Award Helps Neighborhoods Thrive
Seated l-r: Deb Bentzel, The Regional Foundation Senior Program Officer; Amber Little-Turner, Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance Executive Director; Kevin Dow, The Regional Foundation Executive Director
Standing l-r: Tom Taylor, 2nd Century Alliance Board Chair, Brite Realty; Charisse Allen, Coatesville City Council member; Debbie Bookman, Chester County Prothonotary; Gary W. Smith, CCEDC CEO; Linda Lavender-Norris, 2nd Century Alliance Board Vice Chair and Coatesville City Council President; Eric Roe, Chester County Commissioner; Joe Pomorski, 2nd Century Alliance Board member, Presence Bank; Josh Maxwell, Chester County Commissioner; James Logan, Coatesville City Manager; Crosby Wood, 2nd Century Alliance Board member, New Heritage Properties
Coatesville, PA – March 29, 2024 – The Regional Foundation presented the Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance with a check for $500,000 on March 27, 2024, representing the Neighborhood Grant awarded to the organization in collaboration with the Chester County Economic Development Foundation. (2ndcenturyalliance.org)
Neighborhood Implementation Grants support comprehensive community development plans that target specific neighborhoods, are resident driven and equity focused. The multi-year funding is designed to assist the foundation’s grantee partners to start or sustain momentum in their comprehensive neighborhood revitalization initiatives.
“We greatly appreciate the Regional Foundation, our fiscal partner the Chester CountyEconomic Development Council, the City of Coatesville, the County of Chester, and all our partners for their crucial support of our Coatesville Growing Greater Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative,” said Amber Little-Turner, Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance Executive Director. “This grant will help us continue over the next five years to foster resident empowerment through deep engagement, enhance workforce development programming, mitigate criminal activities, nurture youth initiatives and expand affordable housing opportunities.”
“The Regional Foundation is excited to continue our partnership with 2nd Century Alliance in support of its Growing Greater initiative in the City of Coatesville,” stated Kevin Dow, of the Regional Foundation. “Enhancing the lives of those who live and work in Coatesville through resident engagement, economic opportunity, youth empowerment, and safety are pillars that will continue to strengthen the City’s fabric and success for years to come.”
“We’re extremely appreciative of the continued confidence and financial support of the Regional Foundation to be the fiscal partner with the 2nd Century Alliance promoting this transformational community engagement in the City of Coatesville,” said Gary W. Smith, CEO of the Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC). “The synergy of unity is creating positive change in people’s lives, resulting in an empowerment of opportunity and hope for the residents and future generations.”
About the Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance
The 2nd Century Alliance was founded in 2015, when the City celebrated 100 years of incorporation, to ensure Coatesville’s “second century” is economically prosperous. A public/private partnership funded in part by the Chester County Commissioners and private sector contributions, the organization’s mission is to drive economic development in the City of Coatesville that enables the community to thrive. Visit 2ndCenturyAlliance.org.
About the Regional Foundation
The Regional Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for children and families living in low-income communities in Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware by concentrating resources on comprehensive, neighborhood-based economic and community development initiatives. Its community investment tools include Neighborhood Planning and Implementation Grants as well as Program Related Investments to support long-term, resident-driven neighborhood revitalization.