We are so excited to be nominated for two categories in Metro Philly's Best 2024! Our Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival has been nominated for Best Annual Event/Festival and HopePHL has been nominated in the Best Not For Profit category.
You can vote once a day from May 10th-August 9th. Vote daily in each category and share! Thank you for being part of our community and believing in our mission!
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Did you know that 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experiences mental illness each year? Let's raise awareness and promote understanding. Remind yourself to take moments for self-care, reach out for support, and remember, you are not alone.
Let's join hands to spread awareness and support for mental health in Philadelphia. Together, we can break the stigma and foster a community of understanding and empathy. Let's prioritize self-care and kindness, not just this month, but always. If you are having a mental health, substance use, or suicidal crisis, call 988. May 2, 2024
Representatives of the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) have been protesting the construction happening at 38th & Lancaster Avenue this week. HopePHL divested from the property at 3748-3750 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia three years ago, but does remain a minority, passive owner in the housing being developed. At our insistence via a deed restriction, 10% of the housing here will be affordable at 80% of the area median income level. All contractors were selected after a fair bidding process, and several union contractors were selected. HopePHL understands IBEW’s position as we also believe in the advantages of the development of skilled tradespeople, a diverse workforce, and the protections of workers. The Neighborhood Advisory Committee's Earth Day: Resource Fair at Saunders Park Greene set the scene for a wonderful day to celebrate the Earth and support our neighbors! Thank you to our Community Legal Service partners for providing free legal assistance regarding Utilities Shut-off Prevention and Tangled Title Property Deed Transfers. Health and Wellness resources were also provided by both Penn Medicine and Sayre Health Care Center! Additionally, we enjoyed amazing giveaways, such as, fruit trees, yard trees and bushes from UC Green, and Smoothies made with a Self-powered (pedal bike) blender from Greener Partners. Participants also engaged in guided meditation and Martial Arts activities, while enjoying a live musical performance from Kenny Sykes and books from the Reading Captains!
Check out the scene at yesterday’s Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival Community Pop-Up!
Join us for the next event, 5/23 from 12pm-2pm at: Drexel Square 3001 Market Street For more information visit: https://www.hopephl.org/jazz-pop-ups.html Spring has sprung — a season of change, renewal, and rebirth rings true at HopePHL. From families opening a door to their very first apartment or home of their own, to youth entering the safety of our Youth Emergency Services shelter, to new moms seeking support of the respite nursey program at Baring House, so they can focus on growing their own education or career — you don’t need to look far to see the impact of our programs and staff on people’s lives. Our clients and community turn to us with hope for a better future, and People with Hope thrive.
Like the family of five who recently sought help from Lea, our Prevention & Diversion Case Manager: The family was in desperate need of assistance with rent and utilities, due to a family-supporting job loss. They owed about $7,000 in rent arrears and were facing eviction, and their electricity had been shut off for three months. With three young children at home, Asha (name changed for privacy), the mom, reached out to HopePHL. Thankfully, HopePHL was able to alleviate their needs with critical financial supports immediately — preventing eviction and providing $4,000 in utility assistance. The Case Manager also referred the family to HopePHL for items like toys, books, diapers, wipes and other baby supplies. With relief, Asha shared her gratitude for HopePHL during these stressful circumstances and enabling the family to stay together in their home, “I cannot thank you enough for this help. I really appreciate everything. Thank you.” These life-changing services are not possible without your generosity. This story is one of thousands of families seeking our services each day – and we need your support again to continue helping the countless families, youth and young children impacted by the fallout of the pandemic years. There are still so many people in need, and we are poised to do more. Your support isn’t just a temporary stopgap. It enables people to access the supports they need to achieve their goals and go on to live autonomous and thriving lives. And for families like the aforementioned — it’s life changing. A 10th grade student in one of the schools served by HopePHL was kicked out of his home and reached out for support. He did not have other family or friends to stay with. HopePHL's Thrive program referred him to the emergency shelter at YES, which provided safe housing for the student. During that time, our team provided money for clothing and school supplies so that he was able to keep up with school. At the end of the 21 days, he was able to return home to a diffused situation with his parents. The story above is just one example of the positive affect the American Rescue Plan’s funding is used to support students experiencing homelessness. Pennsylvania received $32 million from the American Rescue Plan for the Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) program. This program supported 40,000 children and youth in 2022. The funding has paid for activities that increase high school graduation, lower truancy, stabilize housing, and much more. More than 400 school districts and charters have received the funding but stand to lose it as the APR dollars expire January 31, 2025. Any funds that remain will go back to the Treasury. As of January 31, Pennsylvania still had $7.3 million unspent (see general fund status here) with five months remaining. Thanks to HopePHL and our allies, United State Senators Robert Casey and John Fetterman responded positively to our request to sign-on to a “Dear Colleague” letter that proposes to extend the obligation deadline by one year for funding made available under section 2001(b)(1) of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, for the purposes of serving homeless children and youth (ARP-HCY). A problem that Senator Casey can solve is to extend the deadline. We are encouraging Congress to extend the obligation deadline by at least one school year to ensure that all ARP-HCY funds are used strategically to support increasing numbers of students experiencing homelessness. Congress also should increase annual funding for the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) funding. As outlined in the report, Congress should extend the deadline because:
This funding has had a transformative effect in the lives of children, youth, and families that have experienced homelessness. Thank you, Senators Casey and Fetterman, for doing what is important to support our homeless students. The City of Philadelphia Division of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) invited community partners to provide input on the draft 2022-2023 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report which will be released for public testimony in May. HopePHL’s response was presented by Trish Downey, Senior Director of External Affairs. Eleven other groups provided testimony, including Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations, Community Legal Services, and Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia. HopePHL operates several programs in partnership with DHCD, such as:
HopePHL’s testimony can be downloaded using the button in this article. It was submitted to the public record around 2:45pm on March 12, 2024. We are grateful for DHCD’s continued support and for the opportunity to provide recommendations. HopePHL looks forward to partnering with the city to preserve housing stability, prevent homelessness, and offer temporary housing and services to youth and families experiencing homelessness. March 2, 2024
At 8:00 AM on Saturday, March 2, 2024, a fire was reported in one of HopePHL’s rental units in West Philadelphia on Holly Street. The Fire Marshal and fire department reported to the building, evacuated the unit and extinguished the fire. The head of the household occupying the unit was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. There was fire, smoke, and water damage to the unit, rendering it uninhabitable at this time. |
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