It’s the active shooter equivalent of “stop, drop and roll,” and it’s a crucial piece of knowledge for the crew of teenagers helping with Philadelphia’s “PlayStreets” program this summer. They started work this Monday, hoping to create a safe and educational environment despite the city’s ongoing gun violence crisis and a Fourth of July weekend disrupted by gunfire. | From: WHYY (Read more.)
For the last 60 years, Philadelphia has run its PlayStreets program, which functions both as a city-run summer camp and a free meal distribution program for families. This year, about 260 city streets will be blocked off from traffic and local block captains will distribute meals, backpacks, toys, and games for kids to play with in the street.
For Renell Powell, a retired grandma of four and assistant block captain, last summer’s COVID doldrums proved to be the perfect time to bring a PlayStreet to the 200 block of Alden St. in Southwest Philly.
“I noticed it wasn’t that many places in the area doing it,” Powell said. “I’m retired, and my grandson said, ‘Grandma, why don’t we just try a PlayStreet, give out the lunches?’ I said, ‘OK.’” | From WHYY (Read more.)
The pandemic turned many neighborhoods into opportunity deserts. It laid bare the disparities between communities where people can afford to buy membership to private pools or make over backyards into kid play zones and those that rely on public options. | From: PlanPhilly (Read more.)
Le preguntamos a más de 40 supervisores de Playstreet que lo que deseaban que la ciudad de Filadelfia supiera sobre sus bloques. ¿El resultado? Esta carta al Director Gerente Tumar Alexander, y la esperanza de que las cosas sigan mejorando. | Para: Resolve Philly (Read more.)
We asked over 40 Playstreet supervisors what they wished the city of Philadelphia knew about their blocks. The result? This letter to Managing Director Tumar Alexander, and a hope for continued improvements. | From: Resolve Philly (Read more.)
Philadelphia Public Pools are a community asset often overlooked, despite thousands of people relying on them year after year. Summer 2020 was devoid of the nearly one million memories made at the Philly’s Public Pools. | From: Green Philly (Read more.)
Playstreets works as an extension of the federal free lunch program designed to provide meals to kids during the summer. But this year, one third of the blocks in the program —100 out of 310 — will receive tents and patio umbrellas, misting fans, super soakers, a water jug, water balloons and neck cooling rags. | From: PlanPhilly (Read more.)
• At Temple, campus food pantry becomes summer lifeline for hungry students | From: Philadelphia Media Network
• Broke in Philly: Financial Struggles for 1st Generation College Students | From NBC10/Telemundo62
• ‘A perfect circle of helping’: 3 nonprofits join forces to feed people in Kensington | From: Billy Penn
• Home visits from education experts are improving outcomes for Philly kids in poverty | From: Generocity
• Anti-poverty crusaders fight to cut taxes for mobile-home owners | From: Philadelphia Media Network
• Comcast’s $10 internet for low-income Americans is exploding in popularity | From: Billy Penn
• Broke in Philly: From Homeless to Business Owner | From: NBC10/Telemundo61
• Philly Playstreets provide haven amid poverty, blight, and drugs | From: Philadelphia Media Network (Read more.)
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