North Philly Non-Profit Helps Bring Beauty & Wealth to the Community

There are many negative things in the media about black communities. But I wanted to spotlight one nonprofit organization that is helping the community.The organization name is North Central Philadelphia Community Development Corporation NCP/CDC. Started by TinaMarie Russell in 2015, this organization has several missions Some of them include: Community Meet and Greets during the warm weather; meeting with Block Captains; working with residents to help clean up the streets and help beautify the community; and helping develop affordable housing in the under-served, poverty-stricken low to moderate-income neighborhoods.

NCPCDC creates economic opportunity by revitalizing neighborhood commercial areas and creating economic resilience. Their goal is to partner with existing stakeholders to recreate a safe inviting place to stroll, shop, and explore. From large scale streetscape enhancements to daily street cleaning services, NCPCDC and other stakeholders, along with the community, work diligently to strengthen the neighborhood.

One way to strengthen our neighborhood is through the children. Every Saturday is for the Stretch & Fly Youth Business Garden. This for the kids - to teach them how to become entrepreneurs. What this entails is finding out what items they want to sell and at what price. Then they have to set up vending tables and sell their items at the end of the day, and then they have to take inventory. What this teaches them is business management: what items sell the best and how to talk to customers.

Situated between halfway houses, this nonprofit helps people from these houses get back on track and helps with things such as references and resumes. There is also a partnership with a WaWa which gives the nonprofit food that they can give out to people who are in need and can't afford food. They also hold get-togethers around the holidays, especially around Christmas, to give out food and toys to less fortunate families.