Andy Toy Joins Southeast Asian Nonprofit
Andy Toy, formerly of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, is now the development and communications manager for Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Associations Coalition, Inc. (SEAMAAC), a nonprofit organization serving immigrants and refugees in the Philadelphia region since 1984.
“I’ve personally seen SEAMAAC grow and evolve over the last couple decades,” Toy remarks. “I look forward to contributing to its growth and bringing further opportunities to SEAMAAC that will advance its mission of improving educational, health and social services available to the immigrant and refugee community members of Philadelphia.”
SEAMAAC works to assist immigrants, refugees and their families by providing ESL classes, citizenship classes, after-school programs, summer camps, elderly services, health education and women’s support groups.
Impact Hub Philly Closing
Impact Hub Philly, a co-working and social impact innovation space, will close its doors at 1227 N. 4th St., on December 1, 2015 due to what Executive Director Dominique Aubry called “considerable financial losses.” Plans about the future of the center and where, or whether, it may relocate remain unclear.
Aubry wrote in a letter to Impact Hub Philly members, “This pivot allows us to re-center our focus around identifying what we do best and how to best serve our community through our work. We are open to all suggestions and ideas, and I hope to have conversations with each of you on the next phase of Impact Hub Philly as we move toward a new solution by the end of this year.”
Katie Bohri, Spoke Co-Founder, Joins Mt. Cuba Center
Katie Bohri, a founder of Philly’s bicycle advocacy magazine Spoke is now the marketing and communications coordinator for Mt. Cuba Center, a public garden and education center in Hockessin, DE. The center boasts over 50 acres of display gardens and 500 acres of natural lands. Bohri will join in their efforts to inspire visitors to develop a more passionate appreciation of the plants in their native ecosystem.
Bohri is excitedly transitioning into the position. “I feel as if I’m doing work I’m good at, with people I like, for an organization I respect,” she says. “This place is a wellspring of knowledge and passion for the environment and the natural world.”
New Space For Neighborhood Bike Works
Neighborhood Bike Works (NBW) has announced that they will be relocating their nonprofit, whic provides educational, recreational and career-building opportunities through bicycling in underserved neighborhoods in Philadelphia. In addition to their outreach events, NBW’s Bike Church program offers free, supervised bike assistance and maintenance, granting access to inexpensive components and the sometimes uncommon tools necessary in maintaining a bicycle.
Their last scheduled Bike Church date at the 40th Street location was August 27. The re-opening at 3939 Lancaster Avenue was slated to begin with youth programs during the week of September 28 and adult programs resuming the week of October 5.
Weavers Way Co-Op names Jon Roesser new GM
Jon Roesser has been named the new general manager of Weavers Way Co-op. After serving for seven years as their human resources director, the co-op’s board of directors concluded that he was the most suitable candidate in their nationwide search.
“Jon has been at Weavers Way for nearly seven years,” announced Board President Chris Hill. “In that time, besides doing a terrific job as human resources director, he has acquired a wealth of experience in the ways of the co-op—experience that we know will be invaluable as we navigate the challenges ahead. The Board believes Jon has the perfect temperament and set of strengths to guide us successfully through this interesting and challenging period of growth and competition.”
Latest Nicole Marquis restaurant, Bar Bombon, opens
On August 24, Nicole Marquis, owner of HipCityVeg and Charlie was a sinner., opened Bar Bombon, near Rittenhouse Square. Located at 133 S. 18th St., Bar Bombon’s all-vegan Latin menu will be served both in the bar’s Old San Juan-style 10-seat barroom, 30-seat dining room, and also through the takeout window fashioned into the facade of the former Crumb’s Bake Shop building.
Marquis newest venture will maintain the non-GMO and strict vegan practices of her other establishments.
Department of Making + Doing Closing In December
After nearly three years of operation, the Department of Making + Doing (DM+D) has announced that they will be closing their space at 3711 Market St. on November 30, 2015. DM+D was established in 2012 as a collaboration among University City Science Center, NextFab, Public Workshop and the Hacktory in an effort to provide hands-on education in various fields of design, fabrication, electronics and art.
Though their space will be closing, it is not the end for DM+D. “The DM+D community of partners and participants is moving beyond the bounds of one physical space to continue our missions, touch more lives and engage in making the world a better place,” said Evan Malone, NextFab’s president. I would like to express my gratitude to the Science Center and Wexford for their financial and operational support of DM+D, without which the partnership would not have been able to impact positively so many lives.”
