By Mayor Max Conway
It was my pleasure to welcome Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro to Dunmore in early July to discuss the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program.
Governor Shapiro’s property tax and rental rebate program is a testament to his dedication to ensuring that everyone, especially our seniors, those with disabilities, and those on fixed incomes, can afford to stay in their homes.
To check your eligibility for the PTRR program, head over to pa.gov/PTRR.
By Yeraldi Pacheco Miguel
This month on the Bucktown Business Beat, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Patrick Padula Jr., the man behind Carmella’s Sauces – A Taste of Bunker Hill. Carmella’s Sauce originates from Carmella’s Restaurant, located at 140 Erie St, Dunmore, with a second location, Carmella’s Italian Deli, at 106 N Main Ave, Scranton.
The original Carmella’s has been a Dunmore staple for over 30 years! Patrick shared the history of his beloved grandmother Carmella and how he strives to keep her name alive.
The story begins in 1984 when Patrick’s family opened Padula’s Ice Cream Shop at 112 W Grove St, Dunmore. Four years later, in 1988, the original Carmella’s was opened. Patrick fondly remembers spending a lot of time in the restaurant as a kid and always having an affinity for it.
“The whole family would help out – my parents, uncles, I was always there when I was a kid,” Patrick shares.
As his grandparents grew Carmella’s Restaurant, his uncle expanded the name into the West Side of Scranton, opening their second location, Carmella’s Italian Deli.
Patrick’s family has been serving the Dunmore area for decades, but the journey of Carmella’s Sauce – A Taste of Bunker Hill has only just begun in the last couple of years.
Unfortunately, in 2020, Patrick’s grandmother, Carmella, passed away. It was then that Patrick knew he wanted to do something to keep her legacy growing. “In order to keep her spirit alive and keep the family name rolling on, we started Carmella’s Sauce,” says Patrick.
The process of getting the sauce on shelves was not an easy task, especially with all the delays caused by COVID in 2020, but they took it step by step. “We started making sample bottles, we put them out at the restaurant and Carmella’s Deli, and a lot of people took a liking to it. We realized this might be something that can catch on.”
Carmella’s Sauce is Carmella’s very own recipe that has been used at the restaurant for years.
After all the logistics were completed, a full-circle moment happened for Patrick when, on November 22, 2022, Carmella’s Sauce was placed on the shelves of their very first store, Riccardo’s, where Patrick worked when he was in high school.
Fast forward to today, and you can find Carmella’s Sauce in over 100 grocery stores, including: Price Chopper, Gerrity’s, and ShopRite. Not to mention many locations in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.
Patrick does not plan on stopping here. He has a dream and plans on accomplishing it. “My first and main goal is to keep my grandmother’s name, Carmella, around forever,” he shares. “My second goal is to teach people that our pasta sauces are for more than just pastas.”
He reminds us that Carmella’s Sauce can be used on numerous dishes, from pizza sauce to chicken cutlets. Carmella’s is a restaurant-quality sauce that you can have right in your own home!
This whole endeavor is a beautiful way to memorialize an amazing woman who has been feeding people throughout NEPA for years. You can find Carmella’s picture right on the jar itself. Patrick says, “We’re shooting for the stars, hoping to be in every grocery store.”
A huge part of this journey for Patrick is the support from the community he has been receiving. “I love when someone from the community tells me how excellent the product is. I love getting feedback or when people send us photos of what they’ve made. When we get stuff like that from customers, it really means a lot to us,” he shares.
Patrick offers some advice to anyone looking to pursue their dreams: “Don’t ever hold yourself back. Don’t overthink about chasing your dream. Put your mind to it and accomplish it.”
Make sure to check out Carmella’s Sauce when you get the chance and don’t forget to visit their many locations.
Carmella’s Restaurant is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Carmella’s Italian Deli is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and while the weather is still nice, make sure to cool down with some of your favorite ice cream flavors at Padula’s, open every day from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
May Carmella continue to feed the community for years to come!
The sponsoring organization of Friends of the Poor; The Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the sponsors of The Catherine McAuley Center; The Sisters of Mercy, announce that both Catholic agencies will now share administrative space located at the current Catherine McAuley Center, 430 Pittston Avenue, Scranton, as of August 1t.
The sponsoring organizations identified that Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley Center are both strong with similarities in their religious-based mission, values, and complimentary services. They recognized that a collaboration between the two can significantly increase the delivery of services to those most vulnerable in our community.
“Both Catherine McAuley Center and Friends of the Poor will retain their separate identities and missions,” explained Krista S. Murray, the McAuley Executive Director and CEO. “Friends of the Poor will move their administration functions to our building on Pittston Avenue,” she continued.
Meghan Loftus, President and CEO of Friends of the Poor, related, “While we will be sharing office space, both organizations will continue current collaborations to meet the needs of the marginalized in our community. We will also examine if our programs including shelter, clothing, food, furniture, and other family-sustaining services can be combined to expand outreach, while each agency retains its identity.”
The mission of the Catherine McAuley Center is to serve those experiencing homelessness in NEPA through housing programs, case management and supportive services. Their programs include Family Support, Emergency Shelter, Housing, Women’s Housing, Women’s Re-Entry Housing, and Food Pantry.
The mission of Friends of the Poor is to bring together in friendship those who have the desire to give with those who are in need of assistance, in order to ease the burden of living in poverty and enhance the quality of life for all. Their programs include Food Pantries, Family to Family Food Basket, Utility Assistance, Donated Furniture, Household Assistance, Clothes Line for Men, Children and Adult Programs.