Elm Street Project
Elm Street, which is a designation awarded to a handful of organizations in the Commonwealth, works with the SACA team to uplift and restore neighborhoods in Southeast Lancaster by identifying strategic initiatives that impact human, economic, and social health while supporting cultural identities. Here is how SACA and Elm Street collaborate to increase community wealth and restore human dignity in and beyond the city of Lancaster.
- Making surrounding neighborhoods better
- Removing barriers to success through transportation
- Supporting the media center that enables neighbor-to-neighbor communication
- Funding local youth restorative justice and cultural enrichment programs
- Installing historical markers and murals that connect residents to their community, using local artists to inspire and beautify
- Identifying public and private funding opportunities
- Supporting remediation program for families
- Seeking innovative solutions to intransient neighborhood challenges
Pershing Avenue Pilot Project: Creating a Sense of Place
Pershing Avenue serves as a model for how a block can be uplifted through a holistic and collaborative approach. As SACA Development rehabilitated three homes for new, affordable housing, Elm Street empowered neighbors to implement projects of their choosing. Investments of money, volunteers, and expertise were made by an array of partners: Tractor Home Supply, Keep America Beautiful, the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, the National Wildlife Foundation, Frey’s Nursery, the Regional Foundation, Penn Waste, and the City of Lancaster. With this help, neighbors are making Pershing cleaner, greener, brighter, and safer.
Pershing, like all blocks, harbors untapped talent and enthusiasm. Elm Street propels neighbors into action, using close-to-home talents and interests through which human, economic, and cultural identities are preserved and enhanced. This is the start of a powerful movement that will continue to grow throughout Lancaster!
