Dear Giving Circle members and friends:
Our 10th anniversary year, which we have designated as “The Year of the Child”, is coming to a close at the end of this month. By recognizing the crisis facing Philadelphia’s children, we have encouraged our members, friends and family to join us in our most ambitious fundraising drive to date, in order to have the maximum impact on their lives. The money we will have raised by year’s end will fund our 2023 grants to nonprofit organizations serving Philadelphia’s children.
To help our membership and the community better understand the plight of children in Philadelphia today and highlight those on the frontlines addressing their needs, we presented three panel discussions.
Our first program, in February, focused on “The Most Pressing Issues Facing Philadelphia’s Children Today.” Our stellar panelists—Donna Cooper and Tomea Sippio-Smith (Children First), Marcus Allen, (Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region), City Council Member Kendra Brooks and two students from Philadelphia public schools, discussed the role that poverty and systemic racism play in the daily lives of Philadelphia’s children. Of our City’s approximately 344,000 children, half of them are Black and 39% of these children live in poverty. Where a child lives significantly impacts the quality of their life, from housing and food insecurity, to safety, quality of education and access to health care. Each of our panelists emphasized the critical role that mentors and positive adult role models play in changing the trajectory of children’s lives.
Our second program, in April, focused on solutions – “Opportunity, Engagement & Empowerment – The Future of Philadelphia’s Youth” focused on the importance of connection. It identified the reasons why young people become disconnected from school and family, and the long-term consequences of that disconnection. Panelists included Cynthia Figueroa (JEVS Human Services), Ameen Akbar (Philadelphia Youth Basketball), Chekemma J. Fulmore-Townsend (Philadelphia Youth Network), City Council Member Isaiah Thomas and two youth participants. Each highlighted the role of poverty and the barriers our youth face that prevent them from taking advantage of educational opportunities and participating in job support services. These include lack of accessible and affordable transportation and lack of access to technology for school and work. Mitigating interventions include trusting and culturally relatable mentorships, academic enrichment, leadership development opportunities, sports programs, mentorship programs and job training.
“Gun Violence & Philadelphia’s Children—A Public Health Crisis” was our final program on September 13th. At a time when 2022 is on track to be the most violent year in Philadelphia’s history, this program was particularly relevant. The trauma from gun violence extends beyond the victims and their families; it hurts our communities and generations of people who live in them, and disproportionately affects people of color, as explained by our panelists—City Council Member Helen Gym, Kendra van de Water (YEAH Philly), Reuben Jones (Frontline Dads), Natasha McGlynn (Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia) and our youth participants. The discussion explained that gun violence didn’t happen overnight. The pandemic made an existing problem exponentially worse. The roots include poverty, lack of good paying jobs, housing and food insecurity, an unprecedented number of guns on our streets and a history of red-ling practices and disinvestment in Black communities in Philadelphia were exacerbated by the pandemic. The District Attorney’s Office has identified 57 blocks where 10 or more people have been shot since 2015 and 25 schools where gun violence occurs most often. Our panelists reminded our audience that in these communities, it’s easier to get a gun than a tomato. These nonprofit organizations seek to intervene to break the cycle of trauma that results from gun violence by giving young people safe spaces and alternatives to “street life.” Despite the City of Philadelphia’s fiscal allocations to numerous anti-violence programs and the Philadelphia Police Department, the violence persists. Why? Because until the underlying causes of poverty and the other issues named above, which our three programs discussed, are addressed and remedied, the violence will continue.
Thank you to all who have helped with our fundraising efforts this year and for participating in our educational programs. Your knowledge and support will help make a positive difference in our community. We look forward to seeing you at other educational programs as we begin to craft our programming for 2023. All the best and Happy Holidays!
With great appreciation,
Sandi Slap and Mary Klein
10th Anniversary Committee
TTN Philadelphia Giving Circle