WIXLIB

EASTON MAIN STREET INITIATIVELifts Up & Supports Easton BusinessesTop: EMSI revamped itsShopDowntownEaston.com site with a map tohighlight businesses and regular updates, andencourage customers to shop small.Right: Three wall poems were completed,featuring local poets and artists. To date, ninepoems have been installed.Far Right: A coordinated holiday decoratingprogram also saw 80 businesses displaying 178wreaths and 1,850 yards of fresh pine garlandfrom an Easton florist, bedecked with 220hand-made bows (thanks JoAnn Durante!)During the tumultuous shutdowns,Easton Main Street Initiative (EMSI) hadone goal: support Easton businesses.From the first week of the shutdown, EMSIoffered assistance in a number of ways: GEDP launched supporteaston.comand a fundraiser for the SupportEaston Small Business EmergencyRelief Fund. Through that fund, EMSIwas able to offer 15 businesses EastonHelping Easton Technical AssistanceGrants in the amount of 500 ( 7,500total) to develop websites, online salesportals and enhance digital marketingtactics. EMSI created a Business Retention& Outreach program to allow itsEconomic Vitality Committeemembers to connect with and assistbusinesses. EMSI also launched free workshops,and connected sectors of businessowners (retail, restaurant, personalcare) through online groups andZoom calls to share best practices. Thisresulted in coordinated promotionslike Quadrant Book Mart & CoffeeHouse’s Easton Breakfast Club, whichoffered a punchcard for breakfastitems at five Easton eateries. GEDPprovided administrative support. Six facade projects were completed inDowntown Easton, thanks to 28,742distributed in matching grants. Five net new businesses openedin Downtown Easton (with 107 netnew full-time jobs). EMSI focusedon supporting new and existingbusinesses through the creation ofsupporteaston.com, distributinggrants, hosting virtual Cash Mobsand free workshops, and marketingcampaigns designed to highlightEaston businesses. The annual Map & Guide brochure9was redesigned as a seasonal tearoff sheet. Printed three times a year,the sheet allowed for more frequentupdates. To connect the 100 new Hearstemployees with their new home,EMSI created welcome bags, filledwith treats and exclusive offers forDowntown Easton businesses.At the holidays, EMSI turned SmallBusiness Saturday into Small BusinessSeason. Gift ideas from Easton businesseswere highlighted in weekly e-updates,and a Share the Love promo rewardedshoppers who visited 3 Easton storesduring a visit to the Easton Winter Villagewith the chance to win 100- 300 giftcards. EMSI lent support in bringingthe city’s Winter Village to fruition, bystaffing the Info and North Pole huts, andrecruiting volunteers.All of this hard work didn’t go unnoticed.American Express and the NationalMain Street Center named GEDP as oneof the third place finalists in the nationfor the Shop Small ‘Order In, Help Out’Innovation Challenge, for organizationwide efforts to support local restaurantsduring the pandemic.EMSI learned inearly 2021 that the program had earnedredesignation as a Keystone CommunitiesMain Street program for the next fiveyears. EMSI has been continuouslyrecognized as an accredited program bythe National Main Street Center since2007. The PDC also lauded EMSI withtwo Townie Awards: OrganizationalExcellence in Organization Developmentfor Communications, and Promotions& Marketing - Retail Promotions forcoordinated holiday decorating andmarketing campaigns, Cash Mobs andCookie Crawl.At the holidays, EMSIarranged Light a Nightsponsors to supportthe Peace Candle, andcoordinated CinderellaCarriage Rides and customvideo messages fromSanta, so that Easton-areafamilies could add to theirholiday traditions at theEaston Winter Village.WON 2TOWNIE AWARDSFROM PENNSYLVANIADOWNTOWN CENTER15 BUTED

EASTON PUBLIC MARKETKeeps Market Going With OnlineStore, Curbside Pick-UpsOn March 15, 2020, the Easton PublicMarket doors closed to the public. Themarket was closed to the public for fourmonths, but inside there was a flurryof activity to sustain market vendors,develop COVID-19 safety protocols,and keep operations running throughcontactless, curbside pick-ups.a mass of signage — directional andcurbside pick-up details — was created.Four new hostess positions were addedto manage mask compliance, customerservice and sanitization.When the market reopened in lateJuly for counter service and retailshopping, vendors installed plexiglasssneeze guards, an electrostatic sprayerwas purchased for sanitization andsocial distancing was strictly enforced.A maximum occupancy of 75 wasmaintained and masks were required.An online store was launched forHighmark Farmstand, so customers couldorder fresh produce, bread, milk andeggs online and pick-up curbside. GEDPhelped vendors launch their own onlinestores and provided marketing support.The farmstand also expanded hours andlaunched new product lines (vegetarianto-go meals, canned goods, hard-to-findcleaning supplies and hand sanitizer, andreusable kitchen supplies). A student-rungroup from Lafayette College studiedthe farmstand and identified areas forpotential growth and optimization.Top: Highmark Farmstand recognized the Lehigh Valley’s frontlineworkers by distributing over 5,000 pounds of Scholl Orchards apples tohealthcare workers, social service agencies and Easton Ambassadors,through the eight-week Apple of My Eye campaign.Right: In August, EPM welcomed a new anchor business, Saylors& Co., a full-service butchery and Italian specialty shop. Two morevendors, ThreeBirds Nest coffee shop and Green Vida Co. Downtown(offering juices and smoothies) also joined, replacing vendors whovacated their spaces during the pandemic.Far Right: With indoor dining eliminated, the market’s outdoor spaceswere redesigned to become dining areas. Customers could orderonline from participating restaurants and have it delivered to their table.Market hostesses would ensure social distancing and sanitize the area.Before the pandemic, the market hostedfour private parties, four culinary classes,two community events (including the“Tasting Pennsylvania” four-course meal)and 11 Story & a Snacks (with a pilot shotfor PBS). Organizers recognized there wasstill a need for the community to connectin a very isolating time. EPM offered adozen virtual storytimes, cooking demosfor virtual Easton Out Louds, and musicalperformances through Acoustic Kitchen.October saw the return of Bike & Brew,an outdoor cycling with ShawneeCraftBrewing Co. and Scratch.Reduced capacity, with indoor seatingeliminated for a period of time, madethe market rethink its spaces. A 30x40’tent (plus two commercial propaneheaters to keep the space heated yearround) was purchased for NorthamptonStreet. Cantilevered umbrellas shaded adining space on Church Street. Tables,chairs, and flower planters were usedto accommodate outdoor dining. Inwarmer months, outdoor restrooms anda hand sink were rented. Colder monthsnecessitated blankets (and a washer/dryer) to keep guests warm. A new webpage streamlined online ordering, andEPM’s strategy to offer a mix of orderingand dining options made it nimbleenough to weather any of the regionalor state restrictions during this time. Thediversity and flexibility of services andproducts offered allowed the market toserve its customers, and sustain marketvendors and employees.11“There aren’t enoughwords to express howgrateful we are for theenduring support ofour loyal shoppers inthe community, whocontinued to show upduring challengingtimes and kept us all inbusiness. It means theworld to us. Thank you.” Christopher Wolf,manager of HighmarkFarmstand3,000 CURBSIDEPICK-UPORDERS PLACEDTHROUGH HIGHMARKFARMSTAND 100,000FRESH FOODFINANCINGINITIATIVE GRANTSECURED FORMARKET DISTRICT

EASTON AMBASSADORSProvide First Line of DefenseDuring the pandemic, the EastonAmbassadors’ goals of clean and greenbecame even more important. Thered-shirted Ambassadors augmentedcleaning procedures by wiping downmailbox handles, disinfecting elevatorbuttons, railings, door pulls and hightouch surfaces in the parking garages,cleaning parking meters and powerwashing public spaces to protect theresidents, and those who work andoperate businesses in the city.Grants from Lehigh Valley Health Networkand Northampton County enabled theAmbassadors to keep going throughthe pandemic, with financial support topurchase personal protective equipment,cleaning supplies and tools. As the feeton the ground, the Ambassadors teamprovided an essential service by offeringdirections and hospitality assistance to115,700 visitors, and serving as a resourceto business and property owners, as wellas police and the city.But the Ambassadors did more thancleaning. In the downtown, theyremoved litter tossed outside into thestreet. In 15 months, across 28 blocksthrough Downtown Easton and the WestWard, the Ambassadors removed anddisposed of 109,550 pounds of garbagein the Downtown and 14,350 pounds inWest Ward. This kept litter out of stormdrains and prevented it from goinginto the waterways. During this period,the Ambassadors planted, weeded andspent 347 hours watering flowers andmaintaining 150 planters. More than 400graffiti tags were removed throughoutDowntown Easton and the West Ward.As the Easton Farmers’ Market WinterMarket shifted first to a weekly format onChurch Street, and then to a new locationon the banks of the Delaware River, theAmbassadors were there to help with theflow of traffic. They posted themselves atentrances and exits, guiding visitors tohand-washing stations and instructingthem to wait in marked spaces beforeentering the market to ensure a smoothflow of visitors that could maintain socialdistances.In rain, snow, wind and baking sunshine,the Ambassadors were a visual reminderthat GEDP was there, masked and at theready, to help.Top: Ambassador Joan K.disinfects and cleans one ofthe Easton map directories,part of increased cleaningmeasures the Ambassadorsfollowed during thepandemicRight: The EastonAmbassadors played a keyrole in maintaining socialdistancing and guidingvisitors at the EastonFarmers’ Market.Operations ManagerSandra Zajacek canbe seen shovelingcrosswalks forpedestrians’ safetyfollowing one of the 2021winter storms.340HOURSSPENT ONSNOW REMOVAL407 PIECESOF GRAFFITIREMOVED13

SPECIAL EVENTS & PROMOTIONSTeam Finds New Way to Celebrate Local BusinessesFor our Special Events & Promotionsteam, who loves any chance to celebrateand gather people together, 2020 lookedvastly different than what they planned.PA Bacon Fest is the largest event of anyyear and a fundraiser that sustains GEDPand its programs. It couldn’t happen inits usual manner, nor could it be virtual.Organizers reworked it to create two newevents. PA Bacon Fest Experience broughtthe live music, hog wild eats and Bacon& Brew to Hugh Moore Park. The newsetting allowed for social distancing, onsite parking and 900 timed entry ticketsso volunteers could clean between eachgroup of guests. The scent of bacon filledthe streets of Easton during the first PABacon Fest Restaurant Week. More than20 restaurants and sweet shops offeredover-the-top bacon dishes that youcouldn’t find at a festival kitchen.(Photo Courtesy of Two Rivers Brewing Co.)Top: The SEP team played a role in welcoming familiesto the Easton Winter Village by coordinating ticket salesand socially-distant sessions at the ice rink, and planningthe entertainment for the five weekends of the village.the hard work of volunteers and staff,including the Department of PublicWorks, electricians and IT. While it wasn’tpossible to gather for the Peace Candlelighting, the SEP team captured thattradition virtually for the community.In its first year running Heritage Day,GEDP took the festival virtual andfeatured 14 live and pre-recordedvideos. Viewers watched a live readingof the Declaration of Independence,and enjoyed videos on blacksmithing,tinsmithing and experiments with BenFranklin. All together, the videos rackedup 14,000 views.Easton Out Loud, the fourth Fridaycollaboration with the Easton BusinessAssociation, also went virtual for sevenmonths in 2020 and three months in2021. EOL netted over 36,000 views in10 months. Typically the event drawspeople to Downtown Easton to explorethe restaurant and shopping scene. Thevirtual focus became segments withlocal merchants promoting their storesand online shopping. Food and cocktaildemos with local restaurants advertisedcurbside pick-up and dinner specials.Local musicians filled the void concertgoers were missing. Craft videos, familyentertainment, gardening features andmore provided a break from the routineand a little relief during a scary time.The Special Events & Promotions teamalso lent its support to the EastonWinter Village by coordinating signups and socially-distanced skate timesat the skating rink, cleaning skates,and welcoming families for 229 hoursin November and December. MarcyMcKinney, manager-SEP, and volunteerJoAnn Durante, coordinated all theweekend entertainment for the village.The Winter Village was a partnershipbetween the City of Easton and GEDP,and its success was due in large part to22 EASTONRESTAURANTSPARTICIPATEDIN FIRST PABFRESTAURANT WEEK14,000 VIDEO VIEWSRight: In its first year managing Heritage Day, theSpecial Events & Promotions team made the event cometo life through 14 live and pre-recorded videos featuringhistorians, artisans and reenactors.Far Right: PA Bacon Fest welcomed two new iterationsin 2020 ̶ its first PABF Restaurant Week leading up tothe event and the PA Bacon Fest Experience, a smaller,limited seating event at Hugh Moore Park.In its virtual format,Easton Out Loud,presented by Highmark,brought live musicalperformances, crafts,cooking demos andmore right into people’shomes. The fourthFriday series offeredentertainment and a wayto stay connected withthe community in anisolating time.FOR FIRST VIRTUALHERITAGE DAY15

WEST WARD COMMUNITY INITIATIVEFeeds the CommunityThroughout the pandemic, WWCI sawa need and filled it. When neighborswere hungry, WWCI reached out tolocal restaurants, other nonprofits andcommunity partners to provide meals.Neighborhood Health Centers of theLehigh Valley to bring CommunityAccessible Testing & Education (CATE) —a mobile RV run through PA’s Departmentof Health, Latino Connection, HighmarkBlue Shield and Independence Blue Cross— to offer free COVID-19 testing and atwo-day free flu shot clinic. 1,100 meals were served in spring andsummer, in partnership with YMCAof Easton, Phillipsburg & Vicinityand Easton Area Community Center(EACC). Meals were purchased fromlocal restaurants, putting 8,400 backinto the local economy. Funds raisedfrom Support Easton, and donationsfrom EACC and Tucker Silk Mill, madethis effort possible.Though COVID-19 changed initial plansfor 2020 Census events, WWCI workedwith the local census office to bringtabling efforts at Vegetables in theCommunity and Kellyn Mobile Marketnights at Paxinosa Elementary. Theseefforts were helped by a 2,000 grantfrom the Lehigh Valley CommunityFoundation. WWCI worked with theEaston Area Neighborhood Center andNAACP to highlight voter registrationopportunities. WWCI also laidgroundwork for future design plans —partnering with the City of Easton andOmnes to develop pocket parks andworking with AOS Architects on designguidelines for future facade grants. A USDA grant enabled YMCA andWWCI to distribute 85 CommonMarket veggie boxes to familiesand seniors. The YMCA provided 280 kids mealsand 374 fresh veggie meals for familiesand older adults, alongside KellynMobile Market on Tuesday nights. WWCI promoted Lafayette’sVegetables in the Community throughits West Ward One Pager and socialmedia, and assisted with summerprogramming. Nearly 100 participantsreceived fresh veggies and 710 mealsprovided by the YMCA were servedover 11 weeks. Tucker Silk Mill has continued itssupport by asking customers to donateto its food bank and pantry programthat Tucker then distributes to localfood distribution sites. Those itemsare distributed weekly at PaxinosaElementary School for anyone in thecommunity who is in need.Top: WWCI worked with Family Connection of Eastonand the Easton Police Department to host a free ice creamgiveaway to kids in the West Ward, distributing 200 treatspurchased from Faouzi’s Talk of the Town ice cream shop.Right: Together with the Greater Valley YMCA, WWCI hostedthe Park Leader program in Vanderveer and DutchtownParks this summer, welcoming a total of 128 participants andserving 1,630 meals and snacks at the two locations.Far Right: WWCI assisted the City of Easton and local designfirm, Omnes, to create a masterplan for the five West Wardpocket parks and two South Side parks. Online surveys andsocially-distanced events were held in each park, along with akickoff art burst designed to engage residents.The WWCI team sought ways to cleanup the neighborhood and provide familyfun. The first West Ward Clean Up Day inthe spring inspired residents to spruceup their spaces. By fall, WWCI and LanceWheeler/West Ward WISE, Life Church,Easton Police Department and theYMCA partnered for a pumpkin patchevent. In December, WWCI organizedthe fifth annual Peace & Light Night,helping to source custom luminaries,as well as treats from local churches.WWCI also connected residents to theircommunity by printing fliers, maps andproviding prizes for a neighborhoodholiday decorating contest, organized bya resident.WWCI partnered with St. Luke’sUniversity Health Network and(Photo Courtesy Abril Hammerstone)(Photo Courtesy Abril Hammerstone)17WWCI, in partnershipwith the YMCA ofEaston, Phillipsburg &Vicinity and the EastonArea Community Centerpurchased 1,100 mealsfrom local restaurants tofeed families and seniorsin need.GEDP PARTNERED WITHCOMMUNITY BIKE WORKS,AN ALLENTOWN-BASEDNONPROFIT, TO BRING ITSSIGNATURE EARN-A-BIKEPROGRAM AND YOUTHACTIVITIES TO THE WESTWARD. GEDP PURCHASED921 SPRUCE ST., WHICHWILL HOUSE COMMUNITYBIKE WORKS, AS WELLAS EASTON GARDENWORKS AND THE EASTONAMBASSADORS.

EASTON GARDEN WORKSGrows And Donates Needed VeggiesWith empty grocery store shelves andmany families facing food insecurity,Easton Garden Works (EGW) stepped up.With help from community membersand volunteers, Easton Garden Worksmore than doubled the amount of freshproduce it grew, donating 532 poundsto the Vegetables in the Communityprogram and local food pantries. EGWalso provided more than 300 seedlings toEaston residents. Thanks to a donationof milk crates from Highmark Farmstandand burlap coffee bean bags fromHomestead Coffee Roasters, EGW wasalso able to create 32 m

Our nonprofit mission is to collaborate to nurture Easton's economic well-being and cultural vibrancy. It's just another way of saying we nurture and celebrate the good. Normally, programs across the Greater Easton Development Partnership (GEDP) would host events and programs to draw people to Easton to gather. 2020 had other plans for us.