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HopePHL released the Annual Report for the program and fiscal year from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. Impact includes safe housing and shelter for 583 children, youth and parents, 561,000 pounds of food distributed, several changes in policy due to our leadership in advocacy, and more.

This article was originally published in Youth Service, Inc.’s Newsletter in January 2022. In January 2023, Youth Service, Inc. merged with People’s Emergency Center under the new name HopePHL. Visit hopephl.org for more information. The volunteers and project described in the article are current as of March 9, 2023 and we are grateful for their continued support and encouragement of YES youth.

​It is a Sunday morning at Youth Service, Inc.’s (now called HopePHL) Youth Emergency Service (YES) teen shelter and Colin Pustilnik is walking around the lounge trying to get sleepy teenagers motivated for another Sunday Wellness Workout session, while his volunteer partner Chris Major sets up the workout area. Pustilnik, a sales leader at Tangoe, and Major, Corporate & Foundation Relations director at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have been doing this each Sunday for the past 6 years.

Sandra (her name is changed for privacy), is a local landlord. She was on the brink of ruin, when she met Robin from our homelessness prevention and diversion team. Fifteen of Sandra's long-time tenants were facing eviction from being unable to pay their rent due to COVID-related job loss. Most of her tenants worked in some capacity in hospitality and had faced immediate termination or reduced hours since the pandemic.