asks, ‘What’s going on this weekend?’
👨‍💻 Submit your events for the Weekend Roundup

Thursday

The Conference for Women at Penn Harris Hotel | $ | Camp Hill
Fall Foliage Floats with Susquehanna Outfitters | $ | Wormleysburg
True Crime Trivia Night at Gruver Farms | Free | New Cumberland
Celebrate National Physical Therapy Month! at CrossWinds Winery | Free | Hershey
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES – 35th Anniversary Screening with Pizza Party! at The Appell Center | $ | York
Open Mic and Jam at The Abbey Bar | Every Thursday Night!| Free | Harrisburg
Mac Saturn at Capital City Music Hall | $ | Harrisburg
The Iron Maidens wsg Zenith at XL Live | $ | Harrisburg
Open Stage presents Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors | $ | Harrisburg

Friday

Halloween Night at Gruver Farms | Free | New Cumberland
Fall Foliage Floats with Susquehanna Outfitters | $ | Wormleysburg
TGIF: Cycle Express Theme Ride- BLACK OUT CYCLE at H2L Studio | $ | Mechanicsburg
Ashcombe In Madness at The Willows at Ashcombe | $ | Mechanicsburg
Hallo-Wine Weekend at Royal Winery | Free | Harrisburg
Lawn Chair Cinema: Free Birds (2013) at New Cumberland Public Library | Free | New Cumberland
HALLOWEEN (1978) | a CinemaAAH! event at Midtown Cinema | $ | Harrisburg
Halloween Party at Harrisburg Beach Club | Free | Harrisburg
Halloween Costume Party at Bourbon Street Saloon | Free | Harrisburg
HYP Halloween Social at Nocturnal | Free | Harrisburg
Halloween Bash at Sawyer’s | Free | Harrisburg
The Official Halloween Bar Crawl at various locations | $ | Harrisburg
Adrian Blitzer w/ Breach The Silence and 12 Sins at Capital City Music Hall | $ | Harrisburg
!Dead! With Y2KIDS & Old School Hollywood at XL Live | $ | Harrisburg
Lindsay Bretz-Morgans Upfront Theatre Presents: The Rocky Horror Show at Mickey’s Black Box | $ | Lititz
Karma Halloween – Party 1 | $ | Harrisburg
Open Stage presents Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors | $ | Harrisburg
Latin Fuzion Fridayz at Level 2 | Harrisburg

Saturday

Greater Harrisburg Walk to End Alzheimer’s on City Island | $ | Harrisburg
Saturday Morning Yoga at Boneshire Brew Works | $ | Harrisburg
Pilates Yoga Fusion with Burn30 at Zeroday Brewing | $ | Harrisburg
Saturday Schedule: H2L Studio – Be a Weekend Workout Warrior 11/1 | $ | Mechanicsburg
Trick or Trot 5k and Monster Dash with The Lion Foundation | $ | Camp Hill
HYP Running Club at FNB Field | $ | Harrisburg
HBG Flea – November 2025 at Strawberry Square | Free | Harrisburg
Trick or treat Fall Fun on Paulus Farm! | $ | Mechanicsburg
Sip and See Into Your Future at Gruver Farm | Free | New Cumberland
Hallo-Wine Weekend at Royal Winery | Free | Harrisburg
Popcorn Hat Players present The Frog Prince at Gamut Theatre | $ | Harrisburg
Hershey History Center’s 5th Annual Trains at the Tracks | $ | Hershey
Friends of New Cumberland Public Library Book & Media Sale | Free | New Cumberland
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS SING-ALONG | at Midtown Cinema | $ | Harrisburg
The Official Halloween Bar Crawl at various locations | $ | Harrisburg
Anthrophobia / LOWLIVES / Ruiness at Capital City Music Hall | $ | Harrisburg
The Legwarmers – Ultimate 80’s Experience at XL Live | $ | Harrisburg
Lindsay Bretz-Morgans Upfront Theatre Presents: The Rocky Horror Show at Mickey’s Black Box | $ | Lititz
Karma Hocus Pocus Party – HALLOWEEN Night 2 at Karma | $ | Harrisburg
Open Stage presents Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors | $ | Harrisburg
Ciroc Saturdays at Level 2 | Harrisburg
Brewery Tours: York City Walking Tour | $ | York
Brewery Tours: Cruise York County | $ | York
Brewery Tours: Lancaster City Walking Tour | $ | Lancaster
Brewery Tours: Lancaster City Walk-a-Bout! | $ | Lancaster

Sunday

Sunday Tea at The Willows at Ashcombe | $ | Mechanicsburg
Kundalini Yoga with Keane Living at Consciousness Coffee | $ | Lemoyne
Sundays at Stumpy’s! | $ | Hershey
Breathwork Class at H2L Studio | $ | Mechanicsburg
Harrisburg Hot Cider Hustle 10K & 5K at City Island | $ | Harrisburg
Charcuterie at Cornerstone Coffeehouse | $ | Camp Hill
Concert Series: West Shore Symphony Orchestra at Trinity Camp Hill | $ | Camp Hill
Hershey History Center’s 5th Annual Trains at the Tracks | $ | Hershey
The Blues Society of Central PA and Susquehanna Folk Music Society present Hubby Jenkins at Champions Sports Bar | $ | Highspire
Little Brother Band at the West Shore Theatre | $ | New Cumberland
Sunday Music Bingo at Royal Winery | Free | Harrisburg
Open Stage presents Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors | $ | Harrisburg

Extras

Did you take my reader/follower survey?
I just finalized my 2026 Event Schedule! 👀
Want to share an ‘extra’? Email Sara with interest!

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

November News Digest

October 30, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Affordable Housing Grants Awarded

Over a dozen local projects will get a boost of cash to create housing.

Harrisburg officials last month announced that 13 affordable housing projects will receive a total of almost $8 million in grants, money that was made available to the city through federal COVID-relief funds.

“I am proud to continue fulfilling one of my original campaign promises to make Harrisburg a city where everyone has access to a safe affordable place to call home,” Mayor Wanda Williams said.

The money for the initiative was made possible through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) program. Harrisburg received a total of $47 million in ARPA money.

City Council, in 2023, approved putting $31.4 million into the city’s general fund to replace revenue lost during the pandemic. That money then went to pay for regular budget items, freeing up money for special projects. Council designated certain projects that the money should fund, such as the $8 million for affordable housing, in addition to other projects.

Recipients of the Affordable Housing Development Fund grants are as follows:

Beahive Affordable Housing Outreach, 4 units, $400,000
Breneman Group, 14 units, $650,000
Habitat for Humanity, 4 units, $400,000
Handles Helping Hand Foundation, 4 units, $900,000
Latino Connection Foundation LLC-Sycamore Homes, 23 units, $800,000
Latino Connection Foundation LLC-Woodward Lofts, 48 units, $700,000
PSV Properties, 3 units, $73,000
Scholars Inc. dba Thrive Housing Services, 3 units, $300,000
TLC Capstone, 34 units, $600,000
TLC Cornerstone Renewal, 50 units, $750,000
Vice Capital LLC and Savoy Harrisburg LLC, 10 units, $1,300,000
Wildheart International Ministries Gateway, 9 units, $377,000
Williams and Williams Properties LLC, 14 units, $500,000

The amount awarded totals $7,750,000. According to Williams, the remaining $250,000 is being saved in case of needed adjustments during the projects’ construction processes.

A total of 26 applications were submitted to Harrisburg, and 13 were awarded.

According to city officials, all of the awarded projects are fully affordable, except for one, Vice Capital’s Savoy project, which includes 10 affordable units out of 48.

Apartment Projects Get Approvals

Several new proposed projects would add around 150 apartment units to Harrisburg’s housing stock.

At a Harrisburg Planning Commission meeting last month, local developers presented proposals to repurpose former office buildings and a funeral home, as well as construct new housing.

Starting along the riverfront, Harrisburg-based WCI Partners proposed converting an office building at 1909 N. Front St. into 60 apartments. The building is currently occupied by Hersha Hospitality, but according to WCI, the company is downsizing and moving locations.

Under the proposal, WCI would create all one-bedroom units in the four-story, 58,832-square-foot building. There are also 71 off-street parking spaces.

The planning commission voted to recommend approval of the land development plan, as well as a special exception to allow a multifamily dwelling in the Riverfront zoning district.

In downtown Harrisburg, Harristown Development Corp. has proposed another office-to-residential conversion at 333 Market Street.

The 22-story building is the tallest in Harrisburg, according to the city, and, for years, has housed state government offices and commercial space. Currently, apparel store DTLR occupies ground level space on Market Street and a WGAL News 8 studio has a space at the corner of N. 4th and Blackberry streets.

The proposal includes renovating floors 11 through 19 of the building, currently vacant offices, into 81 apartments. Units would be one- and two-bedrooms ranging from 828 to 1,225 square feet.

The project would not include off-street parking, but the building is attached to the Chestnut Street Garage.

Approval for the project was granted by the commission.

On a smaller scale, developer Breneman Properties has proposed adding apartments to the building at 1332 N. 2nd St. The building currently includes five apartments and previously housed Neumyer Funeral Home on the first floor. Breneman would convert the former funeral home space into eight additional apartments.

The planning commission recommended approval of a variance to allow the existing parking lot to be used commercially and for spaces to be rented out, and a special exception to allow for more units than permitted by right, for the project.

Lastly, Handles Helping Hand Foundation has proposed consolidating five parcels at 1605 to 1613 Market St. and subdividing the land into four lots. The developer would then construct a three-story affordable townhome on each lot.

The project site is currently owned by the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority. A small community garden once operated onsite, but the lot has since become blighted.

The planning commission recommended approval of the land development plan, lot consolidation and subdivision. They also recommended approval of a variance and special exception for relief from lot width and off-street parking requirements.

Catalyst Award Winners Named

TheBurg has been named the Harrisburg area’s Small Business of the Year, as the Harrisburg Chamber released the recipients of its 2025 Catalyst awards.

Each year, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC honors midstate companies, organizations and individuals with Catalyst awards, issued for positive impact and demonstrated success in the greater Harrisburg area.

“We are greatly honored by this award,” said Lawrance Binda, publisher and editor of TheBurg, who co-founded the company in 2008. “Operating a successful small business is very difficult, especially for a local news outlet. This award speaks directly to the hard work, creativity and business savvy of our dedicated staff.”

TheBurg is an employee-owned company. Besides Binda, partners include sales director Lauren Maurer and creative director Meg Caruso. Managing editor Maddie Gittens, assistant editor Alexandra Jones and sales associate Natalie diSanto round out the full-time staff. TheBurg also employs many part-time and freelance reporters, writers and artists.

In 2018, TheBurg also won the Catalyst Award itself for its positive role in the community. TheBurg also has been named “News Organization of the Year” by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation for the past five years.

The 2025 Catalyst recipients are:

ATHENA Leadership Award
Sheilah Borne
Penn State Health | Penn State University

Catalyst Award
Goodwill Keystone Area

Diversity Leader of the Year
Dr. Roosevelt Allen
United Concordia Dental

Entrepreneur of the Year
Christina Milano-Damaskos
Athlon

Government Leader of the Year
Cumberland County Commission for Women

Small Business of the Year
TheBurg

Volunteer of the Year
Matt Caylor
The Foundation for Enhancing Communities

“The Catalyst Awards highlight individuals and organizations that bring our mission to life,” said Ryan C. Unger, president & CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. “As the region’s catalyst for economic prosperity, we are proud to honor the people making a lasting impact on our future.”

Outdoor Event Space Planned

A new park is being developed in downtown Harrisburg, with a focus on hosting live outdoor events.

Harristown Development Co. stated last month that it plans to build “Coronet Park” in an empty lot just off Market Square on S. 2nd Street.

The park will occupy about 3,300 square feet of space with a stage, seating, pavers, planters and other amenities. Expected to open in the spring, the park is being designed to host live music and other events and activities.

The park’s name derives from the former Coronet Restaurant, which long occupied the first floor of a small commercial building that once stood on the parcel. The restaurant burned in a fire in the early 1990s, and the building was largely vacated.

Harrisburg-based Harristown bought the building in 2017, razing it and planning to construct a six-story office building on the site. However, the pandemic and the downturn in the office market quashed that plan, leading the company to consider other uses.

In 2018, Harristown received a $1 million state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant for the site, which now will be used for the park project, according to the company.

Harristown also owns the building next door, redeveloping it as the Menaker apartment building, which opened in 2022. The first floor of that building is currently under renovation as the newest location of Denim Coffee Co., expected to open in early 2026, according to Harristown.

So Noted

Bodega Food Company has officially opened at N. 3rd and Herr streets in Harrisburg, offering innovative items like a chopped cheese sandwich on a Jamaican beef patty and chicken Caesar loaded fries. Owners Sean and Chrissy Banks and Patrick Murphy said their goal was to create a neighborhood eatery that would offer something for every taste.

Harrisburg Tool Library opened its doors for the first time to offer a preview last month at its storefront location at 1314 N. 3rd St. The library, which will rent out tools and equipment, has not yet announced a firm opening date.

Lowengard Building in downtown Harrisburg held a ribbon-cutting last month following a complete restoration. Owner Chris Dawson unveiled the rehabbed building, which houses his architectural firm, two large apartments, retail space on the ground floor and a rooftop deck with stunning views of the state Capitol.

SoMa Christmas Market will take place Nov. 30, bringing food, shopping and Santa to downtown Harrisburg. The event, hosted by Sara Bozich and Harristown Enterprises, will take place on S. 3rd Street, between Market and Chestnut streets, with over 30 vendors selling handmade goods and gifts.

Changing Hands

Adrian St., 2469: H. Nguyen to G&W Rentals LLC, $100,000

Balm St., 124: D. Okuneye to PACC Homes & Development LLC, $92,500

Bartine St., 1124: A. Jackson to P. Haffner, $175,000

Boas St., 1853: First Choice Home Buyers LLC to OG Boas LLC, $130,000

Carnation St., 1731: Carnation St LLC to La Leche Carnation LLC, $65,000

Charles St., 226: T. Zeigler to J. Weinman, $230,000

Crescent St., 463: H. Casado to Echo Propco I LLC, $85,000

Crescent St., 465: H. Casado to Echo Propco I LLC, $80,000

Cumberland St., 1725: PA Double Dels LLC to Y. Tejada & L. Duran, $152,000

Derry St., 1527½: L. Messner to J. Fernandez, $115,000

Derry St., 2500: J. Lara to K. Gonzalez, $140,000

Derry St., 2611: M. Ryan to I. Walelgn, $104,900

Dunkle St., 560 & 562: Lemoyne Land Corp Inc. to Family Tires II Corp., $265,000

Geary St., 614: C. Easter to RKE Investments LLC, $50,000

Geary St., 626: R. & L. Goldberg to EJB Rentals LLC, $65,000

Green St., 803: J. Cowden to R. & M. Jones, $315,000

Green St., 1120: N. Foote to Greta J. Brawner Trust, $290,000

Green St., 2005: F. Boomer to K. & A. Strawser, $302,000

Green St., 2015: A. & W. Jamgochian to E. & D. Euston, $310,000

Green St., 2110: R. Shokes to D. Williams, $180,000

Green St., 2112: R. Shokes to D. Williams, $180,000

Green St., 2119: PA Deals LLC to C. Acevedo, $117,000

Hamilton St., 425: J. & B. Alston to C. Thomas, $209,900

Herr St., 110: W. Spinner to B. Carlson, $210,000

Herr St., 1615: SPG Capital LLC to A. Dozier, $169,900

Hunter St., 1535: Delmax Properties LLC to F. Tayun, $144,000

Hunter St., 1603: J. Collado to A. Santiago, $75,000

Jefferson St., 2306: C&C Homes LLC to C. Devan, $165,000

Jefferson St., 2660: L. & G. Garced to G&W Rentals LLC, $70,000

Kensington St., 1935: L. Chen & M. Hem to S. & C. Say, $56,000

Kensington St., 2016: Ink Properties LLC to Echo Propco I LLC, $90,000

Liberty St., 1345: REO 2023 NR2 LLC to Cas Group LLC, $80,000

Market St., 1623: B. & C. Weaver to D. & M. Zimmerman, $160,000

Market St., 2046: Annn Investment LLC to E. & M. Morocho, $128,000

Muench St., 342: Ink Properties LLC to Echo Propco I LLC, $80,000

Mulberry St., 1849: R. Walker to A. Fontaine, $146,900

Naudain St., 1619: Bridger Investments LLC to Goods Creekside Properties LLC, $65,000

North St., 254 & 256: Alli Lin LLC to Mirage Grove LLC, $550,000

North St., 1612: M. Stewart to K. Aguasvivas, $66,000

Norwood St., 914: I. Rodriguez to S. Rucker, $90,000

N. 3rd St., 2103: PKM Holdings Inc. to Annmil Inc., $1,500,000

N. 3rd St., 2222: G. Gonzales to J. Niones, $160,000

N. 3rd St., 3027: D. Myers to J. McFadden, $231,400

N. 3rd St., 3112: W. & J. Holloway and JNB Properties to B. & C. Crespo, $267,000

N. 6th St., 2214: D&F Realty Holdings LP to J. Knouse, $174,000

N. 6th St., 2251: D&F Realty Holdings LP to C. Orta & T. Cabrera, $123,286

N. 6th St., 2553: W. & A. Hooper to Jay & Lo Enterprises LLC, $50,000

N. 6th St., 3139: R. & J. Womer to R. & C. Steele, $105,000

N. 13th St., 100, 112 and 105, 107, 109, 111, 113, 115, 117, 177½, 119 & 119½ Linden St.: Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC to Halden Horizons Group LLC, $375,000

N. 14th St., 64: D. Boyle to J. Minaya, $55,000

N. 15th St., 201: G. Morris to Estrella Realty LC, $54,000

N. 15th St., 915: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to DKH Homes LLC, $89,000

N. 16th St., 701: M. Penn & N. Davis to YR Holdings LLC, $165,000

N. 17th St., 48: D. Ionni to L. & M. Maechler, $100,000

N. 17th St., 56: My Majesty LLC to E. Lol, $198,000

N. 18th St., 84: MAAC Realty LLC to A. Lantz, $70,000

Park St., 1631: Goods Creekside Properties LLC to C. Ranglin, $165,000

Penn St., 1704: A. Elberti to C. Clifton & M. Keys, $227,500

Penn St., 2427: M. Powell to T. & T. Burrell, $110,000

Pine St., 222: Community Action Association to Dignity & Respect Homes LLC, $219,900

Rolleston St., 1145: A&K Investment Partnership LLC to M. Cruz, $205,000

Rudy Rd., 1902: E. & G. Cohen to J&G Partners LLC, $150,000

Rudy Rd., 1948: M. Anderson to Ortiz Family Investments LLC, $110,000

Rudy Rd., 1957: D. Juggins to A. Ortiz, $83,500

S. 14th St., 443: P. Caswell to JL Mar Investments LLC, $76,000

S. 15th St., 441: Glad Rentals LLC to JRHeller Com LLC, $71,000

S. 16th St., 526: V. & T. Turner to K&M Home Investment LLC, $55,000

S. 17th St., 1029: M. & T. Cannon to A. & N. Frey, $170,000

S. 18th St., 321: B. Muzirwa to Calmere 1 LLC, $110,000

S. 18th St., 353: City Limits Foundation to C&C Homes LLC, $85,000

S. 21st St., 934: J. Goodling to Hemlock Hill Homes LLC, $120,000

S. 24th St., 550, 556 & 558: R. Shaeffer to Rebuild the Capital LLC, $320,000

S. 27th St., 807: J. & P. Calla to CAS Realty Two LLC, $250,000

State St., 1730: JMR Ventures LLC to Hope Only Corp Inc., $157,900

Swatara St., 1310: D. Smith to J. Vazquez, $55,000

Swatara St., 1521: Tri County HDC Ltd. to A. Fox, $99,900

Swatara St., 1907: A. Erazo to H. Garzon, $124,500

Sycamore St., 1501: L. Huerta to Montero Ramirez Construction Inc., $125,000

Sycamore St., 1724: Centric Property Group LLC to J. Diaz, $205,000

Sylvan Terr., 134: Sky Resort Rentals LLC to F. Vasquez, $138,000

Verbeke St., 206: Burke Shade LLC to K. Coyne, $100,000

Walnut St., 1216: D. Baldwin to D. Quispe, $80,000

Washington St.,. 125: E. Hart & F. Mazzoni to G. Sims, $190,000

Woodbine St., 217 & 2156 Penn St.: J. & S. Compton to L. Williams, $315,000

Woodbine St., 330: F. & R. Hamid to R. Santos, $160,000

Woodbine St., 350: P. Brown to T. Bess, $129,500

Harrisburg property sales, September 2025, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Homeward Bound: Kudos to folks offering creative solutions to homelessness

October 30, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

Many newspapers once had a feature called “cheers and jeers.”

In that column, the local newspaper complimented a few things it liked and criticized some others it didn’t. The Patriot-News did this for a number of years.

Well, I don’t have any jeers in this particular column (for that, you’ll have to read, well, most of my other columns), but I do have one big cheer.

In August, a nonprofit called Amiracle4sure opened what it calls “A Miracle Community,” a chunk of land in south Harrisburg where displaced occupants of “tent city” could relocate after Harrisburg’s largest homeless encampment was forced to shut down.

As of this writing, over 100 people had moved a few short blocks to the new location, a large, freshly graveled area that was once a parking lot. In so doing, Amiracle4sure hopes to bring a sense of structure and civility to the encampment, compared to the disorder and danger that marred tent city.

So, I offer a huge cheer to founder Marsha Curry-Nixon and her son, Tim White, for taking on this mission. Early days have been promising, but to succeed long-term, they’ll need to be steadfast, with support and encouragement from the larger community—including financial help.

There are more cheers to be had.

In recent years, Harrisburg has become something of a laboratory for creative ways to address the extraordinarily difficult problem of sheltering the unhoused. Nearby, also in south Harrisburg, three other projects are in various stages of completion.

Last year, Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania opened Veterans Grove, which offers 15 tiny homes, plus a community center, for homeless veterans. On adjacent land, Tunnel to Towers has broken ground on a complex consisting of a 64-unit apartment building and a cluster of “comfort homes,” also for unhoused veterans. The third project, by Eden Village, will bring 32 tiny homes and a community center for the general unhoused population. It is still in the development and fundraising stage.

So, that’s four projects, each with its own model, offering innovative ways of addressing homelessness in Harrisburg. I applaud them all, even if none ends up being a “magic bullet” that will end the crisis for good.

Realistically, I hope that these efforts, combined, bring us to a place that’s somewhat closer to a solution.

In my view, “phase one” of this crisis was what we had before—chaos—folks sleeping under bridges, on the sidewalk, in the scrub. Evidently, some people, at least according to our social media, viewed “tent city” positively, as a type of community. There may have been positive elements, but, in my view, these were easily overwhelmed by profound problems and hazards, including frequent fires, interpersonal conflicts, drug use, medical emergencies and unsanitary conditions.

It seems that we’re now entering a new phase, which I’ll call “phase two.” This interim phase offers greater hope and respect for human dignity. It may be, as in the “Miracle Community,” simply a better encampment: cleaner, calmer, better organized. Or it may be quality transitional housing and support as embodied by Veterans Grove, Tunnel to Towers and Eden Village. Together, these projects offer a much-needed supplement to longstanding housing and shelter efforts in the city, such as those offered by Christian Churches United, Downtown Daily Bread and Bethesda Mission.

Ultimately, I would hope that we, as a community, could reach a final phase—permanent housing for everyone. Nationally, there are examples that may be worth emulating. Houston, for instance, has adopted a “housing first” model, which, according to that city, has substantially lessened homelessness by providing permanent housing then offering wraparound services once folks are securely housed. At the same time, this model hasn’t proven to be a panacea either. Houston still has a sizable, if reduced unhoused population, as some people refused to participate, returned to living outside or found themselves newly homeless.

Obviously, Harrisburg doesn’t have the resources of a huge, growing metropolis like Houston. Nonetheless, housing for everyone could serve as a north star as city and county leaders look to future solutions.
For now, I’m awed by the creativity and hard work of local people seeking solutions to this exceedingly complex and difficult issue here. Yes, it’s still early, and long-term success is hardly guaranteed. However, I also wouldn’t be surprised if, someday, other cities look to Harrisburg for ideas on how to address homelessness in their communities.

Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.

If you wish to help our unhoused neighbors, I urge you to donate to the organizations.

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November Publisher’s Note

October 30, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

Each October, hundreds of journalists gather in a hotel ballroom just outside of Harrisburg for the annual Keystone Awards ceremony.

For three hours, the PA Newsmedia Association celebrates the best in journalism in the commonwealth by handing out awards for reporting, writing, art, design, etc.

This year, TheBurg picked up 26 awards in total and, most importantly, received “News Organization of the Year,” one of just two news outlets in the state so honored. It’s the fifth straight year we’ve received this top award, which no other news company in Pennsylvania has ever done, according to records dating back to 1990.

My apologies for the obvious brag, but I’m so proud of our staff, both full- and part-time. Sure, I may lead the parade around here, but our reporters, writers, artists and other contributors truly make TheBurg what it is.

Speaking of our staff, I have what is, for us, a major announcement. For years, I’ve wanted to add a second full-time reporter to our staff, so I’m delighted to announce that Alexandra Jones will be joining us this month. There’s a good chance you’ll catch her at meetings, events and just out and about reporting stories. So, if you see her around town, please extend a warm welcome as she joins TheBurg family.

As it’s November, I have an annual reminder that TheBurg is not only a community news organization but a homegrown small business. As we enter the holiday season, we urge you to robustly support all the small businesses in the Harrisburg area. To help the cause, we always devote our November issue to “shop local,” hoping that folks will choose independent retailers over the big box, the national chain or the online behemoth. Happy shopping, everyone!

Lawrance Binda
Publisher/Editor

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Worldwide Web: Friendship Force promotes global goodwill through travel, exchanges

October 30, 2025 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Members of Friendship Force

Katherine McFarland was walking around a lake and sipping coconut water from its husk when she felt friendship take root with her host in Rio de Janeiro.

This was the first of McFarland’s journeys with the Friendship Force of Greater Harrisburg, but far from the last. Since then, she’s taken “eight or 10” journeys during her “nearly 20 years” with FFGH, experiencing Cuba, Morocco, Brazil and most recently, a five-day stay with a Friendship Force host in Long Island, N.Y. She next plans to travel to Italy with six Greater Harrisburg club members.

“I joined Friendship Force because I’m a traveler,” said McFarland, 73, of Carlisle. “I really believe in spreading goodwill. There’s something very special about breaking bread with people that brings them together.”

Friendship Force International, from which the Greater Harrisburg chapter derives, is a nonprofit, global exchange organization with a stated mission “to promote peace and goodwill by bringing people together through educational programs, informational journeys,” according to the group’s website.

Through such journeys, the organization “sows the seeds of friendship across the physical and cultural barriers that divide us.” Today, FFI has nearly 300 local charters across the globe, with the Greater Harrisburg club boasting 85 members.

Greater Harrisburg was one of the first FFI charters established after the worldwide organization was created in 1977. To date, FFGH remains the only one in Pennsylvania.

Harrisburg exchanges have included journeys to most continents (South America, Europe, Africa and Asia), as well as domestic travels between various U.S. states. Harrisburg has also played host to ambassadors from Germany, Italy, Colombia, Japan, The Netherlands, Israel, India, Moldova, Thailand, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, New Zealand, Australia, England and Canada. In 2003, FFGH participated in a special peace-making trip to Jordan.

“Harrisburg is a great attraction for our visitors,” said FFGH member Ron Turo. “West of Newville, a very large Mennonite and Amish population is there that visitors like to see. The only covered bridge left in Cumberland County is in Hopewell Township.”

Turo, 70, of Mount Holly Springs, joined FFGH in 2020. Members are responsible for paying their own travel expenses, but Turo said that journeys with the organization “are much less expensive” than traveling on his own because he doesn’t have to pay for lodging. Instead, members stay with FFI host families when visiting locations.

“You get so much more immersion in their culture when you stay in a host home instead of a hotel,” he said. “The bottom line is that Friendship Force stands for the proposition that, when you meet people from other countries and live with them for a while, it leads to getting to know each other better and promotes understanding, which leads to peace.”

Turo’s journeys include leading chapter trips to Armenia-Georgia, Japan and Mongolia. He’s also visited Australia and plans to travel to San Antonio, Texas, in mid-October.

FFGH members also serve as hosts to organization members visiting from other regions. Turo said that, so far, he’s hosted couples from Washington state and Alberta, Canada.

“I take them to Harrisburg, Gettysburg and Kings Gap (State Park),” he said. “I try to show them the best in bucolic central Pennsylvania. We’ve had nothing but positive comments from our visitors.”

Despite the world’s wide variety of cultures, McFarland and Turo agree that, in general, people from across the globe share common traits. McFarland said it’s “promoting good will and understanding.”

“There’s kind of a global understanding that we have more in common than not in common with each other,” she said.

“They want peace; they want to feel comfortable with other people,” Turo noted. “They want their families to feel comfortable and safe. I think it’s important to respect other people’s cultures. People are very proud to show us their culture and country, and we’re proud to show them ours.”

For information or to apply to Friendship Force of Greater Harrisburg, visit www.friendshipforceharrisburg.org.

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At the Table: Thanksgiving feast to highlight chefs from Church World Service-Harrisburg’s program for refugee, women entrepreneurs

October 30, 2025 | by Maddie Gittens

Alaa, a chef, at a CWS Marketplace event. Photo courtesy of CWS.

Church World Service had to scale back its offerings to refugee clients significantly this year, as federal funding cuts hit their bank account.

Yet, CWS’s Harrisburg office has worked to continue serving those most in need, even managing to keep one very special program for local women.

The CWS Marketplace allows refugee women the opportunity to use their skills and talents to build economic independence and a future—a program that staff members view as essential.

“We still care about this program very much because it’s not just a way to support the refugees, but it’s also a way to put the light on the refugee issues right now and what the refugees are going through,” said Sally Taha, CWS community engagement supervisor.

However, even this initiative faces an uncertain future as CWS works to come up with funds to fill its giant budget holes.

The organization’s most significant annual fundraiser will give the community a chance to support CWS’s mission and programs, while letting people experience the fruits of the marketplace program firsthand.

On Nov. 22, CWS will host “International Friendsgiving,” a to-go feast that features cuisine from around the world, made by marketplace program grads.

“International Friendsgiving is the way to have unrestricted funds to be used for the essential programs that we have,” Taha said. “Despite the challenges that our office has been facing, every day we have clients coming to us that have lots of things that they need help with.”

Piece of Home

Participants in the dinner are sure to have full plates, with a smattering of diverse dishes.

Friendsgiving plates will include “chana pilau,” chickpeas and rice, from Afghanistan; “doolsho,” cardamom sponge cake from Sudan; “ensalada rallada,” coleslaw, from Venezuela; “kibbeh,” a spiced ground meat dish, from Syria; and “zigni,” stew, from Eritrea.

Rukaya Alabbas, from Syria, is one of the chefs, cooking the “kibbeh” for Friendsgiving this year.

“Sharing my food feels like sharing a piece of my home,” she said. “And I love that this event helps raise money so other families can get the same support I once received.”

Alabbas previously participated in the CWS Marketplace, which currently assists about 10 women. Through the program, she was able to start her catering business and learn things like pricing, food safety, presentation and how to sell her dishes at events, she said.

The Marketplace aims to equip women to start their own businesses, which is exactly what Alabbas has accomplished.

“I wanted to start a business so I could support my family and share a part of my culture with my new community,” she said. “It has made me feel independent and proud. My children see me working hard and building something of my own, and that gives them motivation too. The extra income also helps us cover expenses and feel more stable as we are building a life here in the U.S.”

Through the program, CWS leads workshops, teaching women skills like advertising and budgeting and even helping them secure needed supplies such as sewing machines or cooking equipment. Women who graduate from the program have even been hired to return as mentors to new students.

Refugee women from a variety of cultures have made businesses out of creating soap, crafting home items and accessories and cooking, among other talents.

Alabbas learned to cook from her grandmother, something that, in her culture, is used to show love and comfort, she said.

“The Marketplace program taught me how to turn my passion for cooking into a business,” she said. “Starting over in a new country is not easy, but I’m now learning a new language, met many kind people, and built something from nothing. That makes me very happy.”

CWS purchases the women’s products and sells them at festivals, such as Kipona in Harrisburg, and pop-up events, as well as on their website. At events, Taha said that women are able to practice interacting with the public and marketing their products.

But the experiences selling their wares aren’t just impactful to the women themselves. Taha believes the program can have an important effect on the community as well.

“It opens doors for very rich conversations and that is priceless,” Taha said. “We use that program to show the community in Harrisburg how talented the refugee community is and what they bring with them from their home.”

Still Here

The Friendsgiving is just one way that CWS hopes to raise money to keep the Marketplace running, as well as highlighting the challenges of refugees right now.

“It really gives the opportunity to the community to support, and to show the support that they have always showed us,” Taha said. “It gives the opportunity for people to sit together and have a conversation about the refugees, the talent they bring in, the countries they come from, the challenges they’re facing.”

Individuals and groups can place meal orders. Each meal also comes with a brochure with discussion questions related to refugees for families or groups to consider.

Funds raised will not only help keep the Marketplace initiative alive but will aid CWS as a whole and the assistance they provide to recently resettled refugees. This year, that money is especially important, as the organization faced detrimental funding cuts and was forced to lay off a majority of its office staff.

“Yes, we are short staffed, but our role in the community is still there and clients are still there, and we are serving more than 500 people regularly,” Taha said.

CWS’s goal for the international dinner is to serve at least 1,000 meals—a big, but necessary lift for the organization and the chefs.

“We hope this year is going to be the biggest year,” Taha said.

For more information about Church World Service Harrisburg, visit www.cwsharrisburg.org.

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Shops Up the Block: Harrisburg’s small business owners hope the community will step up for a successful holiday season

October 30, 2025 | by Colin McGuire

Paper Moon Flowers & Events

Community. Talk to almost any local business owner, and that’s the word that continuously pops up.

“When you make an effort to shop local, you’re immediately involved in the community,” said Kenzie Brinkman, owner of The Meadow, located at 1126 N. 3rd St. “You don’t just support local businesses, but you end up having conversations with people you don’t know, and you make new friends. There are so many benefits to it.”

“When I walk into JCPenney, it just has less soul than the local independently owned clothing store,” added Paul Sorrels, owner of several local businesses, including Full Circle Record Shop at 20 N. Cameron St. “The people working there don’t feel as committed and the energy isn’t there. There’s no community.”

It’s true. As the holiday season approaches, local brick-and-mortar businesses are gearing up for what they hope will be a good turnout from the local community as shoppers look for an authentic shopping experience, not one rooted in online clicks and delivery trucks.

Whereas the season used to be a surefire way for small businesses to round out the calendar year with a surge in sales, these days there is no guarantee that customers will show up. The reasons for that may vary—the online shopping boom and an uncertain economy are just two factors—but small business owners are hoping that, this year, a sense of community will help inspire local shoppers to visit their stores.

“I care about the returning customer,” said Shawn Durborow-Bowersox, owner of Paper Moon Flowers & Events, 916 N. 3rd St. “So, I’m not run by the dollar. I know if I keep my prices low, there is a reasonable chance I’ll get returning customers.”

An important day for these businesses is Small Business Saturday, which this year is slated for Nov. 29. A day dedicated to lifting up small local businesses, the event was created in 2010 and has since been the driving force behind consumers spending more than $200 billion at small businesses across the country.

Yet while the day has grown in popularity over the years, Brinkman admitted that she had to learn to not rely on it as a slam dunk for sales.

“The first year we were open, it was beyond our wildest dreams,” she said about the day. “But last year, there was a noticeably large dip in sales. We and other small businesses around us did about 20% less in sales year over year. It was really disheartening.”

Chantal Nga Eloundou, owner of Nyianga Store at 1423 N. 3rd St., echoed Brinkman’s stories of lackluster numbers.

“We have a sustainable number of customers, but it could be better,” she said. “I usually don’t see any business increase during the holiday season, but this year, we’re going to try some deals and discounts, so hopefully that will help.”

One of Eloundou’s issues, she said, is that she doesn’t have a website that could help her sell her products—mostly authentic African clothing—to a wider audience. Sorrels, the record shop owner, has a website for Full Circle, and he explained that it’s part of his business model as most of his inventory is available online.

Whereas the biggest challenges small businesses used to face came from big box stores like Best Buy, Walmart and the like, the bigger competitors now, he said, are online retailers. Between the ease with which someone can buy a product and the convenience of not having to venture out into a crowded shopping space, more and more consumers are turning to online shopping to meet their holiday gift needs.

“Amazon has only gotten better at what they do,” he said. “There’s only so much a small business can do to compete with that space. They make it so easy to get that thing you need.”

Still, he, along with Brinkman, Eloundou and Durborow-Bowersox, all stressed how they try and support their fellow local businesses as much as they can. In uncertain times like these, it’s not lost on any of them how important it is to band together and not only be part of the community but support it, as well.

“Our goal is to lift Harrisburg and Midtown up,” Brinkman said. “We can only do that if we’re here, and we can only be here if people make the effort to come out and see us. I know it can be hard, but we do it, too. If people make the effort, I think they would really enjoy it.”

And, to paraphrase an old Joni Mitchell song, you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone

“If we all close down … well, you can’t care when it’s too late,” Brinkman said. “We really, really, really try to stay optimistic, but only time will tell.”

“Actually,” she paused, “this holiday season will tell.”

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Creative Shopping: Artist-owned galleries offer unique wares, personal experiences

October 30, 2025 | by M. Diane McCormick

Carlee Seele

Two blocks from the Susquehanna River, on a street whose Dutch translation is “dweller by the waters,” the potter whose name means “lively waters” realized that the letters of her gallery name—Vivi on Verbeke—fit perfectly in her storefront window’s 13 leaded-glass panes.

“And here we are, and we’re like everybody’s grandparents,” said Vivi Sterste. “And it’s great, because I meet people.”

In an age of mass-produced décor and e-commerce, artists can’t just dream up art. They must also get it into the world.

Three Harrisburg-area artists—Sterste, visual artist and poet Julia Mallory, and jewelry artisan Carlee Seele—pour their creative sparks into their work and into the galleries they fashioned for reflection, gathering, learning, shopping, and passing on knowledge to new generations of makers.

Galleries Born

Sterste founded Vivi on Verbeke in 2013 because it all came together—motoring with her partner, a Verbeke Street storefront for sale, a book on her favorite potter falling off the shelf around the corner at Midtown Scholar Bookstore.

In her boho, brick-walled gallery, the daughter of Latvian refugees from Soviet brutality picked up a mug. It depicts a scowling, orange-faced man on the front and a single word, “Ick,” on the back.

“Who does that remind you of?” she said. “We can’t get too political.” She then added, “I make what I feel like making at the time.”

In other pieces, the great beauty she finds around her—river currents and sunsets—shimmers through a lustrous glaze. Photos by her partner, Jeb Boyd, revel in the loveliness of the unexpected.

Boyd used to tell Sterste, “People don’t understand. There’s so much beauty in Harrisburg.”

A few Midtown blocks away from Vivi, Julia Mallory opened Ten Oh! Six in 2024. Born and raised in Harrisburg, Mallory is a poet who, around 2020, dove into collage and painting.

“I needed another way to say the things that I needed to say,” she said. “I feel like visual art has allowed me that range to do so.”

She’s happy to explain her poetry, but art patrons are welcome to “make whatever you want of it as a viewer.” Ten Oh! Six displays collages inspired by a second reading of Toni Morrison’s “Song of Solomon,” and an exhibit titled “Generational Possibilities” of her acrylics, black swirls on bright backgrounds sliced by ribbons of color.

“I honestly think it is capturing something that defies our traditional use of language,” she said. “You can’t reduce it to a single understanding.”

Across the river, in revitalizing New Cumberland, Carlee Seele owns Moss Creek Art. Around 2008, she was a practicing dental hygienist who took a jewelry class when she couldn’t find a medallion she had in mind. Her dental instruments? Handy for carving details.

“I still use all my dental instruments,” she said, pointing to her small worktable behind the Moss Creek Art counter. “Of course, they are nonhygienic now, but I still use all of those things to do the precision work.”

As jewelry making and glass art consumed her home, her husband kindly suggested that she accept a friend’s offer of a building for rent. Moss Creek Art opened its doors in 2019.

Custom work kept the gallery open through COVID.

“We will scrap,” Seele said. “We will redesign. We will repair.”

Seele’s primary business line emerged from a customer’s request that her late husband’s ashes be incorporated into custom jewelry. A gallery corner displays wine glasses, walking sticks, beads and jewelry—all the ways that glass can be fused or kiln-fired to cradle the cremated ashes of pets or family members.

Working with the ashes of children “eats me up the most,” but Seele is “providing a service, a connection for people with their passed-on loved ones so they can carry them around, and it creates an emotional bond.”

Business of Artistry

Seele complements her work with curated pieces from skilled local artisans, for appeal to a wide variety of tastes. One woodworker infuses wood with flowing streams of color, while a woodturner creates meticulous segmented vases and pens.

A former patient of Seele’s started by making intricate boxes before adding hats adorned with hand-burned designs.

“I sell her hats all day long,” Seele said. “She’s one of our local artists. She’ll be here forever, hopefully.”

In the online retail age, local galleries win on their own turf, Seele said—at the spot where customers want pieces from the artists they meet.

“My tagline is, ‘A piece of me becomes you,’” she said. “You can go to any artist to get whatever, but you gravitate toward that person because of what they represent.”

Mallory established Ten Oh! Six for the display and teaching of art but maximized it as an open-concept space devoted to the needs of the community, “using creativity as a means of transformation.”

Workshops have immersed participants in collage, poetry and dealing with grief. Soul Salons exhibit the works and letters of two Black icons who share birthdays, such as poet Sonia Sanchez and Otis Redding (Sept. 9).

Art displays warm the former storefront into more than a multi-purpose room.

“People comment on the energy of the space,” she said. “They love the way that it looks in here. They love the so-called good vibes. It is very inviting.”

Creating visual art, writing poetry, managing a business, and earning a livelihood “is a lot,” Mallory admits. “Even balance requires movement. You just keep at it.”

A consumer who spends $50 on a box-store print could put the same money toward a local artist’s print, but artists also bear a responsibility for making their work accessible.

“We have to be engaging so people recognize the availability of the work,” Mallory said.

Sterste often gets the question, “How’s business?”

The answer: “I’m an artist. I do what I do. We create this space to share with people, to engage with people, to inspire people.”

Teach the Future

In 2022, Mallory held a program exposing teens to art-making and careers, “just to introduce them to the possibilities that exist in the creative trades,” she said. “I remember shipping my first originals to people and thinking, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is a whole thing. There’s a whole process.’”

Seele’s gallery blends high-caliber artists with “a little hub for helping out new artists,” from high school students to retirees getting out of their comfort zones. Knowledge of the business of art, such as buying supplies wholesale, must be passed on.

“AI is not going to make this stuff,” Seele said. “We have to push the craft and teach it to someone else. We have to teach the future.”

Sterste, a former teacher, tells young artists who visit her gallery, “You can do this. You can start saving your money.”

“Most of the stuff we create or they say now ‘repurposing’ or ‘recycling,’ we’ve been doing forever,” she said. “You can do collaboratives. You can get together. Share the rent.”

Creating Community

Asked how she juggles art, family and business, Seele laughed.

Her daughter helps around the house. Her husband, Phil Seele, is Mr. Fix-it for things like the kiln. Her mother, floral designer Sandy Osterlund, creates the gallery’s elegantly natural décor.

“We’re creating a little creative hub for people to come and experience small-town shopping and bringing the community together through events,” she said.

Mallory plans Kwanzaa celebrations and writing workshops as the year ends. She draws her energy from people who “have a different curiosity” and pop into Ten Oh! Six for book clubs, films, art, healing and “building the things you want to see in the world.”

“People are looking for outlets for things of a little different flavor than they might not get otherwise,” she said.

Sterste is accustomed to switching her brain from business to art. She quotes author Joseph Campbell: “Where you stumble, there lies your beauty.”

And she finds joy in her chosen location, there amid Midtown Harrisburg’s “dynamic, suffering, misfit group of really interesting people.”

“Wherever we go, whoever we meet,” she said, “there’s something if you keep open to it.”

Moss Creek Art, 315 Bridge St., New Cumberland. www.mosscreekart.com.

Ten Oh! Six, 1006 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, www.tenohsixstudio.com. See Facebook for events.

Vivi on Verbeke, 258 Verbeke St., Harrisburg, Facebook.

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Fabric of Another Era: A son reflects on his mother’s legacy as a long-time Harrisburg shop owner

October 30, 2025 | by Ron Gottlieb

Lil Gottlieb & Ron Gottlieb

If you had the chance to step into Lil’s Dress Shop, you were stepping into a community built by my mother, Lil Gottlieb.

From the early 1960s to the 2000s, she ran one of the only women-owned businesses in the male-dominated Broad Street Market area of Harrisburg. This November, she would have turned 100.

Her children’s clothing store wasn’t just a place to buy a dress; it was a place of connection. Lil didn’t just sell clothes—she offered an extra pair of socks, a hair ribbon, a small gift (a tchotchke) and a warm hug. The selling space was small, no more than 700 square feet, and her business motto was simple and effective: “Stack it high and let it fly.”

In an era defined by a male-dominated business community, Lil thrived alongside neighbors like Greenberg’s, Irving’s Shoes, Bill’s 5&10 Furniture, the Army Navy Store, A.J. Lehrman and Sons, Joe the Motorist, Penn Photo and Alsedeks. These men, the owners of all the businesses beside Lil’s, were kind and generous to her, respecting her as a fellow business owner. You knew who you did business with, in those years.

When our father passed away far too early, my mother became a single parent, but her hard work never wavered. She built our future, putting my brother, Alan, and me through college without the need for a single student loan.

A master of connection, my mother was a human LinkedIn and Facebook who never touched a computer. I watched firsthand as she treated people from all backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses with equal respect. She was extraordinarily open-minded for the time period. These lessons have inspired my own life. which is why I have been drawn to service in nonprofit organizations for so many years.

I learned the meaning of hard work by helping her “schlepping” bolts of material as a young boy. When big box stores came along, they drove many small Midtown businesses into the suburbs. They, like e-commerce today, offered conveniences like parking or delivery, and promises of lower prices. However, they could never replace the value of community, hard work, and the personal touch that can only be built face-to-face in your own neighborhood.

That was the foundation of my mother’s business. I saw how she created a business based on trust and relationships—something big box stores and e-commerce could never replicate.

Her legacy is a reminder of all this.

Ron Gottlieb is a native of Uptown Harrisburg and a 1972 graduate of Susquehanna Township High School. He now lives in the Phoenix area.

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