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WEPA empowerment center marks five years, cites 1,700 served and asks county to lift lien to finish renovations
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Summary
At a Lebanon County workshop, WEPA Empowerment Center leaders summarized five years of workforce training—1,700 people served, 120 program graduates and high placement rates—and asked the county to release a $250,000 lien and help with a required federal environmental review so elevator work can proceed.
Rafael Torres, cofounder of the WEPA Empowerment Center, and Kaye Litman, executive director of Tech Central Lebanon, told the Lebanon County commissioners’ workshop they have built a full-service workforce training hub in the historic Elks Building and want administrative help to complete renovations.
Torres opened the update by thanking county leaders and partners and reminding commissioners the effort began with a five‑year plan presented to the county. "When we focus on our efforts on people, our community thrives," he said, and asked the county to "release the $250,000 lien we have on the building so that we can continue our renovations." The presenters said they can supply paperwork and asked only for the county or city to sign required environmental review documents tied to federal grant access.
Litman described the center’s programs and outcomes. Since opening phase 1 services in August 2023, she said Tech Central Lebanon has served more than 1,700 people, supported 1,100 through employment services and 400 through adult education, and recorded about 120 workforce training graduates who collectively earned 238 credentials. "Our workforce training programs have a 94 percent graduation rate and 91 percent of the graduates are employed within six months," Litman said. Presenters said graduates typically earn $17–$25 per hour or more, and estimated the economic impact at roughly $10 million in annual earnings for local families.
A graduate, Melissa Gillette, shared her experience returning to training after a long gap and said the CNA program helped her pass both the skills and written state exams and return to paid work in home care. "It was just overall a really great experience for me," she told the commissioners.
Commissioners and staff followed with procedural questions. A county staff speaker said a solicitor could draft the required paperwork to lift a lien and that the county would act on it; commissioners also asked for more documentation, and presenters pointed to an impact report and distributed fact sheets. County staff reiterated that workshop sessions are informational and that any formal action would follow the county’s usual administrative processes.
Torres said the center has a wait list and that future expansion will add building‑trades space and a sprinkler upgrade; Litman announced a new WellSpan grant to launch an intensive job‑readiness ESL program called Career Forward in the fall. The presenters thanked the commissioners and community partners and said they will follow up with the paperwork needed to pursue the lien release and federal environmental review.
