HARRISBURG — A $500,000 state grant has been awarded for Bradford Family YMCA in McKean County, according to Sen. Joe Scarnati, R-Brockway.
Scarnati explained that the $500,000 grant is being awarded by The State Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP).
“This grant is a very exciting development, which will provide substantial support for the Bradford YMCA,” Scarnati said. “Our local YMCA is an outstanding place for people of all ages. I am confident that the funding will help the YMCA to further their mission of building strong kids, strong families and strong communities.”
Scarnati, who was instrumental in securing this funding, explained that funding for this project will include repairs and physical improvements to enhance the programs and services the YMCA provides to the community. These include program areas used to conduct health and wellness programs which address the obesity and diabetes epidemic prevalent among both young and older people in our society. It will also help provide services to school aged youth such as in-house before and after school programming which focuses on teaching children the core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
Jeff Alevy, CEO of the YMCA, has been engaged with this project from the start and emphasized the positive impact that this grant will have.
“The YMCA and the community are in deep gratitude to Senator Scarnati’s office and the State of Pennsylvania for this grant award,” Alevy said. “The Bradford YMCA has a long and rich legacy in this community since its establishment more than a hundred years ago. The Y serves 3,500 individuals locally and focuses on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. This support from the state helps ensure the YMCA’s commitment to building a stronger community into the foreseeable future.”
Scarnati noted that RACP is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects.
“In rural Pennsylvania, just as in larger Pennsylvania cities, we deserve to have updated facilities for all of our residents to be able to utilize,” Scarnati stated. “I am confident that this state grant will be a great investment in our region and will help the facility to better serve the needs of our local community for years to come.”
For more information regarding the RACP program, please visit: http://www.budget.pa.gov/Programs/RACP.
