DCED: Local Businesses Have Donated More than $600,000 to Support Flood Relief Efforts

HARRISBURG – Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary C. Alan Walker announced that Northeastern Pennsylvania businesses will receive Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credits for donating more than $600,000 to support flood relief efforts. 

“Businesses that contributed to the flood recovery effort are proactively helping their local communities recover from the devastation of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee,” said Walker.  “Residents in areas of the northeast that suffered substantial damage to their homes during the fall flooding will receive assistance in making necessary repairs and accessing suitable housing. This support will be a key step in the process to making their lives whole again.”       

Local businesses that contributed to the flood relief effort will receive a tax credit through the Neighborhood Assistance Program Special Program Priorities (NAP-SPP) – a program designed to support distressed areas and support neighborhood conservation. The program provides tax credits of up to 75 percent of approved projects, with an annual limit of $500,000.  DCED has approved $460,275 in tax credits to local businesses that donated $613,700 to support the flood recovery effort.

Three local community development organizations received monetary donations from businesses to assist with flood and disaster recovery efforts.  Some of the services these neighborhood organizations will provide include emergency shelter and food for displaced residents, assistance funding necessary mechanical and electrical repairs to homes, and helping residents locate affordable housing. 

NAP-SPP projects must specifically support one of the following activities: flood and disaster recovery efforts related to Hurricane Irene and/or Tropical Storm Lee;  integrated weatherization and housing rehabilitation; preventing mortgage foreclosure; reduction of blight and abandoned properties; encouraging diversity within communities and Marcellus Shale-related projects.

For more information about supporting community development initiatives in Pennsylvania, call 1-866-466-3972 or visit newPA.com.

Editor’s Note: Below are the donations received by each organization and a description of how the funds will be used to help the flood relief effort.

Lycoming-Clinton Counties Commission for Community Action (STEP), Inc. will receive from local businesses $283,000 in funding to create The Homes In Need – Flood Recovery Program.  The program will assist flood victims with mechanical, electrical, shell, or heating system repairs in order to make their homes habitable.  This assistance will supplement the repair costs that FEMA and private insurance companies are providing and is expected to assist a minimum of 18 homeowners.      

The local businesses that contributed to STEP and will receive NAP SPP tax credits include: Beiter’s Home Center, Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships, Frey’s Commissary, Infinity, Jersey Shore State Bank, Keystone Insurers Group – Sims Insurance Agency, Larson Design Group, M&T Bank and Woodlands Bank.

Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO) will receive from local businesses $215,700 toward providing emergency shelter and food to housing evacuees in the four-county region served by the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank.  CEO will provide 1,000 meals to emergency shelters throughout the area.  The organization will also distribute 150,000 pounds of food, drinks, paper supplies, hygiene items and cleaning supplies through local food pantries to 6,500 flood-affected families.  The program will also provide emergency housing for 50 households and assist another 450 families who registered at the Disaster Recovery Centers with emergency food supplies.  

The local businesses that contributed to CEO and will receive NAP SPP tax credits include: Gerrity’s, M&T Bank, Nature’s Way Purewater, Inc., Proctor and Gamble, Quaker/Gatorade/Tropicana, Unilever and Wegman’s.

Trehab, Inc. will receive from local businesses $115,000 toward helping displaced residents locate affordable housing.  Trehab will also utilize some of the available funding to provide minor repairs to flood damaged homes.  The remaining funding will be used for rental assistance, including funding for a security deposit and first month’s rent, and utility assistance equivalent to a single delivery of 150 gallons of fuel or assistance with other utility bills.  Trehab will also work with displaced residents to explore additional forms of assistance in conjunction with its program. 

The local businesses that contributed to Trehab and will receive NAP SPP tax credits include: Chesapeake Energy, Pennstar Bank and People’s Neighborhood Bank.