Marcus Delgado, Deputy Secretary of Administration | Pennsylvania Department Of Education
Secretary Rick Siger of the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) recently joined local leaders in downtown Hamburg, Berks County. This event marked the beginning of Pennsylvania Small Business Week, running from May 4 to May 10, 2025. Siger used the occasion to encourage residents to support small businesses, while also announcing that Hamburg received the first Main Street designation under the Main Street Matters program. This initiative aims to enhance business districts in downtown areas and promote community vitality.
The Main Street Matters program, launched last year by Governor Josh Shapiro, is central to Pennsylvania's 10-year Economic Development Strategy. It is designed to revitalize downtowns and bolster small businesses for a stronger local economy. Recently, Governor Shapiro and Secretary Siger announced new investments in 81 community projects through this program, which includes a $100,000 allocation to the Downtown Hamburg Facade Improvement Program.
Governor Shapiro's efforts contributed to securing $20 million for Main Street Matters in the 2024-25 bipartisan budget, facilitating this historic investment in Pennsylvania's Main Streets. Looking ahead, the Governor's budget proposal for fiscal year 2025-26 also includes an additional $20 million for the initiative.
The event featured several speakers, including Rick Siger, DCED Secretary, Deena Kershner, Executive Director of Our Town Foundation; Lynn Weller, Assistant Director of Our Town Foundation; and Alyssa Mengel Wentz, owner of AEC Market.
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