There was hardly breathing space at Reed’s Coffee and Tea House on 38th Street and Lancaster Avenue this past weekend as community members came out to support a clothing drive while they danced alongside Denise King and her live band. The glass windows of the new business fogged up as everyone enjoyed food, drink, music and charity.
“Reed’s Cafe is one of the newer businesses on Lancaster Avenue. In honor of Second Friday, a really great project to bring people out onto the avenue and support local businesses, Denise King performed,” Community Development Director for Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, Paulette Adams, said.
Denise King, a Philadelphia native and world-renowned performer, tours in Europe half the year and lives in Philadelphia the rest. Adams said she had been trying to coordinate with King to perform at the Lancaster Jazz and Community Arts Festival for quite some time, but King’s strict schedule had not permitted.
“Her band is just absolutely phenomenal so it was great to have Denise finally come to Powelton Village. She was really able to come out and be a part of the community,” Adams said.
The event drew a large number of attendees not only to support the local business, but to bring warm gloves, mittens, coats and hats for those less fortunate in the Warmth for the Winter initiative.
Down the street at the Community Center was also a drop-off for non-perishable food items and canned goods to support the local food pantry at People’s Emergency Center. The food pantry is open every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 525 N. 39th St. and takes any food donations throughout the year. Last year, PEC collected enough food to feed over 1,400 people.
“Some people think if they can’t do the biggest thing, they shouldn’t do anything, and that’s just absolutely not true. All of us putting together what we have makes sure that somebody else is taken care of,” Adams said.
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