BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Community organizations spanning arts and culture, child care support, economic development, mental health and more are set to get a financial boost through special city allocations.
The city on Wednesday recognized this year’s 21 recipients of Community Recovery Fund money, awarding nearly a half-million dollars to “expand essential services, address systemic challenges and create equitable opportunities for residents.”
“It’s cool how everybody’s a piece of the puzzle in terms of supporting the community. We all do totally different things, but it all makes up the whole.”Scott Slingerland, executive director of recipient nonprofit Coalition for Appropriate Transportation
This year’s recipients — selected from 51 applicants and a total requested $1.69 million — are:
- Bach Choir of Bethlehem — You Belong! program
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley — Bethlehem Area High School Bigs Mentoring program
- Bloom for Women LLC — Flourish Workforce Development program
- Boys & Girls Club of Bethlehem — Southside Bethlehem programming
- Cay Galgon Life House — Residential program
- Coalition for Appropriate Transportation — New office move and build-out
- Community Action Development Corporation of Bethlehem — Southside recreation
- Eastern PA Trans Equity Project — Empowerment and supportive services for transgender community members
- Esther M. Lee African American Heritage Center — Online digital archive and community programming
- Ice House Performing Arts Collaborative — Relevant expenses
- Lehigh University: Southside Initiative — “Rooted” documentary film
- Lehigh Valley Community Foundation — CORE Fellowship program
- New Bethany Inc. — Southside Drop-In Center
- Pinebrook Family Answers — School-based integrated behavioral health services
- Second Harvest Food Bank — Pantry support
- Shanthi Project — Bridge to Middle School program
- Star Community Health — Target Blood Pressure program
- The Lehigh Conference of Churches — Bethlehem Soup Kitchen, street outreach
- Thrive Hub Inc. — Literacy Liberation Author Tour
- Touchstone Theatre — Festival UnBound Community Arts initiative
- Victory House of the Lehigh Valley — Homeless Empowerment initiative
'An incredible number'
Scott Slingerland, executive director of Coalition for Appropriate Transportation, said, “It’s cool how everybody’s a piece of the puzzle in terms of supporting the community. We all do totally different things, but it all makes up the whole.”
“Making milestones in our planning,” CAT still is looking at an end-of-2025 timeline to move into its new office at the newly constructed Walnut Street Garage when it’s finished, Slingerland said.
The CRF grants are available for spending for two years. Applications will open again in March.
Victory House of the Lehigh Valley Executive Director Tom Carson said in a news release from the city last week, “The Bethlehem Recovery Fund Grant showcases the City’s commitment to assisting the local nonprofits continue their mission of helping the community.
“Victory House served over 22,000 meals in 2024 and funds from this grant will be used to help us continue to provide exceptional services to our community.”Victory House of Lehigh Valley Executive Director Tom Carson
“Victory House served over 22,000 meals in 2024 and funds from this grant will be used to help us continue to provide exceptional services to our community.”
Lori Gilio, city grants administrator, said about 41,000 people over six months have benefitted from the previous CRF allocations.
“That’s an incredible number,” Gilio said.
'Fixing things that are broken'
A $1.9 trillion stimulus package as part of the American Rescue Plan Act was approved federally in 2021.
Bethlehem ended up getting about $34 million of that, leading to the creation of the Community Recovery Fund, a $3 million allocation for the fund approved by City Council in 2022 and its first disbursement in 2023.
The city also launched its We Build Bethlehem initiative in 2022 to see “how we should prioritize our support for various initiatives post-pandemic.”
CRF funding is “not about charity,” but about “fixing things that are broken in America.”Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds
Mayor J. William Reynolds said the CRF funding is “not about charity,” but about “fixing things that are broken in America.”
Fifty-six groups applied in 2023, requesting more than $2.4 million in Community Recovery Fund assistance. That year saw 28 organizations awarded a total of $799,390.
Among those recipients was Bethlehem Area Public Library and its series on “Wellness Support for Calm, Clarity, and Self-Connection” and therapeutic painting program.
Also awarded were Greater Lehigh Valley YMCA and outfitting its kitchen and Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley Inc. and its Nutcracker for Students program, giving more than 1,000 Bethlehem Area School District students a broader understanding of the arts.
