October 10, 2024 − Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh/Northampton) announced today more than $1.2 million investment in grants for two community projects at the Allentown School District and the Casa Guadalupe Center in Allentown.
“We want our residents to feel connected to their community and have access to resources for healthcare, workforce development and other services,” said Miller. “These two centers will be in walking distance for many members of the Lehigh Valley, providing assistance that many of our families need.”
The ASD will receive $522,205 to go toward building a 3,650-square foot space for central registration for ASD students and families. This new space will connect students to services, including workforce and health monitoring. The Casa Guadalupe Center will see $500,120 to serve as a hub for social, economic and health-related activities. The funding comes via the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority’s Multipurpose Community Facilities Program.
“We are excited to be awarded the Multipurpose Community Facilities Program Grant to support the construction of our new Allentown School District’s Family and Community Resource Center,” said Dr. Carol D. Birks, superintendent and CEO of the ASD. “The Family and Community Resource Center will serve as a hub for our families and the community to provide mental and physical health resources. The center will also allow us to streamline our enrollment and registration processes and provide surround care services, such as workforce development programs, English as a second language classes and other social services for our families. We are grateful to our partners, Valley Health Partners, Lehigh Valley Health Network, the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and the Workforce Board Lehigh Valley for their commitment to this grant proposal. This partnership aligns with one of our family and community engagement goals outlined in our strategic plan, which is to transform community engagement by cultivating and expanding opportunities for communication, collaboration and connection among families, students, schools and community.”
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority’s Multipurpose Community Facilities Program offered $45 million in competitive grants to community anchor institutions and units of local government for community projects to construct, acquire or improve facilities that are, or will be open to the public and will directly enable work, education and health monitoring at the respective facility.
“We need to invest in our communities to make them stronger,” added Miller. “This funding will add two strong assets to an already strong Lehigh Valley.”