Children & Families

Numerous social service providers serve West Philadelphia. These include: People's Emergency Center and Project H.O.M.E., which provide services and advocacy for homeless individuals; the Elwyn Institute, which provides services for people with disabilities; the Intercultural Family Services, which provides culturally-sensitive social services to recent immigrants and refugees; ActionAIDS, an organization that meets the physical and emotional needs of people with AIDS; the Ronald McDonald House, which houses families whose children are under pediatric hospital care; Neighborhood Bike Works, which provides bike safety and repair classes for children and teens; the American Red Cross, which provides education in preventing and responding to emergencies; West Philadelphia Tutoring Project, through which Penn students tutor elementary, middle and high schoolers; the Center for Literacy, which provides reading, writing, math and job skills classes for adult learners; and the Mantua Family Center and University City Arts League, which provide after-school enrichment programs for K-8th and K-12th graders, respectively.

Social services located within Walnut Hill are limited. The Parent-Infant Center on 4205 Spruce Street provides after school enrichment programs for K-8th graders; the 4H program at 4601 Market Street provides programs in agriculture, animal sciences and job readiness for children; Youth Advocate Programs at 4601 Market Street support children placed in public or private institutions; and the YES program at the Enterprise Center provides award-winning entrepreneurship classes for young adults.

WHCA has identified several issues of concern through conversations with and neighborhood residents. Many of these concerns center upon the needs of children and families, notably the necessity of improved recreational facilities, parenting classes for both young mothers and young fathers, services to families with incarcerated relatives, and an outreach initiative that will boost resident awareness of available social services.

WHCA will act as both a springboard for ideas to work with development consultants and service professionals to provide predevelopment support for WHCA's proposals. WHCA will work with neighborhood organizations, residents and area CDCs to revitalize the streetscape and provide a clean, friendly, well-lit, safe and enjoyable environment for the children and families of the community.