February: Comings & Goings

Matt Rader is the New President of the Philadelphia Horticultural Society Matt Rader, an accomplished nonprofit leader and management consultant, is now the 37th president of the Philadelphia Horticultural Society (PHS). Rader brings with him experience in urban parks, neighborhood revitalization, historic preservation and strategic management. A graduate of the Wharton School of the University

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Mayor-elect Kenney Appoints Christine Knapp New Leader of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability

Christine Knapp will head the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability during the Jim F. Kenney mayoral administration. Knapp has been a leader in Philadelphia’s sustainability community for over a decade; She led PennFuture’s Next Great City Campaign, headed Philadelphia’s Urban Sustainability Forum, and most recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Government Affairs

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1 min read

December: Comings & Goings

Illustration by Kathleen White Philadelphia Becomes the First U.S. World Heritage CityWe’ve always known Philadelphia is a world-class city, but now it’s official. On Nov. 6, the World Heritage Committee, part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), named Philadelphia the first World Heritage City in the U.S. The program honors and

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Community meeting against “energy hub” derailed by state rep’s office

Divided We Fall by Heather Shayne Blakeslee An organizing meeting with Action United in Southwest Philadelphia started out peaceably, but suffered from continual disruption from the chief of staff for State Representative Jordan Harris’ office. On the evening of Nov. 17 at Grace Christian Fellowship Church, about 50 people—largely composed of community members and community

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6 mins read

November 2015: Comings and Goings

StartUp PHL Grants $104kStartUp PHL, a city initiative to endorse and fund entrepreneurship in Philadelphia, has awarded $104,000 in grant money to six diverse organizations. Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha, who was granted $20,000, will convert land at 6th and Susquehanna streets into a pop-up marketplace. Corzo Center for the Creative Economy at the University of

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4 mins read

October 2015: Comings & Goings

Andy Toy Joins Southeast Asian NonprofitAndy 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,”

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3 mins read

Book Smart

The city releases its guidebook for solar projects
In June, the city debuted its highly anticipated Guidebook for Solar Photovoltaic Projects in Philadelphia, an element of Philadelphia’s participation in the Department of Energy’s Solar American Cities Partnership.

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News: Collaborative Effort

Infill Philadelphia Receives Community Action Grant from the ULIInfill Philadelphia has more than one reason to celebrate. The five-year urban revitalization initiative will complete phase three of the program this fall, and they’ve also been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Community Action Grants program.

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1 min read
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News Alert: The Energy Caps Come Off

Prepare yourselves: In January 2011, electricity rates in Philadelphia will increase, if not skyrocket. Back in 1997, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a deregulation measure that capped utility rates for consumers in preparation for allowing competition—or “Energy Choice”—in the market. PECO’s cap will expire next year, but citizens in other areas of the state

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News: Isle of White

RetroFit Philly gives Philadelphians a chance to win free energy upgrades 
It seems impossible that, in a few short months, Philadelphians will be sweating through their shirts, but it’s true. Energy costs are sure to be a concern this summer, and small changes make a huge difference.
This is the thrust behind RetroFit Philly’s Coolest Block Contest, an

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