Fattah to help Tioga United celebrate tenth anniversary,
announce $310,000 in grantsew program explained to East End residents

CHAMPAGNE BREAKFAST, GRANTS, TOURS ON SATURDAY, APRIL 8, TO HIGHLIGHT TEN YEARS OF PROGRESS

PHILADELPHIA, PA, April 5, 2006 — U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah (PA-2) will be the guest of honor and keynote speaker when the Tioga United Blueprint Community Team holds Tioga United's Ten-Year Anniversary Champagne Breakfast and announces $310,000 in grants on Saturday, April 8. The event will be held at 2233 W. Allegheny Avenue on the top floor of a formerly abandoned warehouse now transformed into a thriving six-story small-business incubator that also features new loft-like apartments and community training space.

Congressman Fattah will discuss the renewed vitality occurring across the Tioga neighborhood in his keynote remarks and will be joined by Councilwoman Donna Reed-Miller to announce a major grant for work on the Jerome Brown Playground Rebuilding Project. In addition, three other grants from Temple University, the Philadelphia Horticultural Society and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development will be presented.

Gov. Ed Rendell launched the Blueprint Communities initiative on August 9, 2005. As a Blueprint Community, the Tioga United Team has received comprehensive training, tools necessary to develop a community vision, continued technical assistance, and access to a network of funding opportunities for hometown revitalization. Other invited guests include Mayor John F. Street, State Sen. Shirley Kitchen, State Rep. Jewell Williams, officials of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh and other partners.

A Champagne Breakfast begins at 9:30 a.m. The congressman's keynote remarks as well as the grant presentations will take place beginning at 10:30 a.m. Trolley tours of the neighborhood will follow.