Northwest Philadelphia: Jumpstart Germantown Looks to Revitalize the Community One Property at a Time
Jumpstart Germantown is a redevelopment program that was established in April, 2014 by Mount Airy real estate developer Ken Weinstein. The organization tackles the problems of blighted properties in the Northwest by training a new generation of developers how to invest in and revitalize real estate. “I liked taking junk, something like old buildings, and doing […]
Powelton Village: EAT Café Hosts First Witness To Hunger Event
In response to the country’s new federal administration, the leaders behind West Philadelphia’s Witness to Hunger introduced their first gallery exhibition and open community forum to highlight poverty in the community. First established in 2008, Witness to Hunger fights against hunger and poverty through both photography and discussion. Panelists at the first gallery exhibition included Angela-Nike Sutton, […]
Education: Philabundance Community Kitchen Sets Students Up For Success
Ninety thousand. That is the number of people Philabundance served in previous weeks within its nine-county regions in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Eight hundred of those 90,000 meals are prepared by the students of the Philabundance Community Kitchen. The kitchen set up a new approach to helping those in need. Philadelphia is no stranger […]
Nicetown-Tioga: Mercy Neighborhood Ministries Continues to Service The Community
Mercy Neighborhood Ministries (MNM) has been a focal point to the Nicetown community since 1997 and Sister Ann Provost, the executive director of the ministry, has been there since the beginning. MNM has a wide range of programs that cater to the improvement of the children in the neighborhood. A program was recently implemented at the ministry is […]
Northeast: Supermarket Closures Leave Food Pantries Scrambling
It was 8:40 a.m. on a recent sunny, spring-like day. In addition to the birds chirping, chatter could be heard as a line from the front of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church wrapped around Sackett Street onto Tyson Avenue. Many were gathering and waiting for the Feast of Justice’s Community Cupboard to open. Feast of […]
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 […]
Logan: ‘Housing First’ Model Helps Homeless Navigate New Path to Stability
When Pamela Jenkins received her house keys, she decided that nobody would kick her out. After years of chronic homelessness, she now resides in a furnished apartment in Northeast Philadelphia. For Jenkins (above), Pathways to Housing PA has replaced uncertainty with stability. Unlike shelters and transitional housing facilities, the organization’s “housing first” model does not require […]
Overbrook Park: Residents’ Donations Ease Hunger and Cold During Holidays
Thousands of families in Philadelphia recently sat down at their dinner tables to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal complete with a turkey and all the fixings. The meal is the culmination of the time they spent walking around their crowded local grocery store filling their cart with holiday essentials. For some, this is not their reality. They […]
Germantown: Businessman Joe Martin Carries Out his Vision for a More Idyllic Neighborhood
While Germantown still has a need for improvement, the community has come a long way in the past few years. As owner of Acclaim Academy and chairman of the Germantown Special Services District, Joseph Martin has impacted the community in more ways than one. From striving to make the streets cleaner, to implementing murals to […]
Germantown: Pastor David Fitzgerald Compels People to Christ
Whether it’s through feeding the homeless or counseling community members, Pastor David Fitzgerald stands out in the Germantown region. In an area facing a plethora of societal issues, namely poverty, the pastor actively seeks to make change day and night. He and his wife, Jocelyn, co-founded Compelling People to Christ two years ago. It is only the […]