York, PA – (June 9, 2022) – York County is proud to announce its participation in the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s third annual Reinventing Our Communities Cohort Program. The program is focused on strengthening regional economies by addressing race-based economic inequities in rural and small urban regions across the country. This is the second year in a row that York was selected to participate in this program. The first year focused on revitalizing small businesses with a focus on women and BIPOC owned, which was instrumental in the launch of the BLOOM Business Empowerment Center.
This yearlong program is aimed at helping a community cohort from York to
- address the structural barriers that limit the full potential of workers and communities of color.
- ensure that workforce development programs lead to jobs that pay living wages and upward economic mobility.
- partner with local employers to support workforce development strategies.
- learn best practices for attracting and retaining talent to foster inclusive economic growth in rural and small urban areas.
“An important aspect of the Federal Reserve’s work is to maintain full employment,” said Theresa Singleton, senior vice president of the Community Development and Regional Outreach Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. “The cohort program supports the Fed’s work by helping local communities realize the full potential of their talent pipeline and provide investments and innovation that support workers.”
The York cohort will engage in workforce development webinars, coaching from national workforce leaders, peer learning, and racial equity training. The York cohort will also develop a multiyear plan to expand economic opportunities for local workers and communities of color.
“The York County Economic Action Plan highlights the disparities in educational attainment, employment level, and median income between York County and the City of York which emphasize the critical need of workforce development efforts for all of the county’s residents. The York County Economic Alliance (YCEA) has continued the Pathways to Prosperity Workforce Action Plan to engage employers, educators, and community partners in collaborative activities. We’re honored to be part of this cohort along with the organizations and individuals listed below which are all partners of the Pathways to Prosperity Workforce Action Plan,” said Kevin Schreiber, President and CEO of the York County Economic Alliance.
The organizations represented in this year’s cohort are:
- York County Community Foundation – Adrian Buckner, Vice President of Grants and Community Engagement/Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
- MANTEC – Bruce Newell, President & CEO
- New Hope Ministries – Eric Saunders, Executive Director
- SCPa Works – Hillary Lyle, Director of Strategic Initiatives
- York County Alliance for Learning – Kevin Appnel, Executive Director
- York County Reentry Coalition – Melissa Plotkin, Executive Director
- York Habitat for Humanity – Pat Ball, Interim Executive Director
- Community Progress Council – Ruth Robbins, Chief Program Officer and Rachel Ostrander, Workforce Development Coach
- York County Economic Alliance – Brendan Salyards, Economic Initiatives Manager and Marlena Schugt, BLOOM Program Manager
Visit philadelphiafed.org for more information about the 2022 ROC Cohort Program.
About the YCEA
YCEA drives York County’s economic growth by leveraging the collaboration, resources and expertise needed to create sustainable prosperity.