West Philadelphia: Libraries “Plant A Seed” That Brings Success And Literacy For West Philly Children
Out of the 339 schools within the Philadelphia School District, only eight have full-time paid certified librarians. Louis Lozzi, a Philadelphia native and teacher said that the lack of library funding in the school system has been an issue since he began his teaching career 15 years ago. “I’m used to being in schools without […]
Spruce Hill: Greensgrow Urban Farm Talks Food Insecurity And Community
Greensgrow Farm was created to bring fresh, locally-grown produce to Philadelphia. Today, two locations and mobile markets (in Fishtown and West Philadelphia) provide fruits, vegetables, flowers and a sense of community across the city. The urban farm located at 5123 Baltimore Ave. seeks to raise awareness of the necessity of wholesome agricultural practices, as well […]
Walnut Hill: Community Rebuilds Park From The Ground Up
Community members in Walnut Hill gathered in a collaborative effort with the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation and the Enterprise Center to rebuild the Walnut Hill Park creating a safe and relaxing space for children and families. An ongoing project since 2007, Walnut Hill Community Association and the Enterprise Center Partnerships Manager Lorna Peterson, went […]
Spruce Hill: Uhuru’s Flea Market Coordinator Inspires Young Africans To Make Change
Tiffany Murphy, a native of West Philadelphia, fell in love with community organization and civic engagement during her childhood. Years later, she is now the coordinator for the Uhuru Flea Market and the upcoming One Africa, One Nation Uhuru Book Fair Market that institutionalizes and develops programs to defend the human and civil rights of people […]
Walnut Hill: Community Association Encourages Residents to Stand Up and Be Heard by Voting
Walnut Hill Community Association President Horrace Patterson believes that the primary election and November general election could impact the community significantly. As president of the association for the past four years, Patterson finds that drugs, crime, cleanliness, schools, abandoned buildings and vacant lots are plaguing the community. “In my opinion, Mayor Nutter hasn’t done anything directly […]
Walnut Hill: Community Organization Creates a Green Space for Students
While the School District of Philadelphia’s budget cuts have caused many schools to close, the problems brought unity to one West Philadelphia neighborhood. When Alexander Wilson Elementary School closed last school year, most students were sent to nearby Henry C. Lea Elementary School (below left). Although many people throughout Philadelphia have openly expressed their dislike of merging schools, […]
Walnut Hill: Groundbreaking Swim Club Celebrates 50th Anniversary
On a quiet, tree-lined block just off of 48th and Spruce streets, patrons of the University City Swim Club scuffled by last week in sandals with swim towels clutched to chests, tote bags over their shoulders. Kids in baseball hats scampered too far from their parents, leaving whiffs of sunscreen trailing behind. Dads clutched newspapers […]
Spruce Hill and Walnut Hill: Local Bands Gear Up for Clark Park Fest
Since 1970, the Clark Park Music and Arts Festival has been a summer staple in the West Philadelphia area, attracting local musical acts, artists and vendors. This year’s festival is at the end of the month, but preparations have been underway since late March. “There’s a number of different attractions we have,” said Joshua Craft, owner […]
Spruce Hill and Walnut Hill: Armed Robbers And Increase in Crime Spur Community Safety Efforts
On the evening of March 12, a resident of the West Philadelphia community was robbed at gunpoint at the intersection of 46th and Hazel streets. Detective Joseph Murray, one of the West Philadelphia community’s main sources for information on crime, released a statement on Twitter about the robbery, stating that the suspect was wearing a gray hoodie and […]
Spruce Hill and Walnut Hill: Five People Making a Difference
There are many nonprofits, charities and other organizations in the Spruce Hill and Walnut Hill neighborhoods. These organizations often provide something that the neighborhood itself is lacking: education about crucial topics, an outlet that can scarcely be found elsewhere, or aid for people who are too often overlooked. Here are five people who work in […]