Community leaders in Coaldale, Lansford, Nesquehoning and Summit Hill went into the new year of 2024 with the hopes of becoming a Blueprint Community team, and they succeeded.

The Panther Valley’s team became the first where four small communities sharing a school district were able to unite for the designation.

The Blueprint Community designation comes with education, guidance and financial know-how and backing to bolster struggling communities, such as those in the Panther Valley.

The program was started by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh in 2005, and Tamaqua Borough was one of the success stories revitalizing its downtown business district and adding housing.

Some communities have used the program to develop tourism, create housing options, redevelop historic building and support local businesses.

In May, team members began an 18-month training program — the first step in a 10-year journey — that will enable them to formulate a strategic plan for area and begin acting on it.

The team began seeking input from the community to see what people like about the Panther Valley, and what they’d like to see improved.

Team members asked residents at community events to fill out surveys, and set up a Facebook page, Panther Valley Blueprint Community, and also a Web page off the Carbon Chamber and Economic Development website.

2025 efforts

The Blueprint team continues to seek community input and asks people to fill out surveys, which can be printed from the Facebook page, or filled out through a link on the Web page, which can also be accessed through the social media presence.

“One of our first priorities would be to make sure we are doing a deeper dive into our communities with the survey getting more people to respond with more detailed information,” said Abbie Guardiani, team member and spokeswoman.

“We are rolling out our subcommittees and inviting key community participants to help us in that work,” she said.

The team is also sponsoring a grant writing workshop on Jan. 16 from 1 to 4 p.m. at St. Mary’s Orthodox Church in Coaldale. Linda Falcone, one of the Blueprint coaches from the Penn State Extension, will be the presenter, she said.

“We are inviting all not-for-profits and community organizations who might be interested in learning about grant writing,” Guardiani said.

The workshop is free and registration can be found on the team’s Facebook page.

The team also plans on continuing its work with the food pantry at the Panther Valley Elementary School, she said. Food insecurity is an area of great need in the area, as a St. Luke’s need assessment detailed.

The Blueprint team distributed insulated grocery totes to every family who visited the food pantry last year, and also provided holiday hams. The team also purchased items, such rolling carts, tables and a take-a-ticket system to help with lines at the monthly distributions.

The team also pledged its support for the next 36 months and beyond to cover all food delivery costs to the pantry.

Also, in Nesquehoning, the Blueprint team is helping the local VFW with their veterans’ memorial site, securing a state grant to create an educational garden and working with Penn State Master Gardeners to eradicate invasive plants in the area.

“In springtime we hope to be touring our communities in the Panther Valley with officials from the state Department of Community and Economic Development and the state Department of Community and Natural Resources to get a better look at economic development opportunities, trail connection and affordable housing opportunities,” Guardiani said.

The team will also finish its 18-month training program in November of 2025.

“We look forward to having our goals and our strategic plan in place and hopefully ready to begin the hard work,” Guardiani said.