Somerset, PA –  Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Acting Secretary Neil Weaver today highlighted the Wolf Administration’s investment towards providing quality childcare through the department’s Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP). Weaver was joined by Dr. Leah Spangler, CEO for The Learning Lamp, at a groundbreaking event for the childcare center in Somerset County.

“There is a critical need for childcare in Somerset County, and I’m glad we can break ground today on a facility that will help meet those needs,” said Acting Sec. Weaver. “I’d also like to commend the local businesses who helped to make this happen. Public-private partnerships are at the heart of the NAP. By all of us working together, it’s helped to ensure that parents in Somerset County have access to high-quality, reliable childcare.”

The Learning Lamp was supported through $67,500 in NAP tax credits in July 2021 to launch a multi-phased renovation and expansion project at their facility in Somerset. Today’s groundbreaking kicks off the first of three phases of improvements that will increase safety, improve child supervision, and expand the number of bathrooms better suited for small children. Exterior renovations will upgrade exits and add windows to maximize natural lighting. The overall project will more than double the number of children currently served, increasing full capacity to 134, and add 27 new jobs.

NAP encourages private sector investment into projects that will help improve distressed communities by providing tax credits to businesses that donate capital to support projects that address neighborhood and community problems. NAP can be used for projects in categories including affordable housing, community services, crime prevention, education, job training, charitable food, blight, special population issues, veteran’s initiatives, and long-term community revitalization.

The program has five main components: The Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP), Special Program Priorities (SPP), the Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP), the Charitable Food Program (CFP) and the Enterprise Zone Program (EZP). A description of each of these components is available within the NAP fact sheet.

“The Neighborhood Assistance Program is an essential tool for The Learning Lamp in better meeting the needs of Somerset’s children,” said Dr. Spangler. “Through the Special Priorities Program, we have been able to offer businesses a way to invest their tax dollars in their own community, and benefit area families, including their own workforce.”

The businesses that invested in the Special Priorities Program include: Ameriserv, 1st Summit Bank, Somerset Trust, and UPMC-Somerset.

For more information about the Wolf Administration’s commitment to community development, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Allison Brubaker, DCED, dcedpress@pa.gov

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