Pennsylvania Humanities Council Awards Civic Engagement Grant to Scranton Non-Profit Collaborative led by Scranton Area Foundation

PHILADELPHIA, April 7, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After a rigorous and competitive selection process, the Pennsylvania Humanities Council has chosen The Scranton Nonprofit Collaborative to receive a $50,000 Civic Engagement Grant Award. Under the leadership of the Scranton Area Foundation, a consortium of six local nonprofit organizations plan to engage West Scranton residents in the humanities and empower them to contribute to area revitalization through the Scranton Neighborhood Pocket Park Collaborative. The grant supports community conversations and planning that will influence the utilization of a neighborhood pocket park as a host site for public events and humanities programs in the community of West Scranton.

"The humanities are at the heart of The Scranton Nonprofit Collaborative pocket park project. Through collaboration and the sharing of personal histories, residents will play an integral part in shaping the use of their neighborhood space beyond the planning process. At the PHC, we believe such an inclusive process better connect and build a collective identity, vision, plan of action, and community network among people from diverse backgrounds," said Laurie Zierer, PHC Executive Director.

As the anchor institution of the Neighborhood Park Collaborative, the Scranton Area Foundation will lead a consortium of six local nonprofits: Lackawanna County Library System, Lackawanna Heritage Valley, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania, United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania, United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties, and the University of Scranton.  Sondra Myers, Senior Fellow for International, Civic, and Cultural Projects at The University of Scranton, will guide an Advisory Council in the design of humanities programs that inspire local residents to explore and discuss important issues, and ultimately to revitalize the community of West Scranton.

"We are truly honored by this award," commented SAF President & CEO Laura Ducceschi.  "As Lackawanna County's community foundation, the Scranton Area Foundation takes pride in its ability to bring together caring community leaders in the spirit of improving the quality of life for our residents."   She adds, "The success of this proposal is a tribute to the neighborhood of West Scranton, its deep sense of civic pride, and dedicated community volunteers."

PHC designed the Civic Engagement Grants initiative to advocate for humanities-driven programs as an effective way to foster dialogue and to generate new ideas for a given community, its institutions, and most of all its citizens. 

The Neighborhood Park Collaborative will fully develop the West Scranton site as a model and pilot project that can be replicated throughout the greater city of Scranton to include other neighborhoods and community groups.

About PHC
The Pennsylvania Humanities Council (PHC), a non-profit organization and a federal-state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities for the last 40 years. PHC champions the humanities through original programming, advocacy, and direct grants statewide.

Contact:
Sherry C. Hicks
Communications Manager
215.925.1005 ext. 119
[email protected]

SOURCE Pennsylvania Humanities Council