Feeding Our Communities: Shapiro Administration Highlights $459,000 Investment in New Helping Harvest Community Kitchen During Its Grand Opening Celebration in Reading

The Berks County program supported by DCED, will provide culinary training to community members needing new job skills and meals for people in need of food assistance.

Since day one, Governor Josh Shapiro and his Administration have focused on building vibrant and resilient regions to help our communities flourish, and the Governor is again calling for $72 million in NAP funding in his 2025-26 proposed budget.

Reading, PA – Today, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Deputy Secretary Rick Vilello highlighted the Shapiro Administration’s $459,000 investment in the Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank’s community kitchen in Reading, which will provide culinary training for individuals who are leaving incarceration, rehabilitation facilities, or are otherwise in need of job skills.

The community kitchen will also create frozen heat-and-eat ready meals to be distributed to people in need of food assistance and will also accept bulk food donations. Additional non-profit partners, the Reading Science Center and the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, will maintain space in the building after renovation.

The $459,000 investment in the project is through DCED’s Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP), which provides tax credits to businesses that contribute to nonprofit organizations’ efforts to revitalize communities across the Commonwealth.

“Helping Harvest’s community kitchen is a shining example of how Pennsylvania’s agriculture fuels not only our economy but also strengthens our communities,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “By transforming fresh farm products into nutritious meals and providing hands-on culinary training, this project addresses food insecurity while opening doors to meaningful career opportunities. It reflects the power of partnership between agriculture, workforce development, and social services to build stronger, more resilient futures for Pennsylvanians who need it most.”

“This new community kitchen will do incredible work to provide new job skills training and help those in need of food assistance,” said Deputy Secretary Vilello. “The Neighborhood Assistance Program plays an invaluable role in bringing together the private and non-profit sector to encourage businesses to invest in their communities. Contributions and support through this program have lasting impacts on people’s lives and help strengthen our communities.”

Governor Josh Shapiro’s enacted bipartisan 2024-25 budget doubled the funding for the NAP from $36 million to $72 million, allowing for two rounds of awards. The first round, including the $459,000 for Helping Harvest, was announced in September 2024 and the second round was announced in January 2025. The positive impact of the expanded program across the Commonwealth is why Governor Shapiro is again funding NAP at $72 million in his 2025-26 proposed budget.

“This was an ambitious project from the start, and every day I walk into work absolutely amazed that we pulled it off. The reality is even better than anything I could have ever imagined, and I know this kitchen will have a positive impact on our community for years to come,” said Jay Worrall, President, Helping Harvest. “Of course it didn’t happen in a vacuum, and we wouldn’t be in this beautiful new facility without the support of so many people who are in attendance today, and countless others.”   

The program has five main components: The Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP), Special Program Priorities (SPP), the Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP), Charitable Food Program (CFP), and the Enterprise Zone Program (EZP). More information is available on the NAP impact brochure.

In addition to the $72 million for the Neighborhood Assistance Program in Governor Shapiro’s proposed 2025-26 budget, the proposal also further focuses on implementing Pennsylvania’s Economic Development Strategy to strengthen communities and make the Commonwealth a leader in job creation, innovation, and economic development.

The Governor’s budget proposal also includes:

• $12.5 million dedicated to WEDnetPA to expand our workforce and close critical workforce gaps
• $2 million for the creation of Career Connect to build internships at Pennsylvania companies
• $10 million for AdvancePA tax credits to create high quality jobs across PA
• $3 million to the Marketing to Attract Business program, which supports programs targeting business attraction, retention, and marketing initiatives
• Expediting the Corporate Net Income Tax (CNIT) cuts by two years, reducing the current tax rate each year by 0.75 percent

For more information about the Department of Community & Economic Development, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

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