by Christin Brown | July 8, 2020 | News Releases
Unity Recovery was among 14 agencies statewide to receive a combined $2 million in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grants.
Philadelphia, PA – July 8, 2020 – State Senator Christine Tartaglione announces that Unity Recovery of Philadelphia has been awarded almost $200,000 by the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) in the form of a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant.
The funding will allow Unity to create the Philadelphia Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative, a program that will advocate for the hiring and continued employment of people in opioid use disorder recovery while helping to foster a more-inclusive culture in Southeastern Pennsylvania workplaces. SAMHSA grants totaling $2 million were awarded to 14 organizations throughout Pennsylvania. The grant funds originated with $75 million in federal funding allocated to the Commonwealth last September to support statewide efforts to address the opioid crisis.
“I am very encouraged that the Wolf administration is providing agencies like Unity Recovery with the resources they need to make a real, local, and personal impact in the communities they serve,” Senator Tartaglione said. “The administration has been steadfast in its commitment to lessening the opioid crisis in Pennsylvania. These grants will continue and expand that vital work.”
“We have not lost focus on the continuing opioid crisis in Pennsylvania,” Governor Wolf said. “And now more than ever, employment services are vital to help people struggling during the pandemic with the loss of a job or need to find employment. These grants will help those with substance use disorder have a better chance at recovery by helping to access employment.”
Statewide, awardees will provide a wide variety of employment services including vocational assessments, resume writing, interviewing skills, job placement, and transportation assistance. Each agency has identified one local employer that has committed to hiring individuals in recovery from opioid use disorder.
Unity’s grant, valued at $198,772, will help it implement its Recovery Friendly Workplace model in Philadelphia. Unity has previously implemented this model successfully in New Hampshire, Nevada, and Wisconsin.
“I am committed to informing and referring constituents of the 2nd Senate District to the type of peer-based recovery and employment support services provided by Unity,” Senator Tartaglione said. “Not only do these types of support services help people maintain their recovery, they elevate their likelihood of gaining and maintaining employment and help them to develop positive connections within the larger community.”
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or William.Kenny@pasenate.com.
by Christin Brown | March 6, 2020 | News Releases
The senator secured funding through the Department of Community and Economic Development to convert a debris-strewn property into multi-use public space.
Philadelphia, PA, March 6, 2020 – State Senator Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) delivered a $50,000 development grant to the Mayfair Community Development Corporation during the CDC’s executive board meeting last night. The state funding will support the acquisition and redevelopment of a vacant, debris-strewn lot on the 7300 block of Crispin St.
The CDC plans to repurpose the triangular-shaped lot, which measures more than one-third of an acre, into community park space as well as storage space for local non-profit organizations and businesses that routinely present public events in and around the nearby major intersection of Cottman and Frankford avenues.
“I am pleased and excited to bring this public investment into Mayfair, where residents, businesses and organizations like the CDC are working hard to perpetuate and grow their strong sense of community spirit,” Senator Tartaglione said. “There always seems to be something big and fun happening in Mayfair. I look forward to taking part in their many festivals and celebrations for years to come.”
The funding was awarded through the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Local Share Account program, which disburses a portion of slot machine revenue generated by casino operators in Philadelphia.
“The lot has been an eyesore for the neighborhood, for the (Mayfair) Civic Association and for the CDC for a long time,” CDC Vice Chairman Kevin Leonard said. “To be able to do something positive with that land to help the neighborhood is an excellent thing.”
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or William.Kenny@pasenate.com.
by Christin Brown | November 15, 2019 | News Releases
Funding from Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program will support the construction of a new welding lab and expansion of an academic excellence center.
Philadelphia, PA − November 15, 2019 – State Senators Christine Tartaglione and John Sabatina visited Father Judge High School today to present the school’s leadership, supporters, and students with a $1.5 million state redevelopment grant to assist in the construction of a state-of-the-art welding lab and the expansion of an academic excellence center at the Northeast Philadelphia school.
Dozens of enrollees in Father Judge’s welding program enthusiastically joined a ceremonial check presentation. The funding was awarded to the Friends of Father Judge High School, Inc., through the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, which supports organizations in their acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civc, recreational, and historical improvement projects.
“I was honored to advocate for this funding on behalf of Father Judge because of the high-quality education that the school offers to residents of the 2nd Senate District and the entire Philadelphia region,” Senator Tartaglione said. “The welding program and the academic excellence center are perfect examples of the school’s innovative approach to preparing students for academic success and for prosperous careers.”
“It’s an honor to be able to assist Father Judge High School as it continues to expand its educational opportunities to students from our community,” Senator Sabatina said. “As a graduate of Father Judge, I take great pleasure in seeing the school grow into one of the premier high schools in Philadelphia.”
“As the Chairman of the Friends of Father Judge, I am excited about the possibilities the $1.5 million RACP Grant will provide for current and future Crusaders,” said William St. Clair, IV. “We are extremely grateful to Senator Christine Tartaglione and Senator John Sabatina for supporting our application and believing in our vision to provide expanded academic enrichment as well as career and technical pathways for students.”
Welding is the first of several career pathway programs at Father Judge that will provide enhanced career training and prepare students for in-demand, family-sustaining jobs of the present and future. Together, these programs comprise Father Judge’s Career Technical Education Academy, which is dedicated to a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum.
“Due to the nation’s tight labor market, there is a high demand for all skilled trades. And welding is at the top of the list,” Senator Tartaglione said. “The welding program at Father Judge is giving local students a big advantage that they will use in the coming years to secure lucrative, family-supporting jobs.”
The Father Brisson Center for Academic Excellence at Father Judge was founded in 2003 to assist students with vital reading and math skills and to prepare them for state and national performance series testing. The RACP grant will allow the school to reconfigure and expand the center to serve a growing demand for academic support.
Collectively, the renovations are expected to create dozens of new construction jobs and 10 permanent full-time positions at Father Judge, which serves about 1,200 students representing 29 different ZIP codes in Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, and Delaware counties.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or William.Kenny@pasenate.com.
by Christin Brown | March 20, 2018 | News Releases
CubeSmart TRS, Inc., of Malvern will install the solar panels on the roof of its self-storage facility in Crescentville
HARRISBURG, PA − March 20, 2018 – State Sen. Christine Tartaglione has secured a $92,000 Pennsylvania grant that will enable a self-storage facility in Northeast Philadelphia’s Crescentville section to install a quarter-million-dollar solar array on its roof. The Commonwealth Financing Authority awarded the Solar Energy Program on March 16. It will support matching funds supplied by the recipient, CubeSmart TRS, Inc., of Malvern, Pa.
“I’m pleased that the Commonwealth Financing Authority has chosen CubeSmart TRS for this valuable grant funding because solar power benefits business and the environment, and it makes sense for the 2nd Senatorial District,” Senator Tartaglione said. “With these solar panels in place, CubeSmart will generate 90 percent of the energy it consumes on-site and will produce an estimated 125,000 kilowatt hours per year in green energy.”
CubeSmart plans to install the roof-mounted solar array on its storage facility at 777 Mayfair St., just north of Roosevelt Bouelvard (U.S. Route 1). The array will be rated at 101.17 kilowatts and will operate at a performance level of 85 to 90 percent, according to analysis by the Department of Environmental Protection. The total cost of the project will be $247,867. CubeSmart will contribute $156,156. The SEP funds ($91,711) will be used to purchase equipment needed for the array.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at William.Kenny@pasenate.com.
by Christin Brown | January 18, 2018 | News Releases
Frankford Pause will offer flexible open space for social gatherings, public performances, art displays and casual reflection
PHILADELPHIA, PA, January 18, 2018 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-2nd dist.) today presented a $100,000 Pennsylvania Commonwealth Financing Authority grant that will enable the Frankford Community Development Corporation to convert a formerly vacant lot into a permanent “pause” park in the heart of the Frankford Avenue business district.
State Rep. Jason Dawkins, Frankford CDC Commercial Corridor Manager Ileana Garcia, Frankford CDC Executive Director Kimberly Washington, Esq., and state Sen. Christine Tartaglione
Frankford Pause is an innovative land reuse project conceived in 2014 by the FCDC in collaboration with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission’s Destination Frankford arts-based initiative. The vision is to create a unique outdoor venue as a hub of community activity with flexible space for social gatherings, public performances, art displays and casual reflection. The pause park is next to FCDC’s headquarters in the recently renovated Daral Building at 4667 Paul St.
“Frankford is a threatened neighborhood in many ways due to socio-economic factors such as the decline of traditional manufacturing industries and loss of family-sustaining jobs,” Senator Tartaglione said. “But the neighborhood is filled with opportunities for investment and growth thanks to the commitment of the people who live and work there. I’m thrilled to contribute to its renaissance. The pause park will beautify Frankford Avenue, bring people together for community events and attract new businesses to the area.”
Tartaglione and state Rep. Jason Dawkins visited the park site today and delivered a $100,000 check to FCDC Executive Director Kimberly Washington, Esq.
“The real hope is that we get people to reinvest around Frankford Avenue and bring people back to the avenue,” Washington said. “Over the years, Frankford’s been neglected. Right now I’d call it an emerging neighborhood. It sits on the cusp of gentrifying neighborhoods just to the south of us. Frankford has a real opportunity to stabilize the neighborhood by bringing in small businesses and creating jobs so people from the neighborhood can really take advantage and stay in the neighborhood.”
The park project is part of FCDC’s broader revitalization effort known as Reimagining Margaret & Orthodox, which includes business façade improvements, streetscaping and reducing blight. Frankford Pause is the former site of a diner that caught fire and was demolished years ago, Washington said. People then began using it as an illegal dumping ground.
The City of Philadelphia took ownership of the site. FCDC leases it from the Department of Public Property.
Washington and Tartaglione chat about the new Frankford Pause park
Late last year, FCDC completed a preliminary construction phase including the installation of planter beds, planter decks and a performance stage, as well as distinctive pink strips on the walls of adjoining buildings. The final build will include overhead lighting that will synchronize with environmental sounds such as passing Elevated trains.
FCDC co-hosted two community planting days last October with the Frankford Garden Club, Frankford Friends School, Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership and Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
“Kids were really engaged and the ladies from the garden club were really glad to teach kids about gardening,” Washington said. “The kids were very excited about that.”
Next spring, FCDC will launch a pilot program of events to study how people from the community want to use and interact with the space.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at William.Kenny@pasenate.com.
by Christin Brown | November 27, 2017 | News Releases
The funding will allow the club to complete major renovations to its century-old stone building, including the creation of a new recreation room.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, November 27, 2017 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione and state Rep. Jason Dawkins kicked off the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the spirit of giving as they presented a $200,000 grant to the Northeast Frankford Boys & Girls Club on Nov. 22 that will enable the club to complete major renovations to its century-old building on Kinsey Street.
The two-story stone landmark was built as a school shortly after the turn of the 20th century. Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia acquired the property in 1938 and has been serving Frankford youths there ever since. Tartaglione and Dawkins secured the $200,000 Greenways, Trails and Recreation Grant from Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Financing Authority – an independent agency of the Department of Community and Economic Development – earlier this month.
“We’re very pleased to be able to come here today with check in hand,” Tartaglione said to an assembly of club officials, benefactors and youth members. “This Boys & Girls Club has been around forever. It’s our responsibility to make sure kids have a future and have a place to go. I’m really excited this is happening. Everything is getting nicer and nicer.”
Dawkins echoed the senator’s sentiments and reflected on the vital influence the Frankford club had on his own life when he was young. Dawkins grew up mere blocks from the club and still lives nearby.
“I was raised in this Boys & Girls Club. I do not think I would be here in this capacity today if not for this club,” Dawkins said. “When we talk about igniting possibilities in young people, this club ignited something in me. This is what kept me out of the streets, kept me alive and kept me on the right path. I had very good mentors who were very stern and stayed on top of me for very good reasons. I am so pleased that we can do something real and give back.”
The $200,000 grant will enable the club to complete renovations to the first floor including the creation of a new social recreation room and grand gallery. In the past two years, the club has also created a new literacy center, renovated its gymnasium and transformed its dilapidated basement into a teen center, art studio, learning lounge and tech lounge. Further, the club has created a STEM lab, kids café and tech center. The forthcoming work on the first floor will finalize the much-needed renovations to the building.
“What we’re going to be able to do, as you’ve seen with the upstairs, we going to bring it back to its luster,” said Joseph Marziello, chief executive officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia. So many different folks have helped us with this. We’ve done it a room at a time and it’s been very stressful. When we got the call (about the $200,000 grant), it was pretty exciting. So thank you.”
Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia serves youths in 22 units throughout the city. The Northeast Frankford unit has about 150 members and will be able to grow to more than 400 members with the facility improvements. The club is vital to a neighborhood where 65 percent of young people live in poverty. Its programs support their long-term academic, social and personal achievement.
“The support of Senator Tartaglione and Representative Dawkins was critical in making this project a reality,” Marziello said. “They are truly champions for our kids and have worked alongside us as we’ve fought to give youth in Frankford and across the city access to the resources they need to succeed.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Bill Kenny at 215-533-0440 or email at william.kenny@pasenate.com.
by Christin Brown | October 14, 2016 | News Releases
Harrisburg – October 14, 2016 – A $2 million state grant was approved for Nueva Esperanza, Inc. to renovate and build on its campus in North Philadelphia, state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) said today.
“This grant is excellent news,” Tartaglione said. “The funding will allow renovations to occur and new construction to take place at the campus.”
Tartaglione said that the state grant will address various needs on Esperanza’s 7-acre campus. The project includes the addition of a middle school gym, theatre and removal of a blighted building.
“The grant will address immediate needs and bolster the quality of the physical plant at Esperanza,” Tartaglione said. “The facility’s footprint will change as a result of the removal of the blighted building which will open up more parking and landscaping at the site.”
Tartaglione said the grant was approved through the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). RACP grants can be used for acquisition and construction of economic development projects in a number of categories including cultural, civic, recreation and historical.
“I am very pleased that the governor has released funding for this important project” Tartaglione said. “The ability to access state funds for critical local projects is essential to transforming communities and expanding services.”
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by Christin Brown | June 14, 2016 | News Releases
Harrisburg – June 14, 2016 – A grant of $80,877 has been awarded to the Norris Square Senior Community Center, state Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) said today.
“Grants for senior centers help bolster activities and provide critical assistance to seniors in Philadelphia and the surrounding region,” Tartaglione said. “The funding approved today for the Norris Square Senior Community Center will help the center continue providing invaluable service to the area.”
According to the Department of Aging, 43 senior centers from around the state will share in $2 million in grant funding in this round.
The funding helps advance programming for seniors. It also enables senior centers to complete critical projects, improve technology, recruit new members and meet the needs of area seniors. Grants enhance social and recreational activities while providing a safe community meeting place, Tartaglione said.
“The grants are resources that can be used to help seniors stay involved in the community,” Tartaglione said.
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