Diakon Celebrates New Chapter at Hillside Village in Catawissa

Catawissa, PA (Friday August 21, 2026)

A little rain didn’t dampen the celebration as residents, community partners, local and state officials and Diakon representatives gathered Aug. 20 to celebrate Hillside Village becoming part of Diakon’s affordable housing communities.

The event marked a new chapter for the established Catawissa community and an important expansion of Diakon’s affordable housing services. Hillside Village is Diakon’s fifth affordable housing community and its first serving families with children. Nearly 140 individuals call Hillside Village home.

“Hillside Village has been a community long before Diakon became part of its story,” said Shari VanderGast, president and CEO of Diakon. “We’re proud to build on that foundation and officially welcome Hillside Village, and most importantly, its residents, as part of Diakon.”

VanderGast emphasized that Diakon hopes to be more than the organization whose name is associated with the property.

“We want to be a good neighbor, a trusted partner and an active part of this community,” she said. “This celebration was an opportunity to recognize what is already here while looking ahead to what we can build together.”

The celebration brought together Hillside residents and neighbors along with Catawissa Mayor Todd Burke; Terri Campbell, district director for Pennsylvania state Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver; and Pennsylvania state Rep. Robert Leadbeter. Diakon leaders and members of the Diakon Boards of Directors also participated in the program.

For Diakon, Hillside represents an opportunity not only to provide quality, affordable housing but also to become part of a community where relationships and partnerships are already making a difference.

Several of those partnerships were recognized during the event, including Food for Friends Food Bank and Catawissa First United Methodist Church for the resources, time and support they have provided to Hillside residents. Diakon also recognized Denise Bosworth and Rohrbach’s Farm Market for helping Hillside participate in the Seeds of the Future program, which brought a greenhouse and community garden to the property. Other partners connected through the initiative include Bloomsburg Rotary, Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech, Gib’s Farm, Catawissa Christian Church and Penn State Extension.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to become part of what already exists here and to build on that foundation,” said Lynne Markowski, executive director of Diakon Affordable Housing. “Our goal is not simply to manage a property. We want Hillside to be a place where residents feel at home and where we can continue finding ways to strengthen the community and support the people who live here.”

Guests also got a preview of another resource coming to Hillside Village: the DiaKINDNESS Community Cupboard. Once unveiled later this year, the cupboard will provide residents with food, personal care products and household essentials at no cost when they need a little extra help.

The Community Cupboard will complement, rather than replace, Hillside’s relationship with Food for Friends Food Bank, adding another convenient source of support directly within the community.

Despite the rainy weather, the gathering offered exactly what the celebration was intended to provide. It was an opportunity for residents, neighbors, community partners and Diakon representatives to come together and look ahead.

Diakon became the owner of Hillside Village in June, expanding its affordable housing presence to Columbia County. Diakon also operates affordable housing communities in Scranton and Topton, Pennsylvania, and Frostburg, Maryland.