philanthropy : Development News

It’s a well-known fact that many low-income neighborhoods in Philadelphia are food deserts, meaning there is no grocery store or other source of fresh foods nearby. The city of Chester in Delaware County must be the Gobi Desert of food deserts, as the entire city is currently without a supermarket. This is despite the recent construction of both a soccer stadium and a casino. However, this is about to change as Philabundance, with the help of the Delaware Valley Regional Economic Development Fund, recently acquired a building to open up a non-profit grocery store.

The grocery store will be called Fare and Square, and will be located on Ninth St., a few blocks south of Highland Ave. Lindsay Bues, a spokeswoman for Philabundance, reports that Fare and Square will sell both deeply-discounted and free food, and will accept and teach the community about Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. “This model promotes food equality by offering a full range of food products at one convenient location on a regular basis while allowing people to maximize their purchasing power,” reports Bues.

Chester’s first grocery store is made possible through a $1 million grant through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This grant will comprise a good chunk of the $4.5 million price tag behind offering fresh food. According to Bues, the store will take up 13,000 sq. ft. and provide 30 new jobs, many of which will go to local residents. The store will likely open its doors in about a year.

Local and federal lawmakers are still trying to get a bigger supermarket to open in Chester, and it sounds like they might be close. Two chains that might be interested in opening are Shop Rite and Fresh Grocer, although nothing is firm at this moment. There’s no word on what will happen to Fare and Square when a larger grocery store does set up shop. 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Lindsay Bues

For years, the neighborhood around Kensington and Allegheny (K&A) has been pockmarked by drugs, vacant property, and homelessness. That has not deterred local filmmaker Jamie Moffett, who’s spearheading an effort to transform vacant properties into owner-occupied homes. Moffett is the pioneer behind Kensington Renewal, which is looking to raise enough money to begin its home ownership mission.

According to Moffett, Kensington Renewal has already identified its first property to resuscitate. "There's an 'abandominium' on Rand St we're ready to purchase & rehab," says Moffett with a glint of pride. This part of Rand St. is mere blocks away from Potter Street, where the producer spent seven years spent living and he currently owns an office across the street from. These blocks are the heart and soul of Kensington, just a short jaunt from the Allegheny El stop.

Kensington Renewal’s biggest priority is raising money to start its campaign of putting Kensington residents into houses. To do this, Moffett is actively seeking donations and selling t-shirts. Moffett calls this "crowdfunding" a house, and is actively using the Internet to raise money. He offers supporters the chance to donate using Helpers Unite and through PayPal on his own website. Also, the filmmaker has partnered with the arts non-profit Positive Space to generate money through film, photography, and gallery showings. 

Moffett is beyond passionate about the transformative effects home ownership could have on Kensington. "Home ownership correlates with crime statistics; the higher the home ownership, the lower the crime," he says, citing a University of Nebraska study. He explains that this is because homeowners are more financially and socially invested in maintaining their properties and neighborhoods.  

The filmmaker’s target market for home ownership is Kensington residents who’ve never previously owned a home. These are locals who Moffett believes have been victimized by slumlords, who let profit get in the way of maintaining rental properties. He’s also taking a stand against redlining, which has caused banks and mortgage companies to flee the area. Finally, he hopes to educate the Kensington citizenry about the responsibilities associated with home ownership. 

The mission to encourage home ownership in Kensington has received support from other community groups and government officials. Moffett commends the New Kensington CDC (NKCDC) and Impact Services for imparting information to the campaign. He also points out the district Councilwoman, Maria Quinones Sanchez, as well as the 24th District police and L&I have expressed support for Kensington Renewal.    

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Jamie Moffett, Kensington Renewal

Photo: Jamie Moffett

Philadelphia will be getting its first new Quaker meetinghouse in 80 years. Members of Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting (CHFM) have outgrown their current meetinghouse, and want to create a new one that better reflects eco-friendly Quaker values. The new meetinghouse also promises to be a place of tranquility and beauty for everyone across Northwest Philadelphia, regardless of religious affiliation.

The new meetinghouse is intended as a multi-purpose building for Quakers and non-Quakers. Signe Wilkinson, co-chair of fundraising for CHFM, says the building will fulfill all spiritual purposes, but will be suitable for so much more. "It will be a place of contemplation and reflection and peace" for everyone, imagines Wilkinson. Wilkinson also foresees humanitarian uses for the building, which include caring for Nepalese refugees and working with the Northwest Interfaith Hospitality Network to care for the homeless.

The new location will be "a football field and a half" away from the current meetinghouse, according to Wilkinson. It will be constructed behind Mermaid Lane in an oft-ignored part of the Wissahickon Valley by Cresheim Valley Drive. One reason why the Friends decided to build here is because it is convenient to mass transit, vehicles, and pedestrians along Germantown Ave. Also, it is beside a proposed bicycle trail along Cresheim Valley Drive.

Members of CHFM are especially proud of the art installation that will be built within their meetinghouse. They’ve sought out James Turrell, a fellow Quaker, to create a Skyspace light installation, which will allow skylight to illuminate the meeting space. Wilkinson says her brethren was inspired by a similar Turrell Skyspace in Houston, Texas. Realizing that the Skyspace allowed Houstonians to better contemplate, CHFM got to know Turrell about seven years ago.

The Friends are also seeking to hold true to environmentally-friendly tenets of Quakerism with the new meetinghouse. Wilkinson says that they’re striving to conform to LEED Platinum standards, although they don’t actually have the resources to apply for LEED certification. To do this, members are hoping to recycle the asphalt left over from when the site was a quarry. They’re also considering installing solar panels, although that is dependent on how much money they raise.

The funds for construction of the new building have mostly been raised, although supporters estimate that they still need to come up with the remaining 10 percent of the cost. Wilkinson says that members of the meetinghouse have donated during meetings, and neighbors and fans of Turrell have also given munificently. In addition, CHFM was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts grant for the new space. The first shovel is expected to hit dirt in March 2012, while the completion date is forecast for July 2013.

Source: Signe Wilkinson, Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting
Writer: Andy Sharpe

If you’re going to be around the 63rd St. El stop this-coming Friday evening, you might witness a Carrotmob. However, you have nothing to worry about, even if you don’t like carrots.

This Carrotmob will be drawing attention to a struggling independent produce store by raising money through a mass purchase of its items. West Phillie Produce, which has struggled to find business since its opening in mid-2009 despite being located in a food desert at 62nd and Ludlow Sts., will be the beneficiary of the Carrotmob.

Former City Council candidate Andy Toy, who is now the director of the Retail Resource Network at West Philadelphia’s Enterprise Center, is one of the biggest promoters of West Phillie Produce. Toy heaps praise on the owner of West Phillie Produce, Arnett Woodall, who is really trying to make a difference in the neighborhood’s diet. Regrettably, Woodall has only had varying success in doing this. "Arnett continues to encourage neighbors to improve their nutrition habits, but old habits die hard," says Toy. "Some neighbors have still not visited (in) over 2 years."

To address West Phillie’s lack of business, various groups, led by the Enterprise Center, decided to team up and unleash a Carrotmob in the store. According to Toy, a Carrotmob is a "buycott" where a bunch of people shop at a given time from a particular business that has a sustainable, local, or socially conscious mission. The proceeds from a Carrotmob go toward the business, or toward some project that the business is embarking on.

In the case of West Phillie Produce, Toy says money raised from the Carrotmob will help finance new equipment and allow the store to continue giving away fresh fruit salads to local almsgivers. In addition, the Carrotmob will enable like-minded people a chance to network with each other and discuss how to encourage local, independent businesses and neighborhood nutrition.

The Enterprise Center has no qualms about aiding a local produce store against the threat posed by distant supermarkets. Toy points out that West Phillie Produce hires from the immediate neighborhood, is easy to access without a car, and is owned by someone who resides in the area. It also opened on what used to be an unsightly abandoned lot. The store doesn’t just sell produce either, as it offers nutritional smoothies, water ice, and juices.

This is the first Carrotmob to inundate Philadelphia, although an attempt was made in the past. The Carrotmob concept began in California, and has spread across the world. In addition to the Enterprise Center, participating organizations include the Food Trust, the Merchants Fund, and Sayre Health Clinic.

Toy is happy to assist the Carrotmob effort in Philadelphia. "We like the Carrotmob concept because it results in a real tangible outcome that benefits a worthy business," he proclaims. "We hope to replicate this effort in other neighborhoods across the City." As for the Carrotmob at West Phillie Produce, it’s scheduled to run from 4-7 PM this Friday.

Source: Andy Toy, the Enterprise Center
Writer: Andy Sharpe

The Friends of Seger Park Playground have been feverishly looking for funds to make their park at 11th and Lombard Sts. a destination for Center City and South Philadelphia children. They’re looking to improve their play equipment and install a sprayground, both of which cost a handsome amount of money.

It looks like the playground will be able to move forward with its first phase of improvements, thanks to a $500,000 grant from the city. This is in addition to a $50,000 donation from Jefferson Hospital. Adrienne Kenton, co-president of the Friends of Seger Park Playground, predicts construction will commence during the summer of 2012. In the words of Kenton, one of the biggest changes will be that all of the play equipment will be moved into one area on the 11th St. side. This would include a “dedicated tot lot,” says Kenton, which would be tailor-made for kids who are "barely crawling."

The second component of the Friends of Seger’s dream is the repair of a water sprayground that currently doesn't work. The playground held a competition to create a design for the sprayground, which was won by six designers from Kansas. The victorious design is called Fluid Scape, and includes two walls, a bench, and over a dozen water jets. This is meant to be a complement to the other playground equipment for children. Regrettably, the Friends are still $350,000 short in their quest to raise enough cash for the sprayground. Kenton assures that she and her cohorts are busy trying to identify sources of funding.

Kenton underscores why it's so important that Seger Playground be amenable to children. "So many families are opting to stay in Center City," says the co-president. Indeed, Center City is seeing a noticeable amount of young families who want to raise children in the city. This, coupled with parents rearing young children a few blocks south in South Philadelphia, should ensure plenty of use for the renovated playground. Right now, the only thing sitting in the way is $350,000.

Source: Adrienne Kenton, Friends of Seger Park Playground
Writer: Andy Sharpe

If you're jonesing for a hamburger, you may soon have a new fix nearby. Jake's Wayback Burgers, which started in 1991 as a few ultra-popular burger shacks in Northern Delaware, recently opened locations in Delaware, Chester, and Montgomery Counties, and plans to open its first location in Philadelphia soon.

These locations include Northeast Philadelphia, West Chester, and Chadds Ford. Northeast Philadelphia will be the business' first foray into the city, and will be located at Welsh Rd. and Roosevelt Boulevard. According to Jake's the target opening for the Northeast location will be in two to three weeks.

Jake's Burgers has been a staple in New Castle County, Delaware, consistently garnering local awards. As Gillian Maffeo, the marketing director at Jake's, puts it, the restaurant has a "cult following" in the First State. The original location in Newark hasn't changed very much, as it still has just four tables inside, picnic tables outside, and the original hand-made burgers and milkshakes. These burgers and milkshakes have attracted the accolades of Delawareans, as they have repeatedly been voted the "best burger" and  "best milkshake" in the state by Delaware Today and Delaware News Journal readers. This is despite stiff competition from another old-fashioned burger joint, The Charcoal Pit.  

The restaurant is currently flipping burgers in Wayne, Willow Grove, Springfield (Delaware County), Exton, Kennett Square, and Pottstown. Some of these locations have only been open a few months, while others have been open for a couple of years. With this in mind, there are a number of locations that will be opening in the coming months.

Maffeo is most enthusiastic about the role Jake's plays in the surrounding communities. Individual restaurants do everything from "fundraising events to cancer and diabetes walks," said Maffeo. The marketing director added that some Jake's locations will be serving turkey burger dinners at local homeless shelters for Thanksgiving. She was also especially proud of the diabetes walk that employees at the Exton location participated in.

To emphasize the popularity of Jake's burgers and milkshakes, the restaurant has begun to feature a "burger of the month" and a "milkshake of the month." While hamburgers and milkshakes will always be Jake's most notable offerings, the restaurant has expanded its menu beyond just those. The burger joint now sells all-beef hotdogs, turkey burgers, various sandwiches, and salads.

Source: Gillian Maffeo, Jake's Wayback Burgers
Writer: Andy Sharpe

While a number of communities in the Delaware Valley were affected by flooding from Hurricane Irene and the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee, Fairmount Park’s Wissahickon Valley saw some of the worst flooding. Yet, for as ferocious as the flooding was in the valley, the efforts to clean up flood damage have been just as intense. Friends of the Wissahickon, a mostly volunteer group, has been instrumental in the quick, yet toilsome clean-up.

Because of the lack of homes in Fairmount Park, the Wissahickon’s serious flooding didn’t garner as much media attention as other local flood spots. However, Kevin Groves, the volunteer coordinator at Friends of the Wissahickon, makes it clear that the park’s landscape was altered from the flooding.

"There was really serious erosion all over the park, and areas of Forbidden Dr. close to the (Wissahickon) creek were under water," reports Groves. Groves elaborates by saying that some segments of the popular hiking trail Forbidden Dr. actually caved in from the strength of the water. Also, Bell’s Mill Rd., a well-traveled artery between Chestnut Hill and Andorra, sustained some damage.

The sheer extent of the damage has failed to deter over a hundred people who have volunteered with Friends of the Wissahickon to help clean up the valley. Groves is clearly proud when he lauds the hundred or so volunteers who showed up for emergency repairs in the famous Valley Green section. In addition, individual dedicated volunteers with the Friends have taken the initiative to go out and conduct their own trail maintenance. 

Even a few weeks after the storms, there is still plenty of damage and plenty of interest in volunteering to fix the damage. This past weekend, about a dozen volunteers labored to take a trail that had partially washed away out of service in the vicinity of the Andorra Tree House on the western rim of the park. This included digging the trail up, mixing the dirt, and placing branches across the path to make it difficult to walk along. The volunteers were an interesting mix of park experts with Friends of the Wissahickon, Chestnut Hill College students, and one reporter.

The effects of tropical systems Irene and Lee have taught the Friends of Wissahickon and the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation one big lesson, which is that trails in the valley can and should be designed to better withstand stormwater. Groves says it’s noticeable how much better the trails that were re-designed to handle flooding held up after the storms. As flooding will never cease to be a threat through the Wissahickon Valley, this is an important lesson to grasp.  

Source: Kevin Groves, Friends of the Wissahickon
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Back in 2005, when the American economy was still bounding along at a relatively progressive clip, the city of Philadelphia introduced an economic development program for prospective homeowners known as Home Buy Now.

The program, which offered some 211 working Philadelphians the chance to more easily become homeowners, was temporarily curtailed in 2009. But Home Buy Now is once again operational, thanks in large part to Mayor Michael Nutter, who reintroduced the program a little over a week ago during a press conference at Drexel University. Along with the Urban Affairs Coalition, the city will be putting $735,000 toward the purchase of Philadelphia homes for some 240 fortunate locals.

Here's how the program works:

First, companies willing to offer their employees grants or forgivable loans meant to be put towards the purchase of a home must sign onto the Home Buy Now program. The city will then match those funds up to $4,000, assuming the employees in question are willing to buy in a specific, predetermined neighborhood. For those employees who would rather purchase homes outside of the program's predetermined neighborhoods, the city will offer $2,000 in matching funds.

Thus far, over a dozen different employees have joined the program, with Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania being the two largest. As for the predetermined neighborhoods where the matching $4,000 funds will be offered, those will be located near to "major educational and medical anchor institutions" (such as Drexel and Penn), according to the Urban Affairs Coalition.

And according to Mayor Nutter, who explained the benefits of the program during the Drexel press conference, it was the simple desire to retain the city's best and brightest workers that fueled the return of the Home Buy Now program, along with a desire "to create more stable, flourishing neighborhoods," he said.

For more information about how your company can join the program, contact program manager Christopher Waters at the Urban Affairs Coalition.

Writer: Dan Eldridge
Source: Robin Robinowitz, Urban Affairs Coalition

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You can't argue with this one: Real estate agents have it tough these days. Buyers do too, of course. But when your very livelihood is dependent upon the whims of a mortgage broker and the all-around insecurity of banks these days, making an honest buck isn't easy.

Consider, as an example, the precarious situation of MM Partners, a small real estate development firm whose business involves the construction, the design, and the sale of modern apartments in Brewerytown, of all places.

"Something we talk about a lot," says Jacob Roller, MM Partners' co-founder, "is that the neighborhood needs more exposure, and in a positive way. People may not know about Brewerytown, or they may have just heard its name in a negative way, and that's not really the case. But perception is reality. So you have to work on that."

And work on that he did. Along with his partner, David Waxman, Roller came up with the idea for BrewerytownLiving.com, a well-designed blog that advertises the free cultural events that Roller and his co-workers are organizing in Brewerytown. Recent events have included a Doggie Yappy Hour, during which dogs and their humans meet in a park for socialization and snacks. There are also jazz concerts, clothing swaps, art shows, and food festivals.

"We'd been doing a little bit of this on our own," says Roller. "So we said, 'Let's do it in a more comprehensive way, and in a more organized way.' And that led us to Brewerytown Living."

Roller, by the way, is insistent that Brewerytown Living isn't a mere marketing ploy. "We don't want to use (the website) to try and sell people a house," he adds. 'It's really all about community building, you know? Getting people together, and having a good time."

Writer: Dan Eldridge
Source: Jacob Roller, MM Partners LLC

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You may find it surprising to learn that Habitat for Humanity, one of the best known and most beloved charities in the country, operates a charity of its very own. Appropriately enough, it serves the general contractor community and the DIY home-repair crowd.

And while ReStore, as the business is called, isn't technically a charity in the strictest sense of the word, it's tough to come up with a better way to describe the place. But here's an honest effort: It's a cut-rate, bargain-basement retail shop, where all manner of donated and used home-repair supplies are on offer. It sells everything from door knobs to window panes to penny nails, as well as the pre-loved furniture you'll need in order to properly transform a rehabbed house into a livable home.

Until very recently, the ReStore existed only within the somewhat dim confines of the Habitat for Humanity's 19th Street warehouse in North Philly. Come July 23, however, the ReStore will relocate to a proper retail space at 2930 Jasper Street in Kensington.

"The most successful ReStores are about 18,000 square feet," says Gail Lankford, the store's director. (Habitat for Humanity operates 700 different ReStores across the country.) "We needed to find something that was affordable, and that was a warehouse space." The Kensington shop, she says, clocks in at about 19,000 square feet.

The William Penn Foundation, in fact, helped out in grand style with the new space's affordability, donating a total of $85,000 to the project. Which was certainly an appropriate gesture, given that 100 percent of the ReStore's proceeds are given directly to Habitat for Humanity, which in turns uses those funds to construct houses for the less fortunate.

Following the ReStore's July 23 "soft opening," a grand opening will happen on September 10, says Lankford, complete with a ribbon cutting ceremony, major sales, and prize giveaways.

Source: Gail Lankford, ReStore
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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It's probably safe to say that most of the regular Flying Kite readers among you are by now familiar with Philadelphia2035--the comprehensive plan to create a blueprint for the city's future development. But you're probably not yet familiar with the recent plan to do something relatively similar--albeit on a much smaller scale, and without a catchy name--in five different West Philly neighborhoods.

Early last week, the People's Emergency Center held a kick-off event to celebrate the upcoming year-long process, which is known simply as the Neighborhood Plan, and which will focus on the Belmont, Mantua, Mill Creek, Saunders Park, and West Powelton neighborhoods. "Make Your Mark," as the party was called, was organized as a way to give area residents a chance to do just that: West Philly locals, for instance, scribbled various suggestions for area development and community-growth facilitation on a giant banner. ("More affordable housing!" "Jobs!") According to the PEC's Kira Strong, the banner will be traveling to all the planning meetings and public events that the PEC plans to host over the course of the year.

As for the $100,000 that will actually fund the year-long planning process, it came from the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation, whose mission involves improving the quality of life for those living in low-income areas.

And now? The real work of urban planning begins: There will be door-to-door resident surveys, Strong says, but also a listening booth where residents can leave audio comments and feedback for the planners. (Look for it at the Lancaster Avenue Jazz and Arts Festival on July 16.)

Once the year of planning is over, of course, a significantly larger chunk of funds will be needed to actually implement the plan. But in the meantime, says Strong, "We're really trying to engage residents and other stakeholders, to make sure this is an exciting planning process with some real energy."

Source: Kira Strong, People's Emergency Center CDC
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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In Center City Philadelphia, it wouldn't normally be much of a surprise to stumble upon a public bus shelter that had been modified--with graffiti, for instance--by someone other than a SEPTA employee. But visitors who passed by one particular bus shelter across from City Hall on June 14 were privy to a truly unusual spectacle: They had a front-row seat for the installation of the city's first green-roof bus shelter, which was designed and donated by a local green roof provider known as Roofmeadow.

The now-permanent green roof was installed "as sort of a small symbol of a larger effort in the city," says Roofmeadow's Jane Winkel, referring to Philly's Green City, Clean Waters plan. The plan is a series of municipal-led initiatives that are aiming to remove pollution from the city's creeks, rivers and urban landscape.

According to Winkel, the first goal of the bus shelter project is nothing more than pure education. The idea, she says, is to familiarize average citizens with green roof technology, which is quite a bit simpler than you'd probably figure: The modern aluminum design, for instance, is actually a prefab kit of parts that can be assembled to replace the roof of any standard bus shelter. What's more, in addition to creating something of a mini-environment for urban wildlife, the design also aids in the management of rain water--the roof actually limits the amount of pollution that would otherwise find its way into streams and rivers.

While the green roof installed on the bus shelter across from City Hall was Philadelphia's first, Roofmeadow plans to continue teaming up with the city to roll out approximately twenty more within the next year. "We were very happy to offer our services pro bono," adds Winkler, "and we will definitely remain involved in the installation of the others."

Source: Jane Winkel, Roofmeadow
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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There's certainly nothing unusual about a thrift store that also operates as a charitable organization. The second-hand shops of St. Vincent de Paul, Goodwill and the Salvation Army, for instance, all donate large chunks of their profits to various causes, including homelessness and hunger-battling initiatives.

But here in Philadelphia, an unusually well-curated and partly volunteer-run shop know as Philly AIDS Thrift has been doing business at 514 Bainbridge Street for six years now. And although it looks and feels more like a trendy vintage clothing shop than a dusty thrift store, Philly AIDS Thrift nevertheless donates the vast majority of the money it generates--about $8,000 a month--to the AIDS Fund, "which then gets distributed to about 30 AIDS organizations in Philly," explains Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou, one of the store's co-founders.

Which is all well and good, says Kallas-Saritsoglou. But throughout its six year history, Philly AIDS Thrift has had to deal with one slightly inconvenient hassle: The processing of its donated clothing has always had to take place in a second location across the street, where electronics are also sold. For convenience sake, the staff has always wanted to join the two locations, and now, with a new and slightly expanded location right around the corner at 710 South 5th Street, they've finally managed to consolidate their operations.

"The move happened," says Kallas-Saritsoglou, "because we hit the limit of what we could fit in here, because people are just really, really kind. We just have so many donations that we thought it would be best to try to find a new space."

That new space, she explains, which is already open, features 10,000 square feet of selling space, and a full three floors. The top floor will be dedicated to the processing of clothing donations, and a grand opening is scheduled for July 15-17.
 
Source: Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou, Philly AIDS Thrift
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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When Philadelphians Paul and Nichole Badger were going through the process of planning their wedding in 2008, they "decided that we just didn't believe in the typical one-day splurge that everybody does for their wedding," Nichole explained, during a recent telephone interview.

Nichole is a corporate entertainment attorney who has long been involved with charitable work, and at the time, she and Paul had been tossing around the idea of starting a nonprofit of their own. "And then," she said, "it suddenly occurred to us: Why not do it now? And so instead of having this full-blown, crazy wedding, we decided to take a portion of our wedding budget, and to use it to start Stars Within Reach."

Today, Stars Within Reach partners with various entertainers, pro athletes and businesses on what Badger refers to as twelve different platforms; the group works on everything from housing issues to greening and nonviolence initiatives. (Their motto: Changing the world one cause at a time.) Their latest project, A Healthy Future Within Reach, aims to battle childhood obesity, and SWR plans to focus its local efforts in the South Philly neighborhood of Point Breeze, a so-called 'food desert' where healthy eating options are scarce.

On Monday (May 2), they kicked off a 30-day multimedia campaign to raise awareness of childhood obesity. At the month's end they'll join with Mayor Nutter, Congressman Chaka Fattah, 76er Lou Williams, and other area notables to create two community gardens and a fruit orchard in Point Breeze. "We definitely believe that eating healthy and healthy living is at the core of everything you do," Badger says. "And Point Breeze is an area where the kids really are impacted by the lack of healthy eating options."

Source: Nichole Badger, Stars Within Reach
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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In October 2007, 2 year-old Jacob Myles Nasto, who was born with a rare heart defect, passed away from complications following his fourth open-heart surgery. Jacob's mother "was so stricken with grief that she was walking in a fog," says Lynn Cummings, who is Jacob's grandmother.

Lynn Cummings is also one of the founders of a Camden County nonprofit, Build Jake's Place, which was created as a memorial to Jacob's life after a family friend made a financial donation in the child's name. Currently, the nonprofit is busy raising funds to develop Camden County's first-ever Boundless Playground, a fully-accessible and integrated play area where children and adults of any physical ability - disabled or abled - can play and learn together. "My daughter, that moment, woke up," says Cummings, referring to the decision to build the memorial playground.

Jake's Place, as the playground will be known, is being constructed at Challenge Grove Park in Cherry Hill, N.J. And because there are only about 130 Boundless Playgrounds in the entire nation, it's being expressly designed as a major destination park, with 100 on-site parking spaces. Naturally, the park will also be rich in special amenities; Jake's Place will include a wheelchair-accessible glider, specially-secured swings, and double-wide sliding boards. "This is a playground for everybody," says Cummings, "whether your body is in a wheelchair, or on crutches, or you're disabled and you want to follow your child around on the playground."

Boundless Playgrounds, of course, don't come cheap. According to Cummings, construction and equipment costs can run as high as $500,000, and Build Jake's Place still needs to raise another $100,000 before breaking ground this July, and then opening in October. The nonprofit has a number of upcoming fundraising efforts planned; click here to learn more.

Source: Lynn Cummings, Build Jake's Place
Writer: Dan Eldridge

Do you know of a new building going up, a business expanding or being renovated, a park in the works or even a cool new house being built in the neighborhood? Please send your Development News tips here.