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Home > Community Development > Community Profiles > Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) > Community Organizations

Community Profile: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Community Organizations

This section provides information about affordable housing, social service, economic development, and community revitalization organizations in the area whose interests, activities, and initiatives improve the housing conditions and employment opportunities of residents. These groups represent potential partners for bankers seeking to more fully address the credit needs of each region’s low- and moderate-income people and communities.

The information in this section is obtained directly from the websites of the community organizations.

• Carlisle Opportunity Homes, INC. (COH)
• Center for Employment, Education, and Entrepreneurial Development (CEEED)
• Community Action Commission (CAC)
• Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Western Pennsylvania, Inc. (CCCSWP)
• Cumberland Valley Habitat for Humanity (CVHFH)
• Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries (DLSM)
• Fair Housing Council of the Capital Region, Inc.
• Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area
• Habitat for Humanity of Perry County, PA (HFHPC)
• Housing Development Corporation (HDC)
• Rural Opportunities, Inc. (ROI)
• SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG)
• Tri-County Housing Development Corporation (Tri-County HDC)
• Urban League of Metropolitan Harrisburg, INC. (ULMH)
• YWCA of Greater Harrisburg

Carlisle Opportunity Homes, INC. (COH)

Mission

COH buys houses that must be repaired, typically in neighborhoods in need of revitalization. Houses are rehabilitated using funding sources that include community development block grant (CDBG) funds and bank financing. Rent is based on tenants’ ability to pay. Some tenants also qualify for a Section 8 rental subsidy. COH has sold rehabilitated houses to tenants through either outright sale or a lease-purchase program.

Year of Origin

1968

Core Programs

• Provides help to those who are unable to make the necessary repairs
• Provides assistance to rent a safe house or to buy a place to live

Service Area

Carlisle, PA

Contact Information

Carlisle Opportunity Homes, Inc.
114 North Hanover Street
Carlisle, PA 17013
Phone: 717-245-0516
Website: http://www.carlislehoc.org/cohi/cohi_main.asp

Center for Employment, Education, and Entrepreneurial Development (CEEED)

Mission

CEEED’s mission is to provide comprehensive and holistic assistance to individuals who wish to gain economic stability that is sustainable.

CEEED provides joint agency resources for those seeking a sustainable career and living wage through employment, education, and entrepreneurship. Joint economic development agencies include the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg, Goodwill Industries of Central PA, Tri-County OIC Inc., Community First Fund, Firm Foundation, Community Action Commission, and Kaplan Institute.  It is sponsored by PNC Bank, the Wachovia Regional Foundation, and the South Central Workforce Investment Board.

Year of Origin

2007

Core Programs

• Career counseling
• Job search and website access to businesses and openings
• Resume development and job retention training
• GED/ABE/ESL, financial, job readiness, and entrepreneurship classes
• Small business loans

Service Area

South-central PA region, but primarily Dauphin County and the city of Harrisburg

Contact Information

Center for Employment, Education, and Entrepreneurial Development
1301 Derry Street
Harrisburg, PA 17104
Phone: 717-724-4834
Fax: 717-724-4841
Website: N/A

Community Action Commission (CAC)

Mission

CAC’s mission is to create and maximize the resources necessary for individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency. The commission works primarily with and on behalf of low-income individuals and families in Pennsylvania's capital city region (Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties).

Year of Origin

1966

Core Programs

• Provides social services to qualifying families, concentrating on removing barriers to long-term self-sufficiency
• Partners with other nonprofit and for-profit organizations to rehabilitate for sale and rental affordable housing units
• Provides pre- and post- homeownership counseling to qualifying families
• Partners with nonprofit and for-profit organizations to revitalize neighborhoods, including Harrisburg's South Allison Hill neighborhood
• Offers the Money in Your Pocket free tax preparation program to income-eligible families with dependent children
• Runs the Success Academy, which provides instructor-directed, online adult basic education, including English as a second language (ESL), keyboarding and computer basics, Microsoft Office suite tutorials, remedial math, reading, language arts, and writing
• Offers an early childhood development program and day-care services
• Provides support and programs for at-risk youth
• Coordinates home health and personal care services for qualifying Dauphin County residents in order to help them avoid intensive medical or nursing home care

Service Area

Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties

Contact Information

Community Action Commission
1514 Derry Street
Harrisburg, PA 17104
Phone: 717-232-9757
Fax: 717-234-2227
Website: http://www.cactricounty.org/

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Western Pennsylvania, Inc. (CCCSWP)

Mission

As a nonprofit incorporated in 1968, Consumer Credit Counseling Service educates consumers about wise money management and the responsible use of credit. The agency assists thousands of people each year through free, confidential counseling and various community education presentations. Because of the services, client's lives are bettered, their family stability is enhanced and the community as a whole benefits.

Year of Origin

1968

Core Programs

• Provides private, confidential budget and debt counseling
• Provides a debt management program, which enables clients to repay millions of dollars a year to their creditors

Service Area

Dauphin, York, Cumberland, Allegheny, Beaver, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Crawford, Fayette, Venango, Washington, and Westmoreland counties

Contact Information

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Western Pennsylvania, Inc.
River Park Commons
2403 Sidney Street
Suite 400
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Website: http://www.cccspa.org/index.cfm

Cumberland Valley Habitat for Humanity (CVHFH)

Mission

The purpose of CVHFH is to work in partnership with families and volunteers to build houses and to sell the houses to selected low-income families. CVHFH does not sell the houses for profit but expects families to devote at least 400 hours of their own “sweat equity” before they can take ownership of a house.

Year of Origin

1993

Core Programs

• Buys properties or receives contributions of properties, then advertises for families who want to own the houses to be built or renovated at the sites
• Helps with construction and renovations on the houses and other projects
• Holds the no-interest mortgage until the property is paid off

Service Area

From Mechanicsburg to the western end of Cumberland County

Contact Information

Cumberland Valley Habitat for Humanity
39 Heisers Ln
Carlisle, PA 17015
Phone: 717-258-1830
Fax: 717-258-9011
Website: http://www.habitat.org/cd/local/affiliate.aspx?zip=17013

Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries (DLSM)

Mission

Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries demonstrates God’s command to love thy neighbor through acts of service.

Year of Origin

1868

Core Programs

• Offers senior living communities and a range of services for children, youths, families, and older adults

Service Area

Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware

Contact Information

Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries
Administrative Services Center
798 Hausman Road, Suite 300
Allentown, PA 18104-9108
Toll-Free: 877-342-5667
Phone: 610-682-1262
Fax: 610-682-1055
Website: http://www.diakon.org/Index.asp

Fair Housing Council of the Capital Region, Inc.

Mission

The mission of the Fair Housing Council of the Capital Region is to promote access to decent, safe, affordable housing, without discrimination, for all people.

Year of Origin

1973

Core Programs

• Provides outreach and counseling services to ensure the availability of mortgage loans and other credit to everyone
• Offers credit counseling and assists in money management for low- and moderate-income people so that they can qualify for rental housing and/or home ownership
• Provides information on landlord-tenant rights and responsibilities and other housing issues
• Files discrimination suits to eliminate practices that have a discriminatory or adverse impact on individuals or groups

Service Area

Primarily serving the Harrisburg area, but will provide assistance statewide

Contact Information

Fair Housing Council of the Capital Region, Inc.
2100 N. 6th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: 717-238-9540
Fax: 717-233-5001
Website: http://www.pafairhousing.org

Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area

Mission

Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area renovates and builds houses in partnership with qualifying families. Habitat for Humanity then sells the houses at no interest and no profit, making them affordable for many low-income families. The monthly mortgage payments are then put toward the construction and renovation of other Habitat houses.

Year of Origin

1986

Core Programs

• Works in partnership with people in need to build and renovate decent, affordable housing
• Sells houses to those in need at no profit and with no interest charged
• Partners with homeowners to repair code violations and keep them in their homes
• Provides educational workshops for the community on issues of financial responsibility, predatory lenders, home repairs, and neighborhood security

Service Area

Dauphin County and eastern portion of Cumberland County

Contact Information

Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area
900 South Arlington Ave.
Suite 235
Harrisburg, PA 17109
Phone: 717-545-7299
Fax: 717-545-0096
Website: http://www.harrisburghabitat.org/

Habitat for Humanity of Perry County, PA (HFHPC)

Mission

HFHPC builds houses with volunteer labor and provides families with no-interest mortgages. Families contribute “sweat equity” to their houses and to future projects.

Year of Origin

1998

Core Programs

• Works in partnership with people in need to build and renovate decent, affordable housing
• Sells houses to those in need at no profit and with no interest charged

Service Area

Perry County, PA

Contact Information

Habitat for Humanity Perry County Pennsylvania
P.O. Box 397
New Bloomfield, PA 17068
Phone: 717-582-5090
Website: http://www.habitatperrycopa.org/

Housing Development Corporation (HDC)

Mission

HDC has dedicated itself to a public purpose of providing quality housing and expanding residential opportunities for households with modest incomes. While HDC develops real estate for people of all economic levels, in addition to commercial use, HDC continues to strive to meet the growing demand for housing affordable to low- and moderate-income individuals. With strong support from lending institutions, as well as public and private investors, HDC has been able to aggressively pursue this purpose.

Year of Origin

1971

Core Programs

• Provide quality housing opportunities for households of low and moderate income
• Engage in development, construction, rental management, and maintenance

Service Area

Lancaster, Dauphin, Berks, York, Lebanon and Chester counties

Contact Information

Housing Development Corporation
439 East King Street
Lancaster, PA 17602
Phone:  717-291-1911 
Phone:  800-732-3554 
Fax:  717-291-0987 
Website: http://www.hdcweb.com/index.htm

Rural Opportunities, Inc. (ROI)

Mission

ROI creates and provides opportunities for farm workers and other disenfranchised people to confront and overcome barriers that systematically prevent them from gaining access to economic, educational, social, and political resources.

Year of Origin

1969

Core Programs

• Adult training and employment through many projects, such as the farmworker jobs program
• Child development through child & family development, migrant head start, reading is fundamental, and USDA food program projects
• Economic development through the Enterprise Center, an affiliate corporation
• Emergency and supportive services through the farmworker emergency services and the emergency food & shelter projects
• Housing services, such as the ROI homeownership program and the housing technical assistance projects
• Real estate development through the following projects: affordable rental housing development, farmworker housing technical assistance, and commercial real estate development
• Provides the Seeds of Success financial literacy and entrepreneurship curriculum
• Youth education and training through Project YES (Youth Experiencing Success) and Project SAVE (Seeing Alternatives & Valuing Education)
• Volunteer initiatives through the board and committee development and the volunteer leadership project

Service Area

Economically depressed areas of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Vermont, and Puerto Rico

Contact Information

Rural Opportunities, Inc.
400 East Avenue, Suite 401
Rochester, NY 14604
Phone: 585-546-7180
Fax: 585-340-3337
Website: http://www.ruralinc.org/English/index.html

SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG)

Mission

SEDA-COG is a regional, multicounty development agency that provides leadership, expertise, and services to communities, businesses, institutions, and residents under the guidance of a public policy board. SEDA-COG seeks to enhance growth opportunities in an environmentally sensitive manner while retaining the region's predominantly rural character. It is both a direct-service provider and a link to other resources that can be applied to a wide range of community and economic needs. SEDA-COG is also an advocate for the interests of its communities at the state and federal levels.

Year of Origin

1957

Core Programs

• Provides assistance to central Pennsylvania's communities to address issues such as housing, recreation, downtown revitalization, and public infrastructure
• Provides services including financing, sales to the government, and assistance with exporting

Service Area

SEDA-COG's core service area includes Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, and Union counties. The Procurement Technical Assistance Program and the SBA 504 program also serve the neighboring counties of Adam, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York.

Contact Information

SEDA-Council of Governments
201 Furnace Road,
Lewisburg, PA 17837
Phone: 570-524-4491
Fax: 570-524-9190
Website: http://www.seda-cog.org/seda_cog/site/default.asp

Tri-County Housing Development Corporation (Tri-County HDC)

Mission

Provide housing affordable to low- and moderate-income residents in central Pennsylvania by aggressively leveraging public and private resources.  Tri-County HDC acts in direct response to the affordable housing needs of the region, as identified by the Commonwealth’s consolidated plan, county housing & redevelopment authorities, county commissioners and other pertinent state and local housing agencies.

Year of Origin

1990

Core Programs

• Develops for-sale and multifamily rental housing
• Rehabilitates vacant and abandoned properties

Service Area

Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties

Contact Information

Tri-County HDC
1514 Derry Street
Harrisburg, PA 17104
Phone: 717-231-3604
Website: http://www.tchdc.net/

Urban League of Metropolitan Harrisburg, INC. (ULMH)

Mission

The mission of ULMH is to enable poor people and members of disadvantaged groups to attain their full potential as productive citizens.

Year of Origin

1976

Core Programs

• Education and Youth - works to improve educational opportunity for African-American students through scholarships and academic achievement initiatives
• Economic Empowerment - reaches out to people of all ages and financial levels, helping them better their current situation and build for the future

Service Area

Dauphin, Perry, and Cumberland counties

Contact Information

Urban League of Metropolitan Harrisburg
2107 North 6th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: 717-234-5925
Website (for National Urban League): http://www.nul.org/index.html

YWCA of Greater Harrisburg

Mission

The YWCA of Greater Harrisburg emphasizes the empowerment of women and children by providing quality services designed to maximize their spiritual, emotional, educational, and physical development.

Year of Origin

1893

Core Programs

• YW Works - a comprehensive employment empowerment service that helps low-income or unemployed members of the community build the skills they need to find, keep, and improve their employment
• Housing and Homelessness Programs- offer women an opportunity to break the cycle of homelessness in order to achieve self sufficiency
• YWCA's Violence Intervention and Prevention Programs - provide a wide array of crisis and counseling services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault
• Children and youth programs - provides child care and education

Service Area

Dauphin, Perry, and Cumberland counties

Contact Information

YWCA of Greater Harrisburg
1101 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17103
Phone: 717-234-7931
Fax: 717-234-1779
Website: http://www.ywcahbg.org/

• Last updated: Friday, November 9, 2007