Former Philly Chocolate Factory Now Helps Community Development

A former chocolate factory in Philadelphia’s Bridesburg neighborhood has been transformed into the Chocolate Factory Community Hub, a $14.3 million redevelopment that now houses nonprofit organizations providing social services, health care, education, and affordable childcare to local families.

The project preserved key architectural features, including its brick façade, historic signage, and iconic water tower, while creating a community-focused space that has expanded services for underserved youth and families in Northeast Philadelphia.

This project comes after the factory has sat vacant for decades, combining historic preservation with contemporary community development.

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Philadelphia Zero Waste Bill Aims to Cut City Trash by 60 Percent

Philadelphia City Councilmember Mark Squilla is introducing legislation requiring the city to develop a long-term “Zero Waste Circular Economy” plan that would divert 60 percent of municipal waste away from landfills and incinerators.

The proposal guides future investments in strategies such as composting, anaerobic digestion, and expanded recycling infrastructure, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating green jobs, and eventually moving away from both landfilling and trash incineration.

While the Parker administration supports the measure as a roadmap toward a lower-waste future, some environmental advocates argue that the city should immediately stop sending trash to incinerators rather than waiting for a long-term transition plan.

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PA Commission to Review Issues Affecting Rate Affordability

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission unanimously approved two initiatives to address rising utility costs by examining how utility profit structures, rate-setting practices, and growing infrastructure investments affect consumer affordability.

One initiative creates a Ratemaking Working Group to review utility returns on equity, rate increase mechanisms, and transparency in regulatory proceedings, following concerns that customers may be paying more than necessary through current ratemaking practices.

The commission will also study the impact of rapidly expanding data centers on Pennsylvania’s electric grid and utility bills, including whether the costs of serving these large energy users are being fairly allocated between data centers and ordinary ratepayers.

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Toolkit for Convening Community Advisory Boards in Research

Research shows that engaging people with lived experience can improve the accuracy, rigor, and real-world relevance of research, policy, and practice.

The Urban Institute has developed a toolkit that provides guidance, resources, and examples to help researchers and funders establish, facilitate, and sustain Community Advisory Boards (CABs) as a structured approach to community engagement, particularly in large-scale, multistate, or national research projects.

Its primary goal is to support more meaningful and effective collaboration between researchers and communities by offering practical tools for incorporating community expertise throughout the research process.



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Harmonized Standards for Use of Cost Evidence in Global Education and ECCE

Advocates report that education policymakers, funders, and practitioners need stronger and more consistent cost data to make informed decisions about investments, program effectiveness, and long-term sustainability.

Brookings Research introduces a harmonized framework and common standards for generating, analyzing, reporting, and using cost evidence across education and early childhood care and education (ECCE), with the goal of improving transparency, comparability, and decision-making.

Developed through the Global Costing Taskforce for Education and ECCE, the framework emphasizes that cost information should be considered alongside outcomes data so governments, donors, researchers, and service providers can allocate limited resources more effectively and maximize educational impact.

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Globally, More People Expect AI to Cause Job Loss Than Growth

A Pew Research Center poll reports that in 34 of 37 countries surveyed, people are more likely to believe artificial intelligence will eliminate jobs than create them.

Concerns were particularly pronounced in higher-income countries such as the United States, Australia, and South Korea, among concern that AI will increase economic inequality, with many respondents expecting the technology to widen the gap between rich and poor rather than reduce it.

This article summarizes poll findings, showcasing mixed public opinion and general AI awareness.

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