William Penn Foundation Awards $225,000 of Support for the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative

Today we are once again extending our deepest gratitude to the William Penn Foundation for their support of our work. They recently awarded us $225,000 for the expansion of our West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI) partnership with PIDC’s Navy Yard Skills Initiative, which are both cohort-based, employer-driven training models developed in partnership with universities, health systems, and other major employers. To date, WPSI and the Navy Yard Skills Initiative have run two successful partnerships for training and job placement with Four Seasons Total Landscaping and Philly Shipyard, and through December 17th, 2021, are recruiting for opportunities with Tastykake. 

This latest grantfrom the William Penn Foundation pushes its total support of our work at University City District to over $4 million since 2000. Support from the William Penn Foundation has helped fund projects ranging from placemaking initiatives including The Porch at 30th Street Station and Trolley Portal Gardens, to expanding our Green City Works landscaping crew's efforts to beautify local parks, and this support to fuel the work of our West Philadelphia Skills Initiative.

This grant was awarded as part of the William Penn Foundation’s 2021 Family Recovery Fund, which supports organizations providing access to healthy food and housing, children’s educational opportunities, and job training programs to support the region’s recovery from the pandemic.

We are extremely grateful to the William Penn Foundation for its longstanding support of our mission to change places and change lives.