Frankford: Coming Together to Stop the Violence
Frankford residents take matters into their own hands. At a spring community meeting at St. Mark’s Church on Frankford Avenue, residents discussed the growing epidemic of violence in the neighborhood. According to Philadelphia Inquirer’s Crime in Philadelphia Database, 43 violent crimes occurred in Frankford from March 5th to April 4th, with a majority of them […]
Frankford: Quaker School Prioritizes STEM Education for Students
Students at Frankford Friends School know what it means to be innovative, especially in the subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These areas of study, coined as STEM, are the new focuses of Frankford Friends’ proposed NEST center, an area on the school’s campus that will allow students to experiment with these subjects through […]
South Kensington: Catholic Worker House Continues Founder’s Mission Of Serving Those In Need
The intersection of Lawrence and Jefferson streets may seem like a regular corner, but between noon and 1 p.m. a line will form in front of a nondescript apartment window. Members of the community will patiently wait outside The Sister Peter Claver Catholic Worker House for the free, hot lunch it provides Monday through Thursday […]
Kensington: Community Center Works to Serve Neighborhood’s Needs
The Community Center at Visitation (CCV) is one of many outreach facilities dedicated to improving the quality of life in Kensington. Led by Sister Betty Scanlon, a Sister of Mercy and director of CCV, the center tries to fill the gaps in services needed by local residents. “We learn so much from the community. This facility is […]
East Oak Lane: Church Leader Creates Kitchen Program to Bring Members Together
Oak Lane Presbyterian Church, located in the East Oak Lane area of the city, offers many programs geared toward creating a tight-knit congregation. The church’s pastor, the Rev. Judith Brackett, had this goal in mind when she created her Tuesdays in the Kitchen with the Pastor program, which allows members of the congregation to spend time with her, […]
Allegheny West: A School’s Hidden Treasure
Tucked away on West Clearfield Street in Allegheny West, the St. James School prospers within a national historic landmark that is arguably one of North Philadelphia’s greatest hidden treasures – the Church of St. James the Less. Constructed in 1846, the Church of St. James the Less once had a thriving congregation in what was then the […]
Allegheny West: Mentorship Program Aims To Empower Youth
Young adults gathered at Berean Baptist Church last month to take part in a mentorship program. What started out with singing “This Little Light of Mine” and general announcements turned into a night of group activities where members worked alongside mentors to create a scrapbook. Program members, ages 6-18, meet on the first and third Friday […]
Allegheny West: A Pastor’s Devotion to Youth Empowerment
Rev. Maria Lewis has devoted her life to the church and her community through youth empowerment, most recently as the pastor of youth and young adults at the Berean Baptist Church in Allegheny West. Her leadership and energy has been instrumental in the empowerment of the Berean congregation and the Allegheny West community. As a minister, […]
Olde Kensington: Imam Aims To Build Stronger Ties Within The Community
Mohamed Shehata, an imam at Al-Aqsa Islamic Society, was born and raised in Egypt. An imam at a mosque typically leads prayer and leads the mosque. Shehata came into the Philadelphia community in 2001 after accepting the offer of leading the Al-Aqsa Islamic Society community. Since then, he has worked on building better relationships between Muslims and […]
Amateur Sports: Nonprofits Help Homeless Beyond Athletics
Street Soccer USA On any given night in the United States, there are approximately 564,708 people who are counted as homeless. On any given night in this country, there are also 39,907 unaccompanied youth between the ages of 18-24. As of 2014, at a local level, between 30 and 40 percent of Philadelphia’s youth live […]