One of PIHN’s very own, Aubree House, recently wrote a poem that was selected for presentation at the All City Oratorical Contest in celebration of Black History Month. In addition to grabbing a star role in her school play “Hairspray!”, Aubree is really putting her best foot forward and making us very proud! Read Aubree’s poem “Take a Knee” below.

Can we Take a Knee?

Can we take a knee and stand up for our rights?

Can we take a knee and stop all the fights?

Can we take a knee and realize black lives do matter?

Can we take a knee and save lives from being shattered?

Can we take a knee and realize for a second

Every single day some lives are being threatened?

Can we take a knee and stand up against police brutality?

I can’t believe our world has come to this very harsh reality.

Can we take a knee and stop all the hate?

Can we take a knee and begin to retaliate?

Can we take a knee and stand up for what we believe?

Can we take a knee and see what we all can achieve?

Can we take a knee and speak up when something’s wrong?

Not by yourself, but together … we are strong!

Can we take a knee and treat others with respect?

If you don’t … then think of all the people you might affect.

I’m saying this to you today, to tell you something true.

All the violence in the world … isn’t something new.

Can we take a knee and make this world adjust?

Can we take a knee, not just by myself, but with all of us?

Can we take a knee?

written by Aubree House.

A Homelessness Prevention Strategy that Philly 

Desperately Needs.

Hundreds of Philadelphia families, even from the priciest neighborhoods of our City, find themselves during the course of any month. Far too often they cannot get the emergency help they need. Philadelphia’s safety net, the shelter system, is stretched well beyond capacity and lacks the resources necessary to respond to current economic and housing realities of City residents, in particular for the Northeast zip codes that Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network (PIHN) and our 20 Northeast area congregations serve. Northeast Philadelphia has the second highest eviction rate in the city. More than 5,700 School District students were homeless last year. Some were in shelter, but others were couch surfing. Each year approximately 14,000 Philadelphians utilize a homeless shelter.

Homelessness occurs for a myriad of reasons and comes with many costs. Shelter beds are very expensive – approximately $15,000 per individual and $45,000 for a three person household per year! The choice not to build additional shelter beds to meet the true need comes with hidden social costs that show up in unnecessary placements in the child welfare system, increased health crises, lost employment, delays in educational progress for children, prolonged domestic violence, increased trauma and resulting behavioral health problems. Vacant housing brings down our neighborhoods.

Rather than let families and children fall behind, how can Philadelphia provide necessary resources and services sooner to prevent the downward spiral of homelessness? A promising solution lies in a cost-effective “homelessness prevention” strategy, managed by public-private partnerships that includes community, faith-based, local government, and corporate collaboration and support.

On March 13th and March 20th Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network, Family Service Provider Network, the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations, Health Providers, Legal Aid groups and others testified in public hearings on the Homelessness Prevention and Philadelphia’s Eviction Crisis to ask our City Council to support investment in community-based prevention strategies that would help 1,000 households to avoid the emergency shelter system. Utilizing the Housing Trust Fund for homelessness prevention monies would be money well-spent. 3 million dollars would provide landlord mediation, legal assistance, financial coaching, benefits advocacy, employment and training, “master leasing”, and short-term financial assistance. These interventions have been tried in other cities and have proven 98% successful in preventing homelessness and displacement. While there will still be some families who need higher levels of service, most low income working families can avoid homelessness with targeted interventions.

Prevention intervention costs range from $500 per household to $6,000 per household in one year of service, compared to the high costs of providing shelter or the societal costs of doing nothing, PIHN believes that our City leadership should work to develop a community based homelessness prevention plan utilizing funds from the City Housing Trust Fund. By investing in a proven intervention, homeless Philadelphians won’t have to rely solely on the shelter system. A great city like Philadelphia can, and should, do better for its vulnerable citizens.

Check out some of these awesome shots taken at the 4th Annual EPD.

We had a WONDERFUL time with our neighbors this year!

Photo Creds to our German Volunteer: “Felizitas Bitzenhofer”

Consistent supporters of PIHN, The Greentree Community Health Foundation created an article spotlighting organizations who are helping fight Homelessness. Below is an article from them featuring our very own Alumni, Nancy!

CLICK HERE to See What Greentree wrote about Our Neighboring Organizations