Ludlow: Seventh Annual Sugar Kane Festival Engages Community

Dancing and music made the Sugar Kane Festival a hopping good time.

Festival participants gather housing information at Sugar Kane Festival.

Asociaciòn Puertorriqueños en Marcha is a non-profit organization that provides critical health, housing, substance abuse and support services for families in North Philadelphia. The organization has worked to transform North Philadelphia by rehabilitating older housing and developing new affordable housing projects for lower-income families. Examples of APM’s work are visible near Fifth and Berks Streets, right on the edge of Ludlow. There, supermarket and dozens of new, attractive affordable rental homes, are the result of APM’s efforts. Nilda Ruiz, APM’s president and CEO, said the non-profit’s goal is to create a strong community.

“We’ve engaged a whole year on a quality of life plan,” said Ruiz.

APM went into the community and asked questions about what residents wanted. This year, the organization is opening a new park that was named by the folks who live there.

“Last year, we asked them, what should we name the little park we are doing and now it’s finished,” Ruiz said. “They wanted to name it ‘La Placita’ so that’s what we named it.” La Placita’ means gathering place in English.

Dancing and music made the Sugar Kane Festival a hopping good time.

The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place as part of APM’s Seventh Annual Sugar Kane Festival. Every year thousands of community residents come out to enjoy live music while receiving services such as free health screenings, access to housing counselors, resources from local businesses and other non-profit organizations.

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