New COVID Recovery Loan Program in Lackawanna County

MetroAction, Inc. – the non-profit, small business financing affiliate of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce – announced its launch of the Lackawanna County COVID Recovery Loan Program, created to provide capital to businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program provides low-interest loans to Lackawanna County businesses for working capital purposes. Eligible uses include, but are not limited to, lease or mortgage payments, utility payments, payroll, and other operational expenses. In addition, businesses can use the loan capital to purchase machinery, equipment, or technology that will allow the business to expand its operations.

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose great challenges for our small business community. This fund was established to support Lackawanna County businesses with day-to-day operations as well as growth opportunities,” stated Jack Reager, MetroAction President. 

Funding is limited for this loan program. Applications will be funded on a first approved, first funded basis. 

Funding for this program was provided by Lackawanna Industrial Fund Enterprises (LIFE), Lackawanna County, the Hawk Family Foundation, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.   

Additional program information including program guidelines can be found on www.metroaction.org or www.scrantonchamber.com. 

SAGE Award Winners Announced

The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce hosted its Chamber Gala in November, presenting the Fall 2021 SAGE Awards – the Scranton Awards for Growth and Excellence. This year’s event was held at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center and sponsored by Fidelity Bank.

Chamber board chair, Deborah Kolsovsky, opened the ceremony thanking all finalists, award sponsors, and Gala sponsors for their dedication to the NEPA community. Emcee for the evening was Barry Snyder – formerly known as B-Ray with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre baseball franchise and now with the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties.  Musical entertainment was provided by Lexington Entertainment and EJ the DJ.

The SAGE Awards honor outstanding local businesses for their talent, creativity, and innovation. The Fall SAGE Awards also included the IMPACT Awards, which were created to honor and recognize the innovation our local businesses employed due to COVID-19.

The Chamber congratulates all finalists and winners of the Fall 2021 SAGE Awards. The winners in each category are: Scranton Area Community Foundation, Best Practices in Community Involvement; Center City Print, Best Practices in Customer Service; Fidelity Bank of Dunmore, Best Practices in Marketing and Communication; Golden Technologies, Business of the Year; Scranton Tomorrow, Hometown Star; NeighborWorks of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Impact: Community Outreach; Golden Technologies, Impact: People and Culture; Montage Mountain Resorts, Impact: Products and Services.

Also, Reed Advisory Group, New and Emerging Business of the Year; Agency for Community EmPOWERment of NEPA, Non-Profit Organization of the Year; Friends of the Poor, People’s Choice, and Quest Studio, Small Business of the Year.

SAGE Award Winners to be Announced November 12th

The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce Fall 2021 SAGE Awards, the Scranton Awards for Growth and Excellence, will be announced on Friday, Nov. 12, at the Chamber Gala, a black-tie optional event held safely at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center and presented by Fidelity Bank.. The SAGE Awards honor outstanding local businesses for their talent, creativity, and innovation.

In addition, all award finalists can also win the People’s Choice Award, where the winner will be chosen by a community wide online vote, available on www.scrantonchamber.com from Monday, Nov. 1 through Friday, Nov. 5.

More than 80 applications were received for this year’s awards and 50 community leaders and professionals volunteered to review applications and select finalists. The finalists, which include nominees from Dunmore, include :

BEST PRACTICES IN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Pioneer Construction Company Inc.

• Posture Interactive

• Scranton Area Community Foundation

BEST PRACTICES IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Center City Print

• Hilton Scranton & Conference Center

• theKIMMY

BEST PRACTICES IN MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

• Fidelity Bank 

• Horizon Dental Care

• The Honesdale National Bank

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

• FNCB Bank

• Golden Technologies

• Posture Interactive

HOMETOWN STAR

• Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA

• Scranton Jazz Festival

• Scranton Tomorrow

IMPACT: COMMUNITY OUTREACH

• Friends of the Poor

• NeighborWorks of Northeastern Pennsylvania 

• The University of Scranton

IMPACT: PEOPLE AND CULTURE

• Golden Technologies

• Hematology & Oncology Associates of Northeastern Pennsylvania, PC

• The Settlers Inn

IMPACT: PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

• Friends of the Poor

• Montage Mountain Resorts

• One Point, Inc.

NEW AND EMERGING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

• CTB Studio

• Epic Revenue Consultants

• Reed Advisory Group

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR

• Agency for Community EmPOWERment of NEPA

• Miller-Keystone Blood Center

• Treatment Court Advocacy Center of Lackawanna County

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

• Center City Print

• Noteology

• Quest Studio