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Greater Easton Development Partnership 2019 ANNUAL REPORT
Greater Easton Development Partnership2019 ANNUAL REPORT
MISSIONCollaborate to nurture Easton’s
economic well-being and
cultural vibrancy
VISIONA national model of a livable
and welcoming small city
VALUESOrganic GrowthWe support development that
fosters neighborhoods and
city-wide sustainability.
Hospitality We help to maintain a safe,
clean and beautiful city
that welcomes residents,
business owners, and guests
to our historic and natural
environments.
Collaboration We seek partnerships with all
entities that make up Easton,
including its citizens, businesses,
organizations and government.
Grassroots We recognize and encourage
the volunteer spirit and cultural
diversity that enable our work.
Heritage We share a deep reverence for
Easton’s history and culture.
Experience We create a space for
meaningful engagements
that build neighborhood
and city-wide pride.
PUTTING DOWN ROOTSYou can’t have growth without a good root system. For the Greater Easton Development Partnership (GEDP), 2019 was all about putting down roots.
In addition to the programs of Easton Main Street Initiative, Easton Farmers’ Market, Easton Public Market, Special Events & Promotions and the Easton Ambassadors, GEDP laid the groundwork for several new endeavors. We launched the West Ward Community Initiative (WWCI), expanding our footprint, and bringing our programs and energy into the West Ward neighborhood. We became the guardians of six community gardening plots throughout the City of Easton that we unified under the title of Easton Community Gardens (now known as Easton Garden Works). We expanded our focus on urban agriculture through the Easton Compost Program and our participation in Lafayette College’s Veggies in Community project.
Within our programs we added new events in 2019, launched a wholesale line of products through the Highmark Farmstand, formed new partnerships with local agencies, and saw increased attendance at PA Bacon Fest, Easton Out Loud and Live at the Falls. We launched a texting program to allow neighbors, visitors, Lafayette College students and business owners to subscribe for updates they’re most interested in.
This report details our growth over the last year — it’s a look back at the accomplishments of our nonprofit through our programs and our people.
We’re grateful to all those who gave their time and energy to our programs over the last year. Thank you to our volunteers, donors, sponsors and community partners — especially the City of Easton, Northampton County and the Commonwealth. Thank you for helping us to grow.
Jared Mast
Executive Director, GEDP
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Through Easton Garden Works, 41 volunteer gardeners harvested 225 pounds of fresh produce to donate to Vegetables in the Community, St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Greater Shiloh Church Food Pantry and Easton Hunger Coalition.
THESE NUMBERS...
32,228 TRANSACTIONSMADE AT HIGHMARK FARMSTAND
59 VOLUNTEER EVENTSPLANNED BY EASTON COMMUNITY GARDENS COMPLETED17 FAÇADES
EASTON GARLIC FEST & PA BACON FEST
935 DOZENGINO’S KNOTS SOLD AT
THROUGH EASTON COMPOST PROGRAM
57,000 poundsOF FOOD WASTE COMPOSTED
EASTON COMMUNITY GARDENS VOLUNTEERS
225 POUNDS OF FRESH PRODUCEGROWN AND HARVESTED BY
600 historicORNAMENTS SOLD
2 muralsadded
4
...help TELL OUR STORY.
TO ADORN HOLIDAY WREATHS
159 RED BOWSMADE BY 12 VOLUNTEERS
EACH SATURDAY MAY-NOVEMBERVISITED THE EASTON FARMERS’ MARKET4,000 SHOPPERS
5,000 SHOPPERSVISITED EASTON PUBLIC MARKET EACH WEEK
80 DOWNTOWN EASTON BUSINESSESPARTICIPATED IN EASTON OUT LOUD
8,424VOLUNTEER HOURS
35,000 MAP & GUIDESPRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED TO SIX COUNTIESPA BACON FEST EATS LIST
25 PA BACON FEST VENDORS MENTIONED IN
1,923 DOWNTOWN$103,000 LOADED ONTO THEM EASTON GIFT CARDS SOLD WITH MORE THAN
USA TODAY’S 10BEST!
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EASTON Farmers’ Market
EFM Surpasses 4,000 Weekly Customers• Power of Produce Kids Program participation
surged (384 percent increase in POP buck redemptions from 2018).
• SNAP redemption increased 10 percent.
In 2019, the customer count at Easton Farmers’ Market was 3 percent higher than the previous year — with the market surpassing the 4,000 person mark for the first time since data has been collected for Northampton County. During a survey conducted on site by Buy Fresh Buy Local of the Greater Lehigh Valley, customer responses indicated:
• A 6 percent increase in customers spending more than $30 at the farmers’ market per trip
• An 11 percent drop in the percentage of people spending under $10
• Farmers’ market customers who said they also spend money at other downtown businesses hit an all-time high — with 69 percent of respondents saying they spend, on average, $30 at area businesses when they’re in town for the market.
Easton Farmers’ Market also saw growth with its youngest fans through its POP Kids Program. This season, 482 children registered for POP, and on average, 27 members returned on a weekly basis to participate in activities celebrating local food, healthy eating and sustainability. For each activity completed, young shoppers earned POP bucks to shop the market for fruits and veggies. More POP bucks were distributed in 2019 than the previous year and redemption rose 384 percent.
Other areas of growth for the market were the number of guest vendors and Local Libations merchants that sold their wares in Centre Square. The number of LV Fresh Food Bucks redeemed by SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) users at the market also rose 10 percent. Every time a user purchases EFM tokens through SNAP, Buy Fresh Buy Local of the Greater Lehigh Valley doubles it up to $10 per day, thanks to a USDA grant.
Those successes coupled with 35 weekly vendors, 10 market event days and sunny weather on almost every Saturday led to a banner year for the market. It wasn’t just locals that noticed all the growth of the Easton Farmers’ Market this year. MASS Design Group also featured the market in an exhibit for the Center for Architecture in NYC from October 2019-January 2020 that profiled urban renewal in small cities. The group cited our farmers’ market as an example of a ‘community anchor that builds meaningful connections to the past.’ The market’s annual Zucchini 500 event got national attention thanks to ABC’s “Localish”. Easton Farmers’ Market also got a shoutout in Delta Sky Magazine in December. The mention was part of a 26-page spread on the Lehigh Valley, featured in Delta Air Lines in-flight magazine that’s read by approximately 6.3 million readers a month.
The POP Kids Program saw an increase in participation and POP buck redemptions for 2019.
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EASTON MAIN STREET
INITIATIVE (EMSI)
Grassroots Efforts, Unified Decorations Make Easton More Inviting
• 60 shops participated for the inaugural year of coordinated holiday decorating program.
• $20,000 marketing campaign bolstered holiday efforts.
For the fourth year in a row, the Pennsylvania Downtown Center named Easton Main Street Initiative the No. 1 Main Street program in the state. The distinction is based on the number of net new businesses opened, net jobs created, total volunteer hours and total investment in properties and public improvement projects.
In 2019, Easton Main Street Initiative (EMSI) launched several initiatives aimed at increasing the daytime economy. Ca$h Mobs returned from August-December and encouraged those living and working downtown to commit to spending at least $20 in cash in a surprise location. Participants met in Centre Square, walked to their location, and ended with happy hour at a restaurant.
2019 also saw the return of the GEDP Holiday ‘Staff Picks’ promotion which had GEDP staff members share their favorite gift ideas from local shops for EMSI’s Facebook and Instagram audience. Nine staffers shared 47 posts in December. The promotion provided marketing support for our downtown retailers at a crucial time of the year, and saw indirect marketing benefit for EMSI.
Holiday shoppers were also delighted to find the town all spruced up thanks to a coordinated decorating plan spearheaded by EMSI. Volunteers delivered fresh greens and wreaths from Bloomie’s to 60 participating shops! But by far, the sweetest retail promotion of 2019 was the inaugural Cookie Crawl. Visitors in early December could finish their holiday shopping and enjoy a cookie at 30 participating stops.
The holiday efforts were bolstered by a broad holiday marketing plan that put Easton’s shopping scene into daily, weekly and monthly print pieces, high-impact spadeas (front-page wrap) and online banner ads. The $20,000 campaign also secured a 30-second television spot, four targeted blast emails to 50,000 within 20 miles of the city, and a month of outdoor advertising.
The Design Committee was particularly busy this year — supporting streetscape and gateway enhancements at the intersection of North Fourth and Bushkill Streets, and South Sitgreaves; installing two wall poems; and leading a free window decorating seminar in October to teach business owners to make the most of their window space. Through the façade grant program, EMSI distributed $64,402 (funds raised from the state, county and the Historic Easton House Tour) to 17 projects within Downtown Easton. Those funds supplemented the $81,636 that property and business owners invested in facade projects for 2019.
In addition to quarterly Business Owner Roundtables, bimonthly business e-updates and quarterly Business Bugler newsletters, EMSI also found new ways to communicate with its audiences. Business owners wanted to increase Sunday traffic; EMSI published an ‘Open Sundays’ flier listing the 101 businesses with Sunday hours. A poster was also created and distributed to Lafayette College listing the ‘11 Things You Have to Do in Downtown Easton Before You Graduate’ for prospective students. In 2019, EMSI launched the weekly 7 Things To Do in Easton print piece. It culls events from the weekly e-update list that are packaged into a flier — current events on one side and evergreen attractions on the other. The pdf is sent to local hotels and Discover Lehigh Valley, and made available on the EMSI website for businesses to download and print.
Sixty shops participated in the first year of a coordinated holiday decorating effort.
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EastonPUBLIC MARKET
Easton Public Market Welcomes Three New Vendors in 2019
• Taylor Taco Shop, The Modern Crumb Bakery and Silvershell Counter + Kitchen put down roots in the Easton Public Market.
• The market added an outdoor seating area, weekly live music through Acoustic Kitchen and a wholesale partnership between Farmstand Recipes and ThreeBirds Coffee House.
Perhaps the biggest change for Easton Public Market in 2019 was the addition of chowder and lobster rolls, flaky croissants and flavorful tacos to the market’s offerings. Taylor Taco, a second venture for the owners of More Than Q, joined the market in January. Katie Gaffney, who previously worked for James Beard Award-winning chefs Francisco Migoya and Thomas Keller, opened The Modern Crumb Bakery in May. Lee Chizmar and Erin Shea, the owners of Bolete and Mister Lee’s Noodles, debuted their third concept in May — a New England-style clam shack called Silvershell Counter + Kitchen.
Outside the market, the façade got a facelift as well. Merchants Bank, Pleasant Valley Farm & Garden, and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce supported a greenscape project for the Northampton Street side of the market to complement a new outdoor seating area. The outdoor changes made the front of the market more inviting, beckoning visitors in to check out the programming and events.
In 2019, Easton Public Market hosted 35 community events, seven team-building and corporate events, 12 nutrition sessions, and 14 events with Lafayette College. The kitchen hosted 46 cooking classes, 28 private events and five film shoots. The market welcomed 22 pop-up vendors, six tour groups and seven seasonal events. In order to draw in a Friday night crowd, the market launched a live music series called Acoustic Kitchen, which brought in 54 performances. The market established a connection with families, offering 52 storytimes in conjunction with Book & Puppet Co. and six kids events. In July, Story & a Snack debuted at the market, offering 22 storytimes that encouraged kids to try new foods and meet EPM vendors by sampling snacks that came right from the pages of the books.
Marketing efforts and a full calendar helped the market to see steady attendance numbers at 5,000 each week — more than a quarter million visits annually. Other wins for the market included a partnership with the Alliance for Sustainable Communities-Lehigh Valley to create a guide to Sustainability Practices for Cafes and Restaurants, and the addition of 13 local producers at Highmark Farmstand. The latter accomplishment reinforces the core tenet of the farmstand to support and purchase from local producers. In 2019, more than 72 percent of the shelves of Highmark Farmstand were represented by local and regional producers within 150 miles of the location.
The Highmark Farmstand continued to develop its made-in-house line of Farmstand Recipes grab ‘n go soups, salads, sides and snacks. From January-August, the farmstand made a donation from every product sold to the Easton Hunger Coalition, raising $2,000 to kickstart the nonprofit’s Good2Go meal kit program. In order to get more marketing exposure for its soup line, staff launched a ‟Hot Soup” booth at the Winter Market. In May, Farmstand Recipes expanded their wholesale offerings, with salads, soups and energy bites now offered at ThreeBirds Coffee House.
The Easton Public Market Kitchen hosted community gatherings, cooking classes, film shoots, and many corporate and team-building events throughout the year.
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EastonAMBASSADORS
Easton Ambassadors Keeping Downtown Easton and the West Ward Clean & Green
• In 2019 the Ambassadors cleared 227,095 pounds of trash.
• This year they marked the milestone of collecting and recycling more than half a million cigarette butts, diverting them from the landfill to TerraCycle to be repurposed.
In addition to providing hospitality and offering directions to Easton visitors, the red-shirted Easton Ambassadors also aim to keep the 44 blocks in their territory clean and green.
In 2019, Ambassadors cleared 188,772 pounds of trash from Downtown Easton, and an additional 38,323 pounds from the West Ward. Operations Manager Sandra Zajacek says the trash collection is an important piece because it prevents debris and pollutants from making their way to storm drains and rivers.
Thanks to a donation from Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, the Ambassadors received 300 metal cigarette receptacles to expand their cigarette butt collection program. Some of these receptacles were added to poles and signs within the Ambassadors’ territory, with plans to replace and add additional containers as needed in the future. This year the Ambassadors marked a milestone — collecting more than half a million cigarette butts that they diverted from the landfill and waterways, and sent instead to TerraCycle to be repurposed into plastic pallets. Lisa Pellegrino, TerraCycle’s Strategic Partnerships Manager, says that number equates to 547 pounds of cigarette butts that have been collected since the Ambassadors started collecting in 2015. ‟We ‘litter-ally’ couldn’t do it without you,” Pellegrino said.
From June to August, the Ambassadors launched a pilot program for a 7-block expansion on Ferry Street (between Ninth and 13th Streets). The added coverage area meant the Ambassadors could assist the West Ward Community Initiative and its Park Leader program at Centennial Park, be a part of the Thursday programming during Vegetables in Community at the Easton Community Gardens, and support business owners and residents through that stretch.
In addition to removing trash and graffiti, the Ambassadors also lent their green thumbs to plant, maintain and water 17 planters in the West Ward and 135 planters in Downtown Easton. The summer pilot program also added seven new planters to care for. Flowers and greens are refreshed three times throughout the year.
Easton Ambassadors planted, watered and maintained more than 150 planters.
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Special events & PROMOTIONS
Special Events & Promotions Team Draws Visitors to Discover Easton
• PA Bacon Fest welcomed thousands of bacon fans from up and down the East Coast, and gained national media exposure in November 2019.
• Events team produced and managed 23 events and fundraisers — including the debut of The Easton Pumpkin Party.
The Special Events & Promotions (SEP) team is constantly busy — finding musicians, coming up with new features for PA Bacon Fest, and planning GEDP fundraisers such as Rosé on the River and Night of Bourbon. In 2019, SEP produced and managed 23 events that brought people to Downtown Easton to discover all that the city has to offer.
A few highlights from this year:
• PA Bacon Fest (PABF) fans could enjoy 40 types of bacon, 28 live performances and 200 vendors. The festival featured an expanded Family Zone and a new Canine Corner just for pups. PA Bacon Fest garnered national media coverage this year. USA Today devoted a whole 10Best article to the foods of the festival. ABC’s ‟Localish” film crew spent a whole day covering the festival for a video they shared on their channels and through social media (the Facebook video alone racking up 117,000 views). Discovery Channel’s ‟Road Trip Masters” pulled their 1968 drop-top Cadillac into the festival to share a slice of Easton with their viewers. And Delish put together a video of their favorite bacony eats that’s racked up 1,000+ shares on Facebook.
• Attendance increased at Easton Out Loud, the fourth Friday event that draws visitors and neighbors downtown. More than 80 businesses participated in the monthly themes throughout the year.
• Live at the Falls, an outdoor summer concert series encouraged visitors to explore Scott Park and enjoy fantastic music, delicious eats, and sweet treats. Attendance increased in 2019, as families could play lawn games and lounge in those ever-popular hammocks!
• The Easton Pumpkin Party debuted in October, drawing about 250 people to Centre Square to enjoy fall foods, pumpkin carving and live music.
Oak’s 50/50 Burger, a favorite at PA Bacon Fest, was one of the dishes featured in Lehigh Valley Marketplace’s October issue.
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WEST WARD COMMUNITY
INITIATIVE (wwci)
West Ward Community Initiative Revives Programming, Clean & Safe Measures for Community
• WWCI and YMCA partner to bring back Park Program, which offered kid-friendly programming and supervised weekday play for nine weeks in the summer. The program at Centennial and Vanderveer Parks also served up 1,600 lunches.
• Lights On program encouraged safety and walkability by asking residents to keep their front and side porch lights lit in the evenings. More than 100 families received a free LED lightbulb and dusk-to-dawn sensor through WWCI.
In its first year, the West Ward Community Initiative focused on design projects, community outreach, and clean and safe initiatives. On the design side, organizers worked in conjunction with GEDP’s Easton Murals program to facilitate a mural at 657-659 Northampton St. Thirteen snowflakes that match the outdoor decorations in Downtown Easton were purchased to adorn streetlights in the neighborhood during the holidays. In September, WWCI delivered a facade grant of $26,300 to aid the Easton Area Community Center in updating windows. Thanks to the WWCI grant and the support of other community partners, the center was able to purchase and install 26 new, energy-efficient, historically-accurate windows.
Other ways WWCI supported community projects include its involvement in community events, including:
• Provided financial support for West Ward Boil & Brews and the For the Animals block party.
• Worked with the Alfero Company to engage the community through a Halloween event and collaborated with Paxinosa Elementary School and the Karl Stirner Arts Trail to bring a sculpture exhibit to the school grounds.
• Teamed up with community partners including the City of Easton, Paxinosa Elementary School, Easton Area Community Center, YMCA, Easton Police Department, West Ward WISE and many others, to plan National Night Out for 400-500 families.
To promote a clean, safe neighborhood, WWCI partnered with the Easton Ambassadors to purchase and install seven new planters, four new trash cans and three cigarette recycling receptacles. WWCI has also spearheaded the Lights On program, which encourages residents to keep their front and side porch lights on from dusk to dawn. Since July, residents could stop by the WWCI table at community events to pick up a kit containing a free LED lightbulb and dusk-to-dawn sensor.
WWCI also worked with the YMCA of Easton, Phillipsburg & Vicinity and USDA Summer Meals Program to revive supervised programming at Centennial and Vanderveer Parks and provide 1,600 lunches over nine weeks in the summer.
It was a busy year of building relationships within the community, and laying groundwork for future endeavors. WWCI kept neighbors informed of its events through a number of channels. In addition to its website, westwardeaston.org, and Facebook page, residents now receive a newsletter on a bimonthly basis. The West Ward One Pager provides details on coming events, news about neighborhood issues and WWCI’s progress. The Ambassadors distributed 300 copies of the One Pager, and 3,075 were mailed directly to homes.
More than 400 families came out for National Night Out.
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urbanAGRICULTURE
Easton Compost Program and Easton Community Gardens Help City to Bloom
• 574 households participated in the Easton Compost Program in 2019, which diverted 57,000 pounds of food waste from landfills.
• Easton Community Gardens (now Easton Garden Works) welcomed 41 volunteer gardeners who grew and donated 225 pounds of fresh produce to families in need.
In its first year of overseeing the five Easton Community Gardens, GEDP focused on adding a number of structural improvements to make future seasons more fruitful. Those measures, done with the help of the city and community partners, include:
• 10th & Pine garden: A shed and motion-sensor lights were added for storage and safety. Pallet composters were rebuilt and a compost tumbler was added.
• Lower Hackett garden: An 8-foot deer fence was added around the half acre garden, as well as an irrigation system. The garden area was expanded and several new beds were added, including; four new raised beds, two handicap-accessible raised beds, and three additional raised beds built by an Eagle Scout. Bee hives were also added, as well as a wash station, irrigation and a soil tiller.
• Lynn Street garden: New shelving was added to maximize an existing shed. Two raised beds were added, and a community strawberry patch and blueberry bushes were planted.
• Juliana Street garden: Shelving and two raised beds were added.
• Easton Area Community Center garden: A compost tumbler was added.
With the new additions, 41 volunteer gardeners (93 percent of whom live in Easton) grew and harvested 225 pounds of fresh produce to donate to Vegetables in the Community, St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry, Greater Shiloh Church Food Pantry and Easton Hunger Coalition. Gardeners logged an impressive 1,123 volunteer hours (including 570 hours from 54 work release volunteers).
Throughout the season, volunteers participated in 59 events, including potlucks, seed swaps, work release days and composting events. The gardens also played a role in Lafayette College’s 10-week Vegetables in the Community (VIC) program. Each week, GEDP staff would coordinate programming for VIC — including block parties and bike rides with community partners, garden scavenger hunts and cooking demos. GEDP
provided snacks and a free chef-tested recipe each week that utilized the garden-fresh produce.
The gardens were nourished by the Easton Compost Program, which saw 574 participating households in 2019. The average participant brought 15 pounds of food waste each week, culminating in 57,000 pounds of food waste diverted from the landfill. (Since the program’s inception in July 2018, Easton Compost Program has collected 75,000 pounds of food waste.)
This year, the compost program saw a number of gains and reported 315 total volunteer hours. Recycling and composting were incorporated into Veg Fest and the Easton Pumpkin Party, in addition to returning to Easton Garlic Fest and PA Bacon Fest. At those festivals alone, volunteers contributed 211 hours, collected 440 pounds of recycling and diverted 1,050 pounds of food waste from the landfills. The compost program hosted six bucket giveaways in the summer, and increased the number of participating households by 175 percent. The Easton Compost Program also collected food waste from Terra Café, GEDP offices, four Easton Public Market vendors and the Easton Area Community Center.
These successes enabled the program to give away 6,900 pounds of finished compost, compared to 1,597 pounds in 2018. A ‘black gold’ finished compost bin was added behind the Easton Public Market to allow participants to grab compost at their convenience.
Volunteers helped to grow and donate 225 pounds of fresh produce to families in need.
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2019 Financials
.5
0
1
1.5
$ M
ILL
ION
S 2
2.5
3
20182017
2.4 2.5 2.8 3.3
2019 2020(ESTIMATED)
SINCE 2015
gedp has seen an estimated72% INCREASEin revenue
IN 2019 ALONE
brought in nearly
in revenue
EXPENSES
REVENUE BY YEAR
PROGRAMS:ADMINISTRATION:
MARKETING:GRANTS TO OTHERS:
FUNDRAISING:
80.8%9.4%5.4%3.5%0.89%
REVENUE
PROGRAMS:CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS/SPONSORS:
GOVERNMENT GRANTS:FOUNDATIONS/TRUSTS:
INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS:
49.7%22.4%21.7%4.7%1.5%
$2.8 MILLION
GEDP PROGRAMS
A Thank You to the Board Members who Guide our Organization
JEFF DROBINSPeoples Security Bank & Trust
ADAM FAIRCHILDEaston Outdoor Company
JOE FEILMEIER Lafayette Ambassador Bank
LAURIE GOSTLEY-HACKETT Air Products
CHAZ HAMPTON Brick + Mortar Design Studio and Art Gallery
MARK HARTNEY Northampton County Department of
Community and Economic Development
MICHAEL HILLIS The Hillis Group, LLC.
NICHOLAS HINDLE HindlePower
THERESA HOGANHogan Law
MICHELE MATYASOVSKY Food Corps
SAL PANTO JR. Mayor of Easton
REBECCA PICHETTO 3rd & Ferry Fish Market
EDWARD SHAUGHNESSY Law Offices of Edward P. Shaughnessy
MELISSA STARACE Lafayette College
BILL STRICKLAND Hearst Enthusiast Group
JIM TOIA Karl Stirner Arts Trail and Lafayette College
SANDRA ALERCIA VULCANOEaston City Council
STEPHEN WILSON Lafayette College
Thank you to those who serve on our board of directors and volunteer their time and energy.
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY
Easton Main Street Initiative Assistant Manager Katie Farnan leads a group through Downtown Easton during a Ca$h Mob. EMSI visited eight stores and five restaurants
from August to December, encouraging each participant to spend at least $20 in cash while they shopped.
Through the Highmark Farmstand at Easton Public Market, $2,000 was raised for the Easton Hunger Coalition (EHC). A portion of proceeds from Farmstand
Recipes products went to EHC’s Good2Go Meal Kits, which provide recipes and
ingredients for two emergency meals for a family of four. Kits were distributed to 10
local food pantries throughout Easton.
The team behind NuHouse was able to use a façade grant from EMSI to fund exterior renovations and add signage
at 19 S. Bank St.
GEDP added two murals in 2019 through its Easton Murals project. In May, a piece by Paul Roden went up at Fourth & Bushkill streets. In November, Noségo left his mark on 657-659
Northampton St., the first mural added by the program in the West Ward.
PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING EASTON A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY
AMY BOCCADOROWest Ward Community
Initiative Manager
CHEF SCOTT T. BOYDKitchen Programming & Events Coordinator
KELLY HUTHCommunications
Coordinator
KATIE FARNANEaston Main Street Initiative
Assistant Manager
STEPHANIE GIANNAKISDigital Media
& Print Designer
NATALEE HERCIK Corporate Sponsorship
Coordinator
TAREA ROACH-PRITCHETT Bookkeeper
SANDRA ZAJACEKEaston Ambassadors Operations Manager
ALICE ZIEGLER Easton Market District
Assistant Manager
MIRANDA WILCHA Community Gardens
Coordinator
C. WOLF Highmark Farmstand
Manager
CLAUDIO PINTOEaston Public Market Janitorial Supervisor
MARCY MCKINNEYSpecial Events &
Promotions Manager
MEGAN MCBRIDE Easton Market District
Director
JARED MASTExecutive Director
KIM KMETZ Easton Main Street Initiative
Manager
BREANNA CRUZ Highmark Farmstand
Assistant Manager
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS & PARTNERSWe’d like to thank our corporate partners, without whom we wouldn’t be able to offer the community festivals and programming that brings visitors to Downtown Easton.
1st United Church of ChristAAA Northampton CountyAARPAccess NetworksAir Products FoundationAlfero ConstructionArtSkillsBeneboneBlabbermouth CommunicationsBloomie’s By Lille SysterBoyle Construction, Inc.Breakaway Farms & ButcheryBrown Daub CharitiesBuy Fresh Buy Local of the Greater Lehigh ValleyC.F. Martin & CompanyCarol Dorey Real EstateCity EntertainmentColonial PizzaConnexions GalleryCrowder Jr. CompanyDave’s Ice CreamDrabenstott Communiations GroupEaston Area Public LibraryEaston Business AssociationEaston Coach Co.Easton Outdoor CompanyEaston Pub CrawlEssential Wellness Co.F.M. Kirby Foundation
First Energy FoundationFive Star Home Foods, Inc.Forks PlazaFounders Brewing Co.Free Bridge RealtyFreySmiles OrthodonticsGiant Food StoresGolden Pepper ProdcutionsGreater LV Chamber of Commerce FoundationGreen Mountain EnergyGrins & Grins LLCGross McGinley LLPHeilman Construction & Cleaning LLCHistoric Easton House TourIBEW Local 102J. Morgan SalonJohn A. & Margaret Post FoundationJust Born Quality ConfectionsKeystone Savings FoundationKiwanis Club of Palmer TownshipKressler Wollf & Miller Inc.Kudu CreativeLaw Offices of Edward P. ShaughnessyLehigh Valley Economic Development Corp.Lidl USLife Church Ministries, Inc.Maser Consulting Foundation
Master’s Home SolutionsMercantile OutpostMerchants BankMetaBankMoravian AcademyMorris Black Designs National GuardNurture Nature CenterNurture Nature FoundationThree OAK SteakhousePA National GuardPalmeri TransportationPatient FirstPost Road ManagementPower Home RemodelingPreservation WorksRCN PennsylvaniaRiver Valley Waldorf SchoolRiverview Estates Active Adult Condo AssociationRose Wealth AdvisorsRutler Screen PrintingSalon at 42 N. 2nd St.Sette LunaShawnee InnShikiar Family FoundationSigal MuseumSpillman Farmer ArchitectsSt. Luke’s University Health NetworkState Farm
State Theatre Center for the Arts, Inc.Stoke Coal Fire PizzaStrunk Funeral Home, Inc.Sugardale FoodsSundance VacationsSweet GirlzThe BartlettThe Giant CompanyThe Hillis GroupThe Lafayette InnThe M&T Charitable FoundationThe Martin Guitar Charitable FoundationThe Morning CallThe Village on College HillThomas F. Staley FoundationThreeBirds Coffee HouseTwo Rivers Brewing CompanyUnity BankVacation Village ResortVictoria Alercia-Casella Counseling Services & Lehigh Valley Empower Our CommunityVM DevelopmentWeyerbacher Brewing CompanyWhitson Food GroupWXPNYour CBD Store
We’d also like to thank the Downtown Easton business owners who volunteer with us, and support us in our efforts to bring visitors and neighbors to our city.
THANK YOU TO OUR DONORSWe are grateful for all those who donate to the programs of the
Greater Easton Development Partnership. Thank you for your contribution:
Amy Ahart & Tom DiGiovanni
Matthew Alicandri
Linda Arnold
Kyla Baldo
Earl David Ball
Carey Birgel
Lee Boyd
Carolyn R. Brior
Alma & William Buczak
Patricia Burton
Linda Carp
Victoria A. Casella
Jorge Chapoy
Bessie Anne Cicero
Stephen Constantine
Chris D’Angelo
James & Lila Dale
Susan Dalrymple
Anthony DaRe
Louise De Franco
Dr. Gaeton & Teresa DeMartino
Barbara Destefano
Thomas A. DiGiovanni
Jennifer Dobbs
Michael Drabenstott
Donald Eckel
John Eisenhard
Armen Elliott
Fisher Family
Harris Family
Joseph Feilmeier
Stefano Ferrari
Toniolo Lynn Fraser
Jill Fritzo
J.B. Fugere
Josh Gaffney
Maryann E. Gale
Carla C. Garfield
Ronald & Harriet Gladish
Kristian & Kirsten Gregersen
Dana Guffy
Wendy Harris
Diane Haviland
Paul & Maxine Henderson
Paul & Louise Henderson
Natalee Hercik
Sarah Hinsch
Theresa Hogan
Dave Hopkins
The Horn Family
Matthew Hyde
John F.Jaindl Sr.
Scott Janney
Ken Kewley
Catherine & Edward Kline
Tim Kline
David & Kim Kmetz
Marion & Lori Kram
Natalie Kriner
Michael & Linda Kuenne
Alice Kwiatkowski
Shawn Langen
Cynthia LaTrechiano
Rosalie Mancino
Jared Mast
Michele L. Matyasovsky
John McClave
Robert McCormick
Marcy McKinney
Daniel McMahon
Melissa & Brian McNally
Paul & Carol Migliorini
Barbara Miller
Justin Montgomery
Sarah Morgan
Angelina T. Notaro
Jesse M. O’Neill
William Ogonowski
John OKeefe
Karen & Rod Oren
Terry & Bud Palmer
Sal & Pam Panto
Rebecca Pichetto
Loretta Pilosi
Rebekah Pite
Nancy Poplawski
Patricia A. Price
Rebecca Price Janney
Lynn Prior
Alicia Rambo Wozniak
Maria T. Ramunni & Patrick J. Santos
Suzanne & Rich Rheiner
Michelle Roeder
Meg Sayago
Eric Schoeppner
Alma R. Scott-Buczak
Monica Seligmann
Nadine Shandor
Edward P. Shaughnessy
Charles Robert Skinner
Patricia A. Smith
Harriet Smith Gladish
James L. Sampson Jr.
Starace-Dittmar Family
Diane Stebbins
Bill Strickland
Aaron & Becky Tedjeske
Laurie Thompson
Mark A. Thompson
Dorothy & David Thorpe
Fran & Carol Tone & Family
Kathy Trimble
Mark Trudeau
Megan van Ravenswaay
Sandra Vulcano
Janet Wagner
Scott Walters
Luann Weber
Joyce & Lloyd Welken
Stephen Wilson & Sarah Clark
Earl Wismer
25
THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS
Cathy Abreu
Evgeniia Aleksandrova
VictoriaAlercia-Casella
Lynn Alexander
Nick Alfero
Lou Allegra
Jason Alley
Nancy Amacker
Antoine Amblard
Ethan Ames
Grace Angelella
Dennis Antonio
Katie Antonson
HeatherArak-Kanofsky
Nellie Ann Arias
Mary Arlia
Adam Atkinson
Sharon Ayers
Frank Azzalina
Rosemary Azzalina
Lisa Baldrey
Nelda Barron
Paul Barry
Alice Bartholomew
Becky Bartlett
Shelley Bartush
Jeffrey Beach
Marcel Bedoya
Jasmine Berger
Marion Berger
Shawna Bernecker
McKenna Beyer
Tiffany Biagioli
Kathie Bisco
Jim Bloom
Erik Boissonneault
Sgt. Dan Bonham
Kira Botelho
Lee Boyd
Deb Boyer
Jane Brennan
Mike Brett
Darcel Bridges
Peter Brohl
Sy Brown
Paul Brunswick
Julie Burros
Jamie Cabreza
Vivian Caffrey
Nancy Carpenter
Bill Carr
Kaila Carrasco
Josh Case
Mike Cecere
Marissa Cecere
Chelsea Cefalu
Gabriel Chandler
Art Charlton
Chrissie Check
Bessie Cicero
Sarah Clark
Sandy Cline
Matt Conroy
Cameron Costello
Susan Crawford
David Crowell
Margi Currie
Richard Currie
Christine Damiano
Mark Damiano
Graham Davidson
Dominick De Pinto
Ginger DeBias
Bob DeBias
Larry Dell
Jane Dell
Edie DeProfio
Travis Despres
Marc Devlin
Scott Dieck
Sharon Dieck
Todd Dietrich
George Difiore
Laura DiLiello
Paul DiLiello
Ed Dinan
Audra Doll
Sammee Donnelly
Annie Drane
William Duncan
JoAnn Durante
Rich Durante
Stephanie Durante
Jim Edinger
Curt Ehly
Dawn Elliott
Raul Emery
Rachel Engh
Rosa Espinosa
Susan Fadule
Mike Falco
Ricardo Figueroa
Adam Finkelstein
Oliver Finlay
Alec Flanigan
Sam Flores
Beth Flores Florindi
Brianne Fluegel
Lindsay Fly
Ernest Fok
Chris Foltz
Audra Frank
Lynn Fraser
Terri Freeman
John Freeman
Robert Freeman
Amy Fritch
Greg Geiger
Gail Glazer
Andrea Goff
Mike Goff
Alicia Gordon
Thomas Grant
Frank Graziano
Kelly Graziano
Robert Graziano
Connie Greenamoyer
Dave Greenamoyer
Ken Greene
Jason Griffin
Donna Grillo
Erin Grins
Marisa Griser
Gary Guthrie
Bona Ha
Joan Haldeman
Antoinette Halkias
John Hall
Oumayma Hamrouni
Lauren Harold
Aaron Haskel
Pat Haviland
Diane Haviland
Carrie Havranek
Kathy Hawley
Bryan Hay
Jim Henkel
Paul Herbert
Sue Hershlag
Jenne Hogan
Eric Holden
Kim Hopkins
Dave Hopkins
Holly Houser
Phyllis Howe
Mackenzie Hubert
Kim Hudock
Sean Hudson
Tammy Huk
Pat Hunter
Andrew Hutchinson
Barbara James
Elise Jones
Lourdes Juarez
Karen Kapral
Katie Kavanagh
Kelly Keegan
Sandee Kennedy
Jacqueline King
Addie King
Holden King
John Kingsley
Eamon Kinsman
Danya Kinsman
Lauren Kirk
Billy Klein
Patricia Klein
Amanda Kmetz
David Kmetz
Leslie Kmetz
Sariann Knerr
Desiree Kratzer
Al Kratzer
Donna Krivoski
Alice Kwiatkowski
Sonia Labriola
Quinn Lacy
Marcella Lampon
Joe Lane
Harrison Lapides
Maria LaValva
Kathee Lazzara
Molly Leech
Sabrina Lemiska
Brittany Libby
Doug Liptak
Eileen LoCicero
Kristin Longo
Tarra Lorusso
Madeline Lozowski
Maurice Luker
Paul Luongo
Tommy Lyons
Brandi Lyons
Jo-ann Macaluso
We are grateful to all those who volunteer with GEDP and its programs. In 2019, we saw a record-breaking 8,424 hours from our volunteers. That number reflects our steadfast and loyal volunteers who gave their nights and weekends, their time and energy and their expertise to help our programs grow. Thank you for all you do. We
apologize if a name was omitted in error.
26
Meghan Mackey
Martha Maier
Rich Maier
Larry Malinconico
Al Mancino
Rosalie Mancino
Brandon Marin
Kyle Marrapodi
Tim Matthews
Monica McAghon
Joan McBride
Kevin McCarthy
Matt McDermott
Jean McGill
Jan McGinley
Patty McGinley
Missy McGinley
Rachael McGinley
Jim McGlynn
Kathleen McKenzie
Brian McNally
Janet Mease
Maria Melendez
BJ Metz
Kristie Metz
Lori Metz
Jake Millen
Dave Miller
Leigh Miller
Larry Moore
Cathy Moorehead
Nikki Morely
Barb Moyer
Myk Moyer
Emily Mullen
Maria Munoz
Laurie Nelson
Nikkie Ngcawa
Jim Nicnick
Triono Noey
Dan Noonan
Ashli Novak
Heather Nutting
David O’Connell
Chrissy Oliver
Karen Oren
Mark Orse
Eric Pape
Kathryn Parris
Ryan Parrish
Marilyn Pavlov
Brian Pedersen
Ethan Pedersen
Lisa Penyak
Chet Petchonka
Stacy Petchonka
Anastasiia Petrova
Gam Pham
John Piccolo
Jill Piperata
Jackson Pogue
Joseph Poliofonte
Pam Pombo
Nancy Poplawski
Larry Porter
Chris Powell
Steph Powell
Kathy Presto
Patti Price
Anita Puleo
Paul Puleo
Faith Quickel
Tim Quickel
Matthew Ramirez
Kelly Rea
Rich Rheiner
Jermaine Rhoden
Brenda Rich
Jonathan Rich
Stevie Ritter
Anna Rittle
Natalie Rivera
Liz Rohricht
Larry Rondinelli
Pat Rondinelli
Missy Rose
Paul Rose
Trish Rose
Becky Rosenbauer
Barbara Rossi
Patty Rush
Danny Sachs
Nur Sajjad
Nicholas Scaglione
Devlin Schmid
Steven Schmid
Bob Schmidt
Eileen Schmidt
Nancy Schneider
William Schneider
Charles Scorsone
Beth Seetch
Mike Seksinsky
Monica Seligmann
Judy Serrano
Ellen Shaughnessy
Ben Shmaruk
Elizabeth Shook
Gunnar Simons
Skyler Simpson
Scott Slingerland
Mary-Beth Smith
Zenaida Smith
Krystal Snyder
Lucy Snyder
Brian Soder
Sue Spaziani
Lauren Spence
Jim Spies
Ed Stahley
Jeanine Stanilious
Berry Steiner
Hannah Stone
Jade Stone
Paul Strikwerda
Todd Sullivan
Julia Taylor
Luke Taylor
James Thomas
Sarah Trimmer
Rebecca Troutman
Justin Ungerleider
Kris Ungvarsky
Anthony Vecchino
Ellie Veneziano
Jules Vicidomini
Lucy Vicidomini
Andrew Vita
Jim Vivian
Kim Vogel
Van Vogel
Sandi Vulcano
Marian Wacker
Kimberly Wagner
Suzanne Walsh-Rheiner
Scott Walters
Shirley Warga
Phyllis Wargo
Sarah Wassel
Gary Watts
Miriam Watts
Susan Weber
Tim Wells
Tracey Werner
Sharon West
Lance Wheeler
Jennifer Whitlock
Zach Whitney
Matthew Wierzbicki
Glenn Wilcha
Lucy Wilcha
Amanda Williams
Bonnie Winfield
Suzanne Winne-Hart
Christine Wolff
David Wolff
Rob Wozniak
Carol Wroblewski
Nancy Wyant
Brad Young
Julie Zando-Dennis
Jimmy Zhang
Tara Zrinski
Scott Zukowski
Photo from left to right: Dawn Elliott, Shirley Warga, Bessie Cicero, Shawna Bernecker & Sharon West
27
We rely on and appreciate every volunteer, donor and
sponsor that partners with us on our programs and initiatives.
If you’d like to partner or be a part of our organization, please
reach out to us to learn how you can get involved:
VOLUNTEERContact Alice Ziegler at [email protected]
(Easton Farmers’ Market and Easton Public Market)
or Kim Kmetz at [email protected]
(Easton Main Street Initiative and festivals).
SPONSORFor sponsorship and promotional opportunities, contact
Natalee Hercik at [email protected].
DONATETo donate to one of GEDP’s programs, visit
support.eastonpartnership.org/giving or
contact Jared Mast at 610-250-2078
CONNECTStay in the know by following our programs on social media
or signing up for our weekly e-newsletters, found on these
sites: eastonfarmersmarket.com and eastonmainstreet.org.
325 Northampton St. Easton, PA 18042
Eastonpartnership.org • 610-250-2078
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
