Kensington: After-School Program Allows For A Comeback In The Arts
After the school day was over at John Moffet Elementary, eager students sat attentively in an auditorium holding a tabla (“hand drum”) in one arm while rhythmically tapping with the other. With the help of Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture, Moffet has been able to maintain an after-school program that focuses on enriching students through art […]
Oxford Circle: PAL Helps Neighborhood Youth Succeed
The Oxford Circle Police Athletic League is part of a nonprofit organization that seeks to build relationships between police officers and children within the neighborhood. Its goal is to keep kids off the street and to give them a safe place to come and have fun while learning valuable life lessons. Three years ago, Officer Bruno Estevez […]
Southwark: Latesha Vosacek Tries to Improve Quality of Life for Local Children
Latesha Vosacek (pictured above) is the director of after-school programs for the Southwark House location of United Communities Southeast Philadelphia, located on 101 Ellsworth St. The organization serves people of all ages residing in the area by providing educational, advocacy and social programs that exist to improve the quality of life for members of the […]
Kensington: After-School Program Offers Safe Haven, Educational Assistance
Cardinal Bevilacqua Community Center in Kensington is a hub for creativity, extracurricular activity and educational assistance. Dominique James, the director of the high school after-school program, spends her days offering a positive lifestyle to students in Philadelphia who might otherwise get caught up in a life of crime and poor choices. What was your personal […]
Mantua: Richard Purdie Looking For a Full House at Community Center
As president of the Mantua Haverford Community Center, Richard Purdie is the heart of the neighborhood. He saw Mantua’s need for a reliable and safe place where children could get away from crime on the street and have a good meal. As a founding member of the Concerned Citizens of Mantua, created 15 years ago, […]
Logan: Cristo Rey Students Work for Their Education
Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, established in 2012, provides a college prep education to students from low-income families who could not otherwise afford to attend a private school. The key to funding students’ tuition comes from Cristo Rey’s signature Work-Study Program. Each student works five days a month at one of the school’s 70 business partners […]
Cobbs Creek: PAL Offers Fun, Safe Haven for Young People
The Police Athletic League, also known as the PAL, is a nonprofit organization known throughout the country for its variety of extracurricular activities for young people in the community. Police officers and community leaders at PAL create programming for the neighborhood, mostly with the purpose of keeping youths engaged and off of the street. In […]
Hunting Park: After-School Music Program Expands
Alice Santana gestured toward the vast open space stretching before her, a chilly underground area supported by towering cement pillars. It’s tough to imagine the basement of the Esperanza Center as home to any type of artistic play or creation, but, thanks to a number of large grants, the space will soon redefine the concept […]