PA Humanities has partnered with the Route 6 Alliance and Community Heart & Soul to select Honesdale on the borough’s journey to become a stronger, more vibrant community through PA Heart & Soul, a humanities-based approach to community and economic development. 

The Wayne County Community Foundation is really excited to facilitate this program and join many communities across PA in this transformational process. 

The Wayne County Community Foundation has received $22,500 from PA Humanities for Heart & Soul, in partnership with the national Community Heart & Soul organization and PA Route 6 Alliance, through a grant from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. Another grant, totaling $30,000, has been received from the William E. Chatlos Foundation. Additionally, approximately $20,000 worth of in-kind coaching is being provided by PA Heart & Soul. 

Community Heart and Soul prioritizes civic engagement and deep listening.  Through many listening sessions, events, and gatherings, Honesdale’s shared values will be brought to light through this process, forming the foundation of a plan that can inform community and economic development for years to come. Along the way, the civic engagement among residents will be boosted as we all learn from one another what we have in common. We will work with certified coach Alice Trowbridge, who has mentored six communities through the process and is a seasoned planner with 40 years of experience as a landscape architect working in the private and public sectors. The Wayne County Community Foundation has also hired Page Olver as the Community Heart & Soul project coordinator. 

This project will take collaboration from individuals and organizations over the next two years. “The Greater Honesdale Partnership is excited to be a part of the Community Heart & Soul initiative because it gives us the opportunity to ensure every voice is heard as we continue revitalizing our downtown,” said Sandi Levens, executive director of the Greater Honesdale Partnership. “By listening to the stories, values and hopes of the people who live and work here, we can shape projects that reflect who we are and who we want to become. Heart & Soul will strengthen our foundation for growth, deepen community connections, and help create a vibrant, inclusive Honesdale for generations to come.” 

If you’d like more information or to get involved, please reach out to Page Olver at page@waynefoundation.org . There are plenty of ways and times throughout this journey to get involved. Stay tuned for updates as our story unfolds.

Ryanne Jennings is the president/CEO of the Wayne County Community Foundation.