Pottsville is one of the areas that will benefit from nearly $3 million in grants awarded by Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. for community improvement and revitalization projects.

PP&L announced Friday (7/26) that three Pottsville-area projects will receive grants totaling $98,283 through the company's Community Partnership Program for 1996. (Projects are listed at the end of this news release.)

Across the 29 counties it serves, PP&L is awarding grants to 75 nonprofit agencies and organizations. Funding for the program comes from company earnings. PP&L does not collect any of the cost from its electricity customers.

PP&L created the Community Partnership Program to help local efforts to revitalize urban neighborhoods, promote home ownership, assist small businesses and improve the quality of life in central eastern Pennsylvania.

"We are making an investment in the communities we serve. It's an investment with a real payback for PP&L and the people of the area," said Tushanna Hamilton, PP&L's regional customer relations representative.

The payback, she added, comes in several ways. Small businesses, particularly in the downtown area of cities, can get the backing they need to take root, grow and create jobs. Low-income families have more opportunities for home ownership, which gives them a greater stake in the community. Blighted urban neighborhoods have access to funds for improving their appearance, safety and stability, to attract new residents and new investments.

In establishing the Community Partnership Program last year, PP&L used input from community leaders and social service organizations to identify the region's most pressing needs.

"We believe this effort is important enough to the future of the region that we have contributed more than $5.4 million over the past two years," Hamilton said. "And, funding will continue through at least 1997."

Projects receiving 1996 Community Partnership Program grants in the area are as follows:

• Economic Opportunity Cabinet of Schuylkill County — $40,000
  To purchase and renovate 10 deteriorating homes, providing home ownership opportunities to low- and moderate-income families.
• Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce — $30,283
  To assist start-up or expanding businesses with management training, business planning and financial aid.
• Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce Neighborhood Development — $28,000
  To support three Schuylkill County communities. Minersville will use funds to refurbish properties and make sidewalk and curb repairs; Mahanoy City will use funds for downtown building improvements; Frackville will use funds for welcome banners at four entrances to the community.