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United Communities Southeast Philadelphia United Communities Southeast Philadelphia has a long and rich tradition of service to children, adults and families residing in Southeast Philadelphia. United Communities was established in 1969 through the merger of three settlement houses that date back to 1847. For the past 40 years, United Communities has carried out the original settlement mission to promote the educational and economic advancement of individuals and families within its host neighborhoods. Today, our mission is to work in partnership with the various communities for social and economic justice and to foster harmony for building self-sustaining communities through:
United Communities currently operates two facilities, each of which serves as a major hub for community resources and spirit in three very low income, diverse areas of Southeast Philadelphia: the Houston Center, 8th Street and Snyder Avenue; and Southwark House at Front & Ellsworth Streets. In addition, United Communities also operates afterschool programs at the Sharswood Elementary, Southwark Elementary, and Fell Elementary schools. United Communities provides services and community driven activities that address the needs, further the strengths, and reinforce community spirit for more than 7,500 children, adults and families through a wide array of services. These services include:
Through our years of service we have established and maintained
strong relationships with local schools and community-based
organizations. In the past several years, United Communities has
been an active participant in the Southeast Philadelphia
Collaborative. This participation has enabled United Communities to
enhance its programming for youth, further our partnerships with
other organizations, and increase the visibility of our agency.
History: The Southwark Club, known today as Southwark House, began as a women's club in 1900, organized by Mrs. A.R. Ramsay. This group joined with working boys and girls clubs, a kindergarten and a milk station. In 1906, with funds from the Philadelphia Ethical Society, the Southwark Club purchased four adjacent houses at its current location at Front and Ellsworth Streets. Mrs. Samuel Fels, a neighborhood woman of means helped make the houses usable. The Southwark Club moved in and became the Southwark Neighborhood House. St. Martha's House, later to become the Houston Community Center at 8th & Snyder, was also founded in 1900. In 1921, the House of Industry, Southwark Neighborhood House and another settlement, Workman Place Neighborhood House formed the Welfare Federation. The settlements remained separate entities for over two decades. In 1946, a combined board was formed by Workman Place Neighborhood House, Southwark Neighborhood House and Stanfield House. They were called, collectively, United Neighbors Association. The following year, the House of Industry moved to its new location, a former Methodist church on Catharine between 6th & 7th Streets, and merged with United Neighbors. Started in 1951, the Hawthorne Program, later known as the Hawthorne Family Center and located at the Palumbo Elementary School at 11th & Catharine Streets, became a part of United Neighbors Association. In 1963, United Neighbors, by now a member of the Philadelphia Association of Settlements, joined with six other association members to form the Delaware Valley Settlement Alliance. By the end of the year, the Alliance had hired an executive director and a secretary. They had an office and a small grant from The Philadelphia Foundation. The following year, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania approved a small allocation for the Alliance. One of the functions of the Delaware Valley Settlement Alliance was to study and make recommendations regarding the member settlements. At the prompting of United Way, the Alliance undertook a study of the South Philadelphia settlements. As a result of their recommendations, in 1969, United Neighbors merged with the Houston Community Center to become United Communities Southeast Philadelphia. Traditionally, United Communities settlements played pivotal roles in the retraining and adjustment of new immigrants and persons who were socially and economically ill-equipped for self-sufficiency in Southeast Philadelphia. United Communities continues this tradition by providing training and support groups for young parents who lack effective parenting skills, subsidized preschool and afterschool programs, job training and job readiness classes, in-home weatherization assistance to hundreds of families to make their homes safe and efficient, budget and mortgage counseling to families paying high rents who are helped to purchase homes with affordable mortgages that allow them to develop equity in their properties. United Communities continues to reach out to socially and economically disadvantaged groups in Southeast Philadelphia to help them strengthen their capacity to care for themselves and contribute to their communities. In addition, major environmental changes in Southeast Philadelphia (development along Columbus Boulevard, the closing of the Navy Base and the Avenue of the Arts) are both threats and opportunities. Helping communities and neighborhood leadership organize themselves to respond to these changes is a United Communities priority.
United Communities - Board of Directors
2011 - 2012 Board of Directors Members Board service is both a privilege and a responsibility. As a board member of United Communities Southeast Philadelphia, you will make decisions that will affect the quality of life in our target communities. Overall, the function of the United Communities’ Board is to set policy that enables the staff to implement programs consistent with the agency’s mission. A key responsibility is to ensure the financial viability of the organization. As a board member, you are asked to provide leadership, direction and guidance. In return, you will have a rewarding and fulfilling experience. As a board member, you represent the organization to the community at-large. Therefore, it is important to keep abreast of the agency’s business so that you can use every opportunity to thrust the organization into the limelight as you interact in your professional and personal relationships. In addition, board members need to remain aware of the target community to help the organization effectively meet neighborhood needs and enable the organization to remain healthy. Board Member Responsibilities:
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a United Communities board member, please contact Maureen Kebea at 215.468.1645, ext. 214 or email at MaureenKebea@ucsep.org
There are several ways in which you can support United Communities. 1. Make a direct contribution by sending your check to UCSEP, 2029 S. 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148, Attn: Resource Director. All contributions are tax-deductible. 2. If you participate in the United Way’s Employee Campaign, you can designate all or part of y our donation to United Communities. Our Donor Choice Number is 00120. 3. Volunteer at United Communities. For information on Volunteer Opportunities, please contact Rose Duncan at 215.468.1645, ext. 213 or email at RoseDuncan@ucsep.org.
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