Hamburg’s Our Town Foundation awarded $50,000 grant
The Berks County Commissioners recently announced they will be awarding a $50,000 grant to Our Town Foundation, the Hamburg Borough’s non-profit community revitalization organization.
The funding will support the organization’s mission to preserve, promote, and revitalize historic Hamburg for families and future generations to enjoy.
“Berks County is happy that we are able to provide this financial support,” said Commissioner Kevin Barnhardt. “We appreciate the important work that you do to revitalize Hamburg and support local businesses.”
Our Town Foundation was organized in 2002 and was officially designated as a Downtown Main Street Revitalization organization by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development in 2003. In 2005, the Foundation expanded their organizational structure to also serve the artists in the community by forming the Hamburg Area Arts Alliance. They also own and operate the Hamburg Strand Theater which they purchased in 2013 to save it from its demise.
“Main Street organizations and other non-profits throughout the state are in dire need of funding in order to operate,” said Foundation Director Deena Kershner. “As a non-profit, we were not eligible for many of the grants offered to businesses by the state and the federal government. The grant funds we are receiving from the County will enable us to continue to assist our businesses and the community.”
Over the past 18 years, Downtown Hamburg has witnessed many positive changes. Through the efforts of the Foundation’s business recruitment, the downtown vacancy rate remains low.
Within the past month, four new businesses have opened and three more are planning grand openings in the near future.
“Small business owners are attracted to the town knowing that there is an active Main Street organization that offers business assistance and promotes the town as a whole to a broad audience,” said Kershner.
Our Town Foundation hosts many events throughout the year including the annual Taste of Hamburger Festival which attracts approximately 40,000 people to the downtown during this one-day event. The 2020 festival was cancelled due to the pandemic, as well as all of their other community events and fund raisers.
In addition, The Hamburg Strand has been shuttered since March so there has been no income generated at the theater.
Kershner is hoping for a more productive 2021.
“This funding will go a long way in ensuring the organization’s sustainability through next year. Hopefully we will soon be able to reopen the Strand Theater and resume planning all of our great events that we look forward to hosting in the coming months.”