Rep. Jake Banta (R-Erie) announced today eight Erie County senior community centers (SCCs) will receive competitive and non-competitive grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Aging. These grants will help ensure older adults are supported in familiar, local places with services to stay healthy and connected to their communities.
Competitive grants were awarded to The John F. Kennedy Center, which will receive $106,275, and the Union City Senior Center, which will receive $9,365.
Six additional Erie County SCCs – Mercy Hilltop Center, Erie West Senior Center, North East Senior Center, Northwestern Senior Center, Tri-Boro Senior Center and Corry Senior Center – were awarded non-competitive grants in the amount of $2,577 each.
“Our aging population deserves the best possible care, and that includes being comfortable and happy in their communities,” said Banta. “These grants will help our local senior community centers modernize their facilities, prepare for future investments and continue providing excellent care to all residents.”
Rep. Banta also announced that the Erie County Technical School will receive a grant from the Competitive Equipment Grants program, through the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), to help prepare students in the 4th District for in-demand jobs.
Erie County Technical School will receive $85,000, the maximum amount awarded, to update or purchase equipment used in the training of students in approved career and technical education (CTE) programs.
“Investing in our students and giving them the education they need to succeed in the workforce is important now more than ever,” said Banta. “Career and technical programs do just that. This funding gives more students more opportunities to get hands-on experience in the classroom to help them stand out in the future.”
Erie County Technical School will be one of just 54 schools across the Commonwealth to receive this grant. To qualify, school districts and career and technical centers must have eight or more PDE-approved CTE programs.
“I was proud to join my colleagues today for the unveiling of a 14-bill package designed to improve affordability, expand access, and support childcare providers. The hearings during a revealed childcare is not simply a family issue, but also an affordability, workforce, and quality-of-life issue affecting communities across the state. Lawmakers used testimony gathered throughout the hearing series to develop a legislative package focused on modernizing regulations, supporting providers, and expanding childcare opportunities while maintaining safety standards.”
The 14-bill childcare reform package is aimed at modernizing staffing qualifications, streamlining regulations, expanding provider capacity, reducing administrative burdens, and improving access to affordable childcare for working families across Pennsylvania.
