A state grant of $1 million will help reopen the YMCA in Hazleton.
Secretary Rick Siger of Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development on Monday said the funds for Hazleton’s Y come from a $34.3 million in a Neighborhood Assistance Program that will be divided among 218 recipients across the state.
The grant will go to the Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA, which has been trying to reopen the Hazleton Y that closed five years ago.
“The Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA will rehabilitate a vacant building in downtown Hazleton and offer affordable early childhood education, as well as before- and after-school childcare for at-risk and vulnerable children and their low-income families in a severely underserved community,” a statement about the grant said.
Before Christmas, the Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA said a daycare center would be the first step to reopening in Hazleton, followed by programs that would use the pools and gymnasium and outdoor recreation near the Y’s building on South Church Street.
Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA, which also operates Ys in Wilkes-Barre and Pittston and Camp Kresge near White Haven, more recently became partners with the Freeland YMCA, where a daycare also is part of the program.
Along with the Hazleton YMCA, the state program will invest in 32 other projects in Notheast Pennsylvania.
Across the state program dollars will go to projects such as Camp Caino for chidren with special needs in Berks County, the Mercy Center for Women re-entering society from prison in Erie County and a Gift of Smiles that provides free dental care to residents of Cumberland County and Harrisburg who have low incomes or intellectual disabilities.
A bipartisan budget that Gov. Josh Shapiro supported doubled the program’s funding to $72, approximately half of which was distributed in September.
“The Shapiro Administration knows that when local communities are healthy and vibrant, Pennsylvania thrives.” Siger said in a statement.
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