The West Philadelphia P
romise Neighborhood is a U.S. Department of Education funded grant to support "cradle-to-career" opportunities for children living or going to school in Belmont, Mantua, Mill Creek, Powelton Village, and West Powelton / Saunders Park. The program seeks to improve education, health, and economic success for children, their families and the community.
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Spotlight on Action For Early Learning
Family Navigators
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Coretta Scott King has said, "The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” If you live in the Promise Neighborhood, chances are you have run into two such members: Kelly Thomas and Dwayne Walker. Green shirt-clad and smiling, Thomas and Walker are two of the
Action for Early Learning (AFEL
) Family Navigators, a program partially funded by the Promise Neighborhood, and are community leaders through both actions and words.
As part of the AFEL Family Ambassador Program through
People's Emergency Center (PEC
), Thomas and Walker have been instrumental in spearheading bi-monthly “Grandparent Coffee Talks.” These relaxed afternoons bring together local grandparents who are caretakers to adolescents. The grandparents share their experiences and struggles and develop relationships with other grandparents over coffee and activities.
You may also spot Thomas and Walker along Lancaster Avenue donating books to local businesses, who then distribute them to young children and families who come into the shops as part of the Book Depot program. Along with other Family Ambassadors, Thomas and Walker spread the word about the importance of early literacy and reading at grade level by third grade. Their goal is to ensure that every child in the Promise Neighborhood has at least one tangible book to read at home.
Thomas and Walker’s work continues in the schools and childcare centers as well. They spend time at Martha Washington Elementary and Morton McMichael throughout the school year, updating their bulletin boards with fliers and posters to provide parents with information and resources. They conduct early literacy surveys in childcare centers as well as attend many community outreach events. “My favorite part is the outreach,” Walker say, smiling.“It brings me happiness when I’m able to assist someone with a problem. I love to help a parent or grandparent in need and get them the help they need so they can be a better person for their children. Because our children deserve quality child care and a shot at life.”
“Mr. Walker,” as he is affectionately known, is a life-long Mantua resident. He has been a Family Navigator for 5 years, but began his work at PEC as a volunteer before receiving a promotion. He now sits on the board of the Please Touch Museum and is a member of the Mantua Civic Association and Mantua Education Board. Both Walker and Thomas are part of the newly formed PEC Trauma Informed Core Team.
Thomas, a Belmont resident for 20 years and Family Navigator for over four years, continues her community civic role outside of the Ambassador program. She, too, sits on the board of the Please Touch Museum and is a member of the West Belmont Civic Association and West Philadelphia Prevention Coalition. She is also part of the network of neighborhood first responders and is house manager of Women of Transformation on 43rd and Westminster. When speaking with Thomas, one can see and hear her passion for making a difference in her neighborhood. “My favorite part of my job are the people, especially the children,” she says. “It’s an amazing feeling to be part of a village and watch a child flourish. I love to see the possibility of a positive outcome!”
For more information on how to become a Family Ambassador, contact:
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Promise Neighborhood Data Corner
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- 64% of parents/caregivers read to their child three or more times per week (N=435)
- 43% of parents/caregivers read to their child between 10-20 minutes per day (N=433)
2018 Family Survey respondents include: parents/caregivers with children ages 0-8.
Action for Early Learning initiatives are working to improve early childhood education for children's long-term success in the West Philly Promise Neighborhood. See below for details on AFEL's Annual Family Survey!
(Data taken from the 2018 AFEL Family Survey)
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Updates from Community Partners
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AFEL Annual Family Survey
Are you a parent or guardian who resides in the 19104 zipcode?
Are your children between the ages of 0-8 years old?
Keep an eye out for Action for Early Learning this month as they begin their annual Family Survey. Action for Early Learning is working towards making sure every child in the Promise Neighborhood is Kindergarten ready. Input from the community helps reach this goal. Every parent or guardian who participates will receive a $10 gift card.
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Goose Chase with Fab Youth Philly!
For the past few months, Fab Youth Philly has facilitated two P
rofessional Learning Communities
with Out-of-School Time (OST) organizations in the
West Philly Promise Neighborhood
. The focus has been on getting to know the other organizations and to explore the question: What would a coordinated OST system look like in the Promise Neighborhood?
In May, the group was sent on a GooseChase Adventure completing a scavenger hunt in the neighborhood as a way to further deepen their connections to each other and familiarity with the OST programs.They used the GooseChase app which Fab Youth Philly plans to use as part of the on-boarding in July for summer staff training with Play Captains.
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Dornsife Center To Expand with Drexel Purchase of West Philadelphia Community Center: Call To Action 2
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On Thursday, May 30, The Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships held the "WPCC Call to Action 2". Dornsife Center Director, John Kirby, shared outcomes from the 9-month community engagement effort around the future of the West Philadelphia Community Center to a full house of community members. As part of the event, Kirby facilitated questions and answers from the group.
During the past year, Caring People Alliance, owners of the West Philadelphia Community Center, put the building up for sale, and Drexel purchased the site in order to preserve the space as a community resource and become a part of the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships. Drexel will initiate a fundraising process to support a renovation of the building once a plan is in place. As plans for building design and fundraising arise, collaboration and community feedback will be valuable.
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HAPPY ANNIVERSARY DORNSIFE CENTER
Community members celebrated the 5th Anniversary Celebration of the Dornsife Center this week! We thank the Dornsife staff for all their work and programming for this incredible neighborhood-based center within the Promise Neighborhood.
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June Events in the Promise Zone:
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Jeffrey spent the days on May 18 and June 1 at "The Clean Up and Rally" on 41st and Lancaster. The community event was a huge success with families and friends joining together to clean up the streets while having fun with neighbors. Thank you to the Belmont Community Leaders Collaborative for their support in keeping the community safe from open air drug sales and violence. Jeffrey is pictured with District Attorney Larry Krasner (center) and David Pickett (left), President of West Belmont Civic Association, who came out to support the event and neighborhood.
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Promise Neighborhood Welcomes Community Health and Wellness Manager, Aunnalea Grove
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Aunnalea has 15+ years of experience working with young people and communities to improve and health wellness. She recently managed the Get HYPE Philly! initiative at The Food Trust, working with over 100 community partners to develop youth leaders to improve the health of their schools and communities. Aunnalea also has expertise in adult and youth education, financial literacy, housing, public health, and project management. Aunnalea serves on the board of Norris Square Neighborhood Project.
Aunnalea has a Master’s in Public Anthropology from American University in Washington, DC and a Bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Studies.
Aunnalea is eager to develop partnerships and programs to support the health and wellness of students and families in the West Philadelphia Promise Neighborhood.
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Congratulations Graduates
A heartfelt congratulations to all the graduates in the Class of 2019 especially those from West Philadelphia High School. Check out the School District of Philadelphia's #OurClassOurFuture campaign by clicking the blue box. You will hear the stories of graduating seniors from all over the city including seniors from West Philadelphia High School!
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Best of luck to all the students in the Promise Neighborhood who are moving up to Kindergarten, Middle School and High School in the fall. Have a happy and safe summer!
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ONE WEEK LEFT! Please encourage caregivers and families to take the School District of Philadelphia' s District Wide Survey.
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A special shout out to
Martha Washington School
for having the top ten highest parent and guardian response rates so far this year (as of June 4, 2019):
- Hon. Luis Muñoz Marín Elementary School - 80.7%
- Mitchell Elementary School - 73%
- John M. Patterson School - 71.4%
- Avery D. Harrington School - 68.7%
- Franklin Towne Charter Elementary - 65.1%
- Eleanor C. Emlen School - 62.9%
- William McKinley School - 62.7%
- Martha Washington School - 62.3%
- Abram S. Jenks School - 62%
- Paul L. Dunbar School - 61.3%
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Caregivers will need their child's student ID number which can be found on their report card. It is also their lunch number!
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Summer Fun for Youth
Applications are still being accepted
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*These camps receive funding from the Promise Neighborhood Initiative
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Drexel University Summer Programs
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Calling All Teens Looking for a Summer Job!
These are 4 documents you may need:
-Social Security Card
-School ID or Report Card
-Birth Certificate or Passport
-Work Permit
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Drexel University is Hiring
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Learn More About Kindergarten Registration!
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Link includes resources, necessary forms, and provides step by step guidance for Kindergarten registration!
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Follow Us on Social Media!
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