Community grants awarded in West Philadelphia

Andrew Goodman

February 6, 2009

SCI-West Community Grant Awardees have been selected and that $60,000 in grant funding will be awarded to 20 West Philadelphia neighborhood resident groups, and organizations.
SCI-West is committed to the economic strength and stability of the West Philadelphia communities which we serve. We also recognize the strong link between the great work of the residents, neighborhood organizations, and local non-profits to the overall health of West Philadelphia. We are proud to celebrate and support 20 of the groups that have made a commitment to making our community healthier and stronger.

Please join us for a celebration and check presentation with Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and the Local Initiative Support Corporation honoring all 20 organizations, SCI-West partners, neighbors and friends.

Wednesday March 4th from 6 PM – 8 PM
Community College of Philadelphia -West Philadelphia
Regional Branch located at 4725 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia PA.
RSVP: to Iola Harper at (215) 382-7522 ext 316 or email iola@sci-west.org by Friday February 27th.

20 Winners will receive grants in the amount of $3,000 each :

200 Block of South 47th
City Year of Philadelphia
Community Education Center
Curio Theater Company
E3 West Center
Explorers Sans Frontiers
Garden Court Community Association
Mantua Aspen Street Community Organization
Mantua Improvement Community Improvement Committee
Mantua Leadership Council
Merchants of 3600-4000 Lancaster Avenue
Mini Town Watch
Residents of the 4600 Block of Locust
Saunders Park Neighbors
Second Mile Thrift Center
Spiral Q Puppet Theater
The Parent Infant Center
University City Arts League
West /Southwest Neighborhood Advisory Council
West Philadelphia Tool Library

The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is dedicated to helping community residents transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy and sustainable communities of choice and opportunity — good places to work, do business and raise children. LISC mobilizes corporate, government and philanthropic support to provide local community development organizations.

LISC recently introduced a new perspective on enhancing communities: the Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI). The Philadelphia LISC Sustainable Communities Program focuses on creating whole communities: safe places where attractive and valued real estate merge with employable, educated, healthy residents who generate enough income to care for themselves and their families. The strategy consists of a five-pronged approach that is guided by the needs and conditions of the targeted neighborhoods. The strategy’s five key elements are:

    * Expanding capital investment in housing and other real estate
    * Increasing family income and wealth
    * Stimulating local economic activity and connections to regional economies
    * Improving access to quality education
    * Supporting healthy environments and lifestyles

LISC recently chose West Philadelphia as one of its national Sustainable Community sites. Working together, Philadelphia LISC and the program partners (University City District, People’s Emergency Center, West Philadelphia Partnership CDC, and the Enterprise Center) are implementing a coordinated and comprehensive strategy designed to address multiple neighborhood problems, generate resources, and create maximum impact. For more information on LISC or the SCI initiative log onto http://www.lisc.org/sustainable/

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